Los Angeles Plays Itself
Watch TrailerFrom its distinctive neighborhoods to its architectural homes, Los Angeles has been the backdrop to countless movies. In this dazzling work, Andersen takes viewers on a whirlwind tour through the metropolis' real and cinematic history, investigating the myriad stories and legends that have come to define it, and meticulously, judiciously revealing the real city that lives beneath.
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📋 Film Details
| Year | 2004 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Director | Thom Andersen |
| Runtime | 169 min. |
| Rating | TMDB: 7.6/10 (61 votes) |
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🎬 MovieFinder's Take
The director bets on details: a gesture, a glance, a pause. In a good drama this is what says the most — and that principle is upheld here.
Worth watching if you're in the mood for serious cinema. Not background viewing — it demands attention.
For viewers who can watch slow cinema and value the human element in stories.
Director: Thom Andersen
— MovieFinder Editorial
Best Watched
Viewing atmosphere: In quiet, in the evening. Better alone or with someone who watches films seriously.
🎭 Cast
Encke King
Narrator (voice)
Ben Alexander
Officer Frank Smith in Dragnet (archive footage)
Jim Backus
Frank Stark in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)
Brenda Bakke
Lana Turner in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)
Barbara O. Jones
Dorothy in Bush Mama (archive footage)
Gene Barry
Dr. Clayton Forrester in The War of The Worlds (archive footage)
Richard Basehart
Roy Morgan/Roy Martin in He Walked By Night (archive footage)
Hugh Beaumont
George Copeland in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)
William Bendix
Buzz Wanchek in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)
Ann Blyth
Veda Pierce in Mildred Pierce (archive footage)
💬 Audience Reviews
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