Los Angeles Plays Itself

Released Jan 1, 2004

2h 49m

Documentary

List

98%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Consisting mostly of shots from other films, this documentary discusses the many representations of the city of Los Angeles in film and on television. Professor Thom Andersen compares the city as it exists in real life with its depictions on screen to examine how L.A. and its massive community have been misrepresented over the years. In addition to critical analysis, Andersen explains how directors portray the city itself as a character, and he also delves into L.A.'s dark history.

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Critics Consensus

A treat for cinephiles, this documentary is a comprehensive, academic, and enlightening film essay concerning Los Angeles and its depiction in the movies.

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Justin Chang

Los Angeles Times

A definitive statement about how the movies have distorted our perceptions of this city's architectural, cultural and historical identity ..

Sep 1, 2016

Full Review

Richard Brody

New Yorker

Blends a complex kaleidoscopic portrait of the city and a powerful work of film criticism with Andersen's personal story of living in Los Angeles.

Apr 4, 2016

Full Review

Michael Phillips

Chicago Tribune

Andersen's inspired ruminations about his city as a filming location and as a repository for other filmmakers' daydreams and nightmares.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 18, 2014

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Its first half a sensuous nature idyll, it then gives way to an experimental-cinema bad trip whose fragmented domination interlude is redolent of LSD and Kenneth Anger.

Aug 26, 2022

Full Review

Dan Sallitt

Senses of Cinema

Ultimately, Los Angeles Plays Itself plays out as a document of the conflict between Anderson's love of movies and his distrust of mass media.

Oct 17, 2018

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

This unusual brainy pic acts to show, in a provocative way, how Hollywood transforms a fiction film into a documentary.

Rated: A-

May 21, 2015

Full Review

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Niven H

Great archive but strange meandering structure.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/02/19

Full Review

david f

An excellent and thoroughly comprehensive documentary about films set in Los Angeles with tons of scenes from movies both famous and obscure.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The first part of this documentary is interesting and fun, but skip the second half as it's bog down into the director's take on what he thinks other directors have interpreted LA to be.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Long, but worth it for film freaks.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

simon d

Very long film about how L.A. has been portrayed in the movies. Often cynically narated, it's just about interesting enough for movie fans to get through, or anyone who knows L.A. well enough to appreciate the references, which I don't.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Those who live in L.A. are quick to point out famous movie locations of films that didn't even exist in that city. Due to small budget many films can't travel outside of tinsel-town and have to use L.A.'s random side streets as anonymous backdrops. Other architectural landmarks double as hideouts for villainous drug lords and malevolent Japanese corporations. Being the home of Hollywood, it's the most filmed city in the world. How the city has been known over the past 80 years is more defined by movies than by realities. Here that idea is explored in every aspect from architecture to history to culture through Dragnet, Blade Runner, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Repo Man, Chinatown, and Rebel Without A Cause. This anthropological study as told by a cinephile that looks to redefine the city's image for movie lovers. It's enjoyable if you're interested in the city and if you just love film, but at a runtime of nearly 3 hours it's a bit of a haul. As a 3 part PBS miniseries I think it would have been a little more manageable. Still very intriguing and worthwhile.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

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Thom Andersen

Director

Encke King

Narrator

Thom Andersen

Producer

Deborah Stratman

Cinematographer

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Synopsis

Consisting mostly of shots from other films, this documentary discusses the many representations of the city of Los Angeles in film and on television. Professor Thom Andersen compares the city as it exists in real life with its depictions on screen to examine how L.A. and its massive community have been misrepresented over the years. In addition to critical analysis, Andersen explains how directors portray the city itself as a character, and he also delves into L.A.'s dark history.

Director: Thom Andersen
Producer: Thom Andersen
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 1, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 14, 2014
Runtime: 2h 49m

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