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Los Angeles Plays Itself

Play trailer Poster for Los Angeles Plays Itself 2004 2h 49m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
98% Tomatometer 44 Reviews 84% 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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Los Angeles Plays Itself

Los Angeles Plays Itself

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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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Critics Reviews

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Nick De Semlyen Empire Magazine Oct 22, 2024
2/5
Interesting in places, but let down by a narrator/director who is as dull as dishwater. Go to Full Review
Justin Chang Los Angeles Times Sep 1, 2016
A definitive statement about how the movies have distorted our perceptions of this city's architectural, cultural and historical identity .. Go to Full Review
Richard Brody The New Yorker Apr 4, 2016
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. Go to Full Review
Dennis Harvey 48 Hills Aug 26, 2022
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. Go to Full Review
Dan Sallitt Senses of Cinema Oct 17, 2018
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. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews May 21, 2015
A-
This unusual brainy pic acts to show, in a provocative way, how Hollywood transforms a fiction film into a documentary. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Kyle M @RT77296778 Mar 3, 2026 From the architectural reputations and geographical ranges to residing social archetypes, Andersen truthfully instill a comprehensive attempt in arguably framing one of the country’s most popular cityscape destinations with proper examining correction that’s personally limited yet fascinatingly thought-provoking as his achieved extent. (B+) See more
Jacob F @RT61936779 Mar 6, 2025 The clips are interesting if you ignore the ranting of the narrator, who seems strangely neurotic. The movie is really long and would be hilarious if the delivery didn't seem so lacking in self-awareness. See more
Niven H Sep 2, 2019 Great archive but strange meandering structure. See more
david f @dfulmer Feb 27, 2019 An excellent and thoroughly comprehensive documentary about films set in Los Angeles with tons of scenes from movies both famous and obscure. See more
Jul 5, 2016 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. See more
Oct 11, 2015 Long, but worth it for film freaks. See more
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Los Angeles Plays Itself

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Cast & Crew

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Thom Andersen

Director

Encke King

Narrator

Thom Andersen

Producer

Deborah Stratman

Cinematographer

Seung-Hyun Yoo

Film Editing

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Los Angeles Plays Itself

Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003) Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003) Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003) View more photos

Movie Info

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
Production Co
Thom Andersen Productions
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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