Los Angeles Plays Itself

Los Angeles Plays Itself

3.8 |

2h 49min

Released

Documentary

From 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.

Los Angeles Plays Itself

Story

From 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.

Directors

Thom Andersen, Thom Andersen, Thom Andersen, Deborah Stratman,

Writers

Tags

Casts

Ben Alexander

Ben Alexander

Character-in: Officer Frank Smith in Dragnet (archive footage)

Jim Backus

Jim Backus

Character-in: Frank Stark in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)

Brenda Bakke

Brenda Bakke

Character-in: Lana Turner in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)

Gene Barry

Gene Barry

Character-in: Dr. Clayton Forrester in The War of The Worlds (archive footage)

Richard Basehart

Richard Basehart

Character-in: Roy Morgan/Roy Martin in He Walked By Night (archive footage)

Hugh Beaumont

Hugh Beaumont

Character-in: George Copeland in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)

William Bendix

William Bendix

Character-in: Buzz Wanchek in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)

Ann Blyth

Ann Blyth

Character-in: Veda Pierce in Mildred Pierce (archive footage)

Jim Bouton

Jim Bouton

Character-in: Terry Lennox in The Long Goodbye (archive footage)

Grand L. Bush

Grand L. Bush

Character-in: FBI Agent Little Johnson in Die Hard (archive footage)

James Cagney

James Cagney

Character-in: Tom Powers in The Public Enemy (archive footage)

Lon Chaney Jr.

Lon Chaney Jr.

Character-in: Charles Benton in The Indestructible Man (archive footage)

John Considine

John Considine

Character-in: Matthew Crawford in Timestalkers (archive footage)

Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby

Character-in: Al Hickey in Hickey & Boggs (archive footage)

Robert Culp

Robert Culp

Character-in: Frank Boggs in Hickey & Boggs (archive footage)

Howard Duff

Howard Duff

Character-in: Dave Pomeroy in Panic in the City (archive footage)

Deanna Durbin

Deanna Durbin

Character-in: Penny in Three Smart Girls (archive footage)

Mark Frechette

Mark Frechette

Character-in: Mark in Zabriskie Point (archive footage)

John Garfield

John Garfield

Character-in: Nick Blake in Nobody Lives Forever (archive footage)

Ben Gazzara

Ben Gazzara

Character-in: Jackie Treehorn in The Big Lebowski (archive footage)

Bruce Glover

Bruce Glover

Character-in: Duffy in Chinatown (archive footage)

Marjoe Gortner

Marjoe Gortner

Character-in: Joby in Earthquake (archive footage)

James Griffith

James Griffith

Character-in: Jesse Quinn in Dragnet (archive footage)

Daria Halprin

Daria Halprin

Character-in: Daria in Zabriskie Point (archive footage)

Oliver Hardy

Oliver Hardy

Character-in: Ollie (archive footage)

Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow

Character-in: Gwen Allen in The Public Enemy (archive footage)

Bob Hope

Bob Hope

Character-in: Adam J. Niles in Bachelor in Paradise (archive footage)

Lauren Hutton

Lauren Hutton

Character-in: Georgia Crawford in Timestalkers (archive footage)

Henry Jaglom

Henry Jaglom

Character-in: Dean in Venice/Venice (archive footage)

David Janssen

David Janssen

Character-in: Steve in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)

Peter Jason

Peter Jason

Character-in: Duty Sergeant in Escape From L.A. (archive footage)

Roy Jenson

Roy Jenson

Character-in: Mulvihill in Chinatown (archive footage)

Jack Klugman

Jack Klugman

Character-in: Sandman in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)

Alan Ladd

Alan Ladd

Character-in: Philip Raven in This Gun For Hire (archive footage)

Stan Laurel

Stan Laurel

Character-in: Stan (archive footage)

Al Leong

Al Leong

Character-in: Uli in Die Hard (archive footage)

Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis

Character-in: Jerome Littlefield in The Disorderly Orderly (archive footage)

Gary Lockwood

Gary Lockwood

Character-in: George Matthews in Model Shop (archive footage)

Perry Lopez

Perry Lopez

Character-in: Escobar in Chinatown (archive footage)

Lyle Lovett

Lyle Lovett

Character-in: Detective DeLongpre in The Player (archive footage)

Fred MacMurray

Fred MacMurray

Character-in: Walter Neff in Double Indemnity (archive footage)

Guy Madison

Guy Madison

Character-in: Cliff Harper in Till the End of Time (archive footage)

Joe Mantell

Joe Mantell

Character-in: Walsh in Chinatown (archive footage)

Matt McCoy

Matt McCoy

Character-in: Brett Chase in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)

Ralph Meeker

Ralph Meeker

Character-in: Mike Hammer in Kiss Me Deadly (archive footage)

Sal Mineo

Sal Mineo

Character-in: John 'Plato' Crawford in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)

Harry Morgan

Harry Morgan

Character-in: Officer Bill Gannon in Dragnet (archive footage)

Robert Morley

Robert Morley

Character-in: Sir Ambrose Abercrombie in The Loved Ones (archive footage)

Robert Morse

Robert Morse

Character-in: Dennis Barlow in The Loved Ones (archive footage)

Tom Neal

Tom Neal

Character-in: Al Roberts in Detour (archive footage)

Lloyd Nolan

Lloyd Nolan

Character-in: Dr. Vance in Earthquake (archive footage)

Edmond O'Brien

Edmond O'Brien

Character-in: Frank Bigelow in D.O.A (archive footage)

Carroll O'Connor

Carroll O'Connor

Character-in: Lt. Christy French in Marlowe (archive footage)

Jürgen Prochnow

Jürgen Prochnow

Character-in: Michael Kogan in The Replacement Killers (archive footage)

Tony Roberts

Tony Roberts

Character-in: Rob in Annie Hall (archive footage)

Cliff Robertson

Cliff Robertson

Character-in: President in Escape From L.A. (archive footage)

Mitchell Ryan

Mitchell Ryan

Character-in: The Priest in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)

Ann Savage

Ann Savage

Character-in: Vera in Detour (archive footage)

Zachary Scott

Zachary Scott

Character-in: Monte Beragon in Mildred Pierce (archive footage)

Paolo Seganti

Paolo Seganti

Character-in: Johnny Stompanato in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)

James Stacy

James Stacy

Character-in: Joe Brodnek in Flareup (archive footage)

Madeleine Stowe

Madeleine Stowe

Character-in: Karen Carr in Unlawful Entry (archive footage)

David Strathairn

David Strathairn

Character-in: Pierce Patchett in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)

Gloria Swanson

Gloria Swanson

Character-in: Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd (archive footage)

William Talman

William Talman

Character-in: Dave Purvis in Armoured Car Robbery (archive footage)

Larenz Tate

Larenz Tate

Character-in: Frankie Lymon in Why Do Fools Fall In Love (archive footage)

George Tobias

George Tobias

Character-in: Al Doyle in Nobody Lives Forever (archive footage)

Lana Turner

Lana Turner

Character-in: Cora Smith in The Postman Always Rings Twice (archive footage)

Diane Venora

Diane Venora

Character-in: Justine in Heat (archive footage)

John Vernon

John Vernon

Character-in: Mal Reese in Point Blank (archive footage)

Craig Wasson

Craig Wasson

Character-in: Jake Scully in Body Double (archive footage)

Keenen Ivory Wayans

Keenen Ivory Wayans

Character-in: Det. Jim Campbell in The Glimmer Man (archive footage)

Jack Webb

Jack Webb

Character-in: Sergeant Joe Friday in Dragnet (archive footage)

Raquel Welch

Raquel Welch

Character-in: Michele in Flareup (archive footage)

James Whitmore

James Whitmore

Character-in: Lou Hopke in Shadow in The Sky (archive footage)

Cornel Wilde

Cornel Wilde

Character-in: Griff Marat in Shockproof (archive footage)

Mykelti Williamson

Mykelti Williamson

Character-in: Det. Oliver Franklin in First Power (archive footage)

Jonathan Winters

Jonathan Winters

Character-in: Wilbur Glenworthy in The Loved Ones (archive footage)

Natalie Wood

Natalie Wood

Character-in: Judy in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)

Jenny Wright

Jenny Wright

Character-in: Diz in Out of Bounds (archive footage)

Burt Young

Burt Young

Character-in: Curly in Chinatown (archive footage)

Darrell Zwerling

Darrell Zwerling

Character-in: Hollis Mulwray in Chinatown (archive footage)

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell

Character-in: Snake Plissken in Escape From L.A. (archive footage)

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