Los Angeles Plays Itself

Los Angeles Plays Itself

Post-screening conversation with filmmaker Thom Andersen.

"Los Angeles is where the relationship between reality and representation gets muddled." – Thom Andersen, Los Angeles Plays Itself

Thom Andersen’s film essay is a thoughtful and loving look at the way Los Angeles has been historically presented on the big screen, in three particular ways—as plot, background, and subject. Andersen uses a wealth of clips covering decades of cinema history and a variety of genres, with his narration adding keen insight to his exploration of the city’s use as a narrative setting and a filming location, as well as “a character in itself.”

DIRECTED/WRITTEN BY: Thom Andersen. 2003–14. 169 min. USA. B&W, Color. English. DCP.

Academy Museum film programming generously funded by the Richard Roth Foundation. 

Explore our current quarterly print Film Calendar and browse the archive.

Theater accessibility accommodations available upon request. Learn more about our accessibility initiatives.

Back to Main Series