Los Angeles Site Seeing: Views of the City and the Academy Film Archive
Los Angeles Site Seeing: Views of the City and the Academy Film Archive
Views of the City from the Academy Film Archive
Los Angeles has made wildly varied appearances in films from the American avant-garde; few seem to tire of the endless expressive opportunities offered by the City of Angels. In a range of kaleidoscopic offerings spanning 75 years of experimental filmmaking, this program will lead us on an unconventional tour around Los Angeles and its vicinity, stretching from the inspiring optimism of the Watts Towers to the urban apocalypse of a Santa Monica supermarket in 1963, with many stops in between.
Drawing exclusively from the holdings of the Academy Film Archive, this program will feature all titles in their original 16mm and 35mm formats, many of them in restorations by the Archive, and featuring some little-known and rarely screened works of Los Angeles experimental filmmaking.
Programmed and note by Academy Film Archive Senior Film Preservationist Mark Toscano.
All films are from the Academy Film Archive and presented courtesy of the filmmakers or their estates.
Towers of Watts; Now, You Can Do Anything; Muscle Beach; Bump City; Shoppers Market; and Now Playing were restored by the Academy Film Archive, and all other films are screening in new prints from the Archive.
Total program runtime: 83 min.
Towers of Watts
Now, You Can Do Anything
City City
Hula
Muscle Beach
The Changing Same
Bump City
Shoppers Market
Now Playing
The Wizard of Speed and Time
Back to Main Series
Film Program
Latent Image: Three Films on Space, Time, and Change
In person: Tacita Dean, Margaret Honda, and Daïchi Saïto.
Film Program
Thu, Jul 14, 2022
An Evening with Christopher Harris: New Restorations
Christopher Harris in conversation with Academy Museum Chief Artistic and Programming Officer Jacqueline Stewart.
Film Program
Thu, Aug 4, 2022
Animation from Another World: Chronopolis and Shorts by Piotr Kamler
A selection of five of Piotr Kamler’s incredible short animated films followed by a rare 35mm presentation of his widely acclaimed masterwork, Chronopolis (1982/1988).
Film Program
Thu, Sept 15, 2022
Derek Jarman: Super 8 Revelations
An eclectic array of Derek Jarman’s Super 8 films chosen especially for this occasion. In-person: James Mackay
Film Program
Mon, Oct 24, 2022
Sally Cruikshank & Vince Collins: Cartoons for Convoluted Craniums!
In person: Sally Cruikshank.
Film Program
Wed, November 16, 2022
J.P. Sniadecki: Two Films, A Decade Apart…
In person: J.P. Sniadecki.
Film Program
Thursday, January 19, 2023
Mike Henderson: The Blues and the Abstract Truth
In person: Mike Henderson
Film Program
Monday, May 15, 2023
Harry Gamboa Jr.
Special guest: Post-screening conversation with artist, author, and educator Harry Gamboa Jr.
Film Program
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Made in Hollywood by Bruce and Norman Yonemoto
In person: Bruce Yonemoto and Patricia Arquette.
Film Program
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
You & Me & the Cosmos Makes Three: An Evening with Deborah Stratman
In person: Deborah Stratman.
Film Program
Friday, September 22, 2023
The Tawdry Visions of George and Mike Kuchar
Special guest: Post-screening conversation with filmmaker Mike Kuchar.
Film Program
Friday, November 17, 2023
Maureen Selwood: Animating the Interior
In person: Maureen Selwood.
Film Program
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Hag in a Black Leather Jacket and Roman Candles with live commentary by John Waters
John Waters himself will present his first two short films with live, in-person commentary.
Film Program
Thu, Sep 12, 2024
Harry Smith’s Film #18, Mahagonny in 4K
Introduction by Hilary Staff, Harry Smith Archives.