Los Angeles Plays Itself

2003, Documentary, 2h 49m

45 Reviews 1,000+ Ratings

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. Read critic reviews

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Los Angeles Plays Itself Photos

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Movie Info

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.

Genre:

documentary
Original Language:

English
Director:

Thom Andersen
Producer:

Thom Andersen
Release Date (Theaters):

Jan 1, 2004 wide
Release Date (Streaming):

Aug 10, 2016
Runtime:

2h 49m

Cast & Crew

Encke King
Narrator

Thom Andersen
Director

Thom Andersen
Producer

Deborah Stratman
Cinematographer

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Critic Reviews for Los Angeles Plays Itself

All Critics (45) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (2)

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

September 1, 2016 | Full Review…

Justin Chang
Los Angeles Times
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.

April 4, 2016 | Full Review…

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

September 18, 2014 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Michael Phillips
Chicago Tribune
One of the great films of the century to date, poignant and affecting.

January 1, 2014 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…

Calum Marsh
Village Voice
CalArts professor Thom Andersen poured a lifetime of moviegoing (and his own complex affection for the city he calls home) into this revelatory two-part documentary, a film that trains you to look at things askew.

December 31, 2013 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…

Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out
Quote not available.

April 1, 2006 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Empire Magazine
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.

October 17, 2018 | Full Review…

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

May 21, 2015 | Rating: A- | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Ten years on, we can finally call this film a classic. It's an unparalleled work of social and cultural study. The new, remastered cut means it looks better than ever.

May 30, 2014 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…

Dan Schindel
Nonfics
The doc bears repeated viewing, even when one winces at some of Andersen's assertions.

May 5, 2010 | Full Review…

Kelly Vance
East Bay Express
Arguably the best movie about movies ever made.

April 26, 2006 | Rating: A | Full Review…

Edward Havens
FilmJerk.com
An ultimate movie clip junkie film, a video store fantasy with a pulse and a brain.

October 14, 2005 | Full Review…

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

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

September 1, 2016 | Full Review…

Justin Chang
Los Angeles Times
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.

April 4, 2016 | Full Review…

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

September 18, 2014 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Michael Phillips
Chicago Tribune
One of the great films of the century to date, poignant and affecting.

January 1, 2014 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…

Calum Marsh
Village Voice
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.

October 17, 2018 | Full Review…

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

May 21, 2015 | Rating: A- | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Ten years on, we can finally call this film a classic. It's an unparalleled work of social and cultural study. The new, remastered cut means it looks better than ever.

May 30, 2014 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…

Dan Schindel
Nonfics
The doc bears repeated viewing, even when one winces at some of Andersen's assertions.

May 5, 2010 | Full Review…

Kelly Vance
East Bay Express
Arguably the best movie about movies ever made.

April 26, 2006 | Rating: A | Full Review…

Edward Havens
FilmJerk.com
An ultimate movie clip junkie film, a video store fantasy with a pulse and a brain.

October 14, 2005 | Full Review…

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
An ingenious, if somewhat dry and overlong, account of how the movies have depicted the various textures, tensions and ambiguities that make up the City of Angels.

June 17, 2005 | Rating: B

Shawn Levy
Oregonian
... as provocative a movie as I've seen in the last couple years...

May 8, 2005

Andy Klein
Los Angeles CityBeat

View All Critic Reviews (45)

Audience Reviews for Los Angeles Plays Itself

Nov 19, 2011

highly entertaining and full of fascinating information about films set in and around los angeles, it's a documentary made entirely from clips of other films (roughly 200 of them)! of course, this caused some licensing issues and so it's never been properly released, only playing festivals here and there, but guess what? it's on youtube in 12 parts, starting here: http://youtu.be/7SNc41zyLJ0

Stella D Super Reviewer
Jan 12, 2005

[font=Century Gothic][color=darkorange]"Los Angeles Plays Itself" was a great documentary that was released last year. It was on the surface an examination of how the city of Los Angeles has been portrayed in films over the years. But it's also a lesson in history, politics, geography and architecture.[/color][/font] [color=#ff8c00]The reason I'm bringing up this film now is that the filmmaker was wondering why Los Angeles' Union Station has been the scene of so many kidnappings in movies, most notably in Nick of Time(1995). (I was in Union Station in September and I didn't notice any sort of nefarious activity going on.) Which brings me to...[/color][color=#ff8c00]Sunday night's season premiere of "24" which did also feature a kidnapping at Union Station.(And don't even get me started on the detour through Three Days of the Condor which led up to that...)[/color] [color=#ff8c00](I won't try to bring up television in this journal unless it has some connection to movies.) [/color]

Walter M Super Reviewer