Los Angeles Plays Itself

A Cinematic History of Los Angeles

Thom Andersen's landmark documentary LOS ANGELES PLAYS ITSELF explores the tangled relationship between the movies and their fabled hometown as seen entirely though the films themselves.

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.

Winner of the Independent/Experimental Film and Video Award at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards. Winner of the Best Documentary Feature Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

"The best documentary ever made about Los Angeles." - Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

"One of the great films of the century to date, poignant and affecting." - Calum Marsh, Village Voice