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Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)
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Overview
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Plot:
A documentary on how Los Angeles has been used and depicted in the movies. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
2 wins moreUser Comments:
"L.A." = ineffable moreCast
(Credited cast) | Encke King | ... | Narrator (voice) |
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Additional Details
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Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
169 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishCertification:
USA:Not RatedMOVIEmeter: 
4% since last week
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Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
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| DVD? | bzabatman |
| Length of the film | Popey-6 |
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Trenchant and epic in size is Thom Andersen's "Los Angeles Plays Itself" – a doc that analyzes representation as much as it analyzes representation of Los Angeles itself.
How I adored the narrator's (Encke King) voice! It was at once sardonic and annoyed – a reflection of Andersen's emotional regard toward the whole matter, no doubt. What we hear are critical observations of the film clips that we see – there are quite literally dozens and dozens of clips here. This may seem disorienting and exhausting (to the interest level) but it's not. So struck with the compelling argument that Andersen presents to us do the hours fly by like minutes (not vice versa as Addison DeWitt said in "All About Eve").
Funny/interesting it is how this doc is set up like a conventional narrative film that Hollywood is guilty of routinely (and cloyingly) pushing on to the consumer - first we laugh and then we cry. The only difference here (and it's a big one) is that we're looking at actual subjects that existed or still exist. We cry for Los Angeles, you ask? Well, I'm not at liberty to discuss the poignancy that's present – it must be experienced firsthand in order to attain those surprise tears that are greatly missing in our movies.