Los Angeles Plays Itself (2004)
Los Angeles Plays Itself
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.
Casting arrow_drop_down
Encke King
as Narrator (voice)
as Narrator (voice)
Ben Alexander
as Officer Frank Smith in Dragnet (archive footage)
as Officer Frank Smith in Dragnet (archive footage)
Jim Backus
as Frank Stark in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)
as Frank Stark in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)
Brenda Bakke
as Lana Turner in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)
as Lana Turner in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)
Barbara O. Jones
as Dorothy in Bush Mama (archive footage)
as Dorothy in Bush Mama (archive footage)
Gene Barry
as Dr. Clayton Forrester in The War of The Worlds (archive footage)
as Dr. Clayton Forrester in The War of The Worlds (archive footage)
Richard Basehart
as Roy Morgan/Roy Martin in He Walked By Night (archive footage)
as Roy Morgan/Roy Martin in He Walked By Night (archive footage)
Hugh Beaumont
as George Copeland in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)
as George Copeland in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)
William Bendix
as Buzz Wanchek in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)
as Buzz Wanchek in The Blue Dahlia (archive footage)
Ann Blyth
as Veda Pierce in Mildred Pierce (archive footage)
as Veda Pierce in Mildred Pierce (archive footage)
Jim Bouton
as Terry Lennox in The Long Goodbye (archive footage)
as Terry Lennox in The Long Goodbye (archive footage)
Grand L. Bush
as FBI Agent Little Johnson in Die Hard (archive footage)
as FBI Agent Little Johnson in Die Hard (archive footage)
James Cagney
as Tom Powers in The Public Enemy (archive footage)
as Tom Powers in The Public Enemy (archive footage)
Lon Chaney Jr.
as Charles Benton in The Indestructible Man (archive footage)
as Charles Benton in The Indestructible Man (archive footage)
John Considine
as Matthew Crawford in Timestalkers (archive footage)
as Matthew Crawford in Timestalkers (archive footage)
Bill Cosby
as Al Hickey in Hickey & Boggs (archive footage)
as Al Hickey in Hickey & Boggs (archive footage)
Robert Culp
as Frank Boggs in Hickey & Boggs (archive footage)
as Frank Boggs in Hickey & Boggs (archive footage)
Howard Duff
as Dave Pomeroy in Panic in the City (archive footage)
as Dave Pomeroy in Panic in the City (archive footage)
Deanna Durbin
as Penny in Three Smart Girls (archive footage)
as Penny in Three Smart Girls (archive footage)
Mark Frechette
as Mark in Zabriskie Point (archive footage)
as Mark in Zabriskie Point (archive footage)
John Garfield
as Nick Blake in Nobody Lives Forever (archive footage)
as Nick Blake in Nobody Lives Forever (archive footage)
Ben Gazzara
as Jackie Treehorn in The Big Lebowski (archive footage)
as Jackie Treehorn in The Big Lebowski (archive footage)
Bruce Glover
as Duffy in Chinatown (archive footage)
as Duffy in Chinatown (archive footage)
Marjoe Gortner
as Joby in Earthquake (archive footage)
as Joby in Earthquake (archive footage)
James Griffith
as Jesse Quinn in Dragnet (archive footage)
as Jesse Quinn in Dragnet (archive footage)
Daria Halprin
as Daria in Zabriskie Point (archive footage)
as Daria in Zabriskie Point (archive footage)
Oliver Hardy
as Ollie (archive footage)
as Ollie (archive footage)
Jean Harlow
as Gwen Allen in The Public Enemy (archive footage)
as Gwen Allen in The Public Enemy (archive footage)
Bob Hope
as Adam J. Niles in Bachelor in Paradise (archive footage)
as Adam J. Niles in Bachelor in Paradise (archive footage)
Lauren Hutton
as Georgia Crawford in Timestalkers (archive footage)
as Georgia Crawford in Timestalkers (archive footage)
Henry Jaglom
as Dean in Venice/Venice (archive footage)
as Dean in Venice/Venice (archive footage)
David Janssen
as Steve in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)
as Steve in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)
Peter Jason
as Duty Sergeant in Escape From L.A. (archive footage)
as Duty Sergeant in Escape From L.A. (archive footage)
Roy Jenson
as Mulvihill in Chinatown (archive footage)
as Mulvihill in Chinatown (archive footage)
Jack Klugman
as Sandman in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)
as Sandman in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)
Alan Ladd
as Philip Raven in This Gun For Hire (archive footage)
as Philip Raven in This Gun For Hire (archive footage)
Stan Laurel
as Stan (archive footage)
as Stan (archive footage)
Al Leong
as Uli in Die Hard (archive footage)
as Uli in Die Hard (archive footage)
Jerry Lewis
as Jerome Littlefield in The Disorderly Orderly (archive footage)
as Jerome Littlefield in The Disorderly Orderly (archive footage)
Gary Lockwood
as George Matthews in Model Shop (archive footage)
as George Matthews in Model Shop (archive footage)
Perry Lopez
as Escobar in Chinatown (archive footage)
as Escobar in Chinatown (archive footage)
Lyle Lovett
as Detective DeLongpre in The Player (archive footage)
as Detective DeLongpre in The Player (archive footage)
Fred MacMurray
as Walter Neff in Double Indemnity (archive footage)
as Walter Neff in Double Indemnity (archive footage)
Guy Madison
as Cliff Harper in Till the End of Time (archive footage)
as Cliff Harper in Till the End of Time (archive footage)
Joe Mantell
as Walsh in Chinatown (archive footage)
as Walsh in Chinatown (archive footage)
Matt McCoy
as Brett Chase in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)
as Brett Chase in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)
Ralph Meeker
as Mike Hammer in Kiss Me Deadly (archive footage)
as Mike Hammer in Kiss Me Deadly (archive footage)
Sal Mineo
as John 'Plato' Crawford in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)
as John 'Plato' Crawford in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)
Harry Morgan
as Officer Bill Gannon in Dragnet (archive footage)
as Officer Bill Gannon in Dragnet (archive footage)
Robert Morley
as Sir Ambrose Abercrombie in The Loved Ones (archive footage)
as Sir Ambrose Abercrombie in The Loved Ones (archive footage)
Robert Morse
as Dennis Barlow in The Loved Ones (archive footage)
as Dennis Barlow in The Loved Ones (archive footage)
Tom Neal
as Al Roberts in Detour (archive footage)
as Al Roberts in Detour (archive footage)
Lloyd Nolan
as Dr. Vance in Earthquake (archive footage)
as Dr. Vance in Earthquake (archive footage)
Edmond O'Brien
as Frank Bigelow in D.O.A (archive footage)
as Frank Bigelow in D.O.A (archive footage)
Carroll O'Connor
as Lt. Christy French in Marlowe (archive footage)
as Lt. Christy French in Marlowe (archive footage)
Belinda Palmer
as Katherine in Chinatown (archive footage)
as Katherine in Chinatown (archive footage)
Jürgen Prochnow
as Michael Kogan in The Replacement Killers (archive footage)
as Michael Kogan in The Replacement Killers (archive footage)
Tony Roberts
as Rob in Annie Hall (archive footage)
as Rob in Annie Hall (archive footage)
Cliff Robertson
as President in Escape From L.A. (archive footage)
as President in Escape From L.A. (archive footage)
Mitchell Ryan
as The Priest in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)
as The Priest in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)
Ann Savage
as Vera in Detour (archive footage)
as Vera in Detour (archive footage)
Zachary Scott
as Monte Beragon in Mildred Pierce (archive footage)
as Monte Beragon in Mildred Pierce (archive footage)
Paolo Seganti
as Johnny Stompanato in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)
as Johnny Stompanato in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)
James Stacy
as Joe Brodnek in Flareup (archive footage)
as Joe Brodnek in Flareup (archive footage)
Madeleine Stowe
as Karen Carr in Unlawful Entry (archive footage)
as Karen Carr in Unlawful Entry (archive footage)
David Strathairn
as Pierce Patchett in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)
as Pierce Patchett in L.A. Confidential (archive footage)
Gloria Swanson
as Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd (archive footage)
as Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd (archive footage)
William Talman
as Dave Purvis in Armoured Car Robbery (archive footage)
as Dave Purvis in Armoured Car Robbery (archive footage)
Larenz Tate
as Frankie Lymon in Why Do Fools Fall In Love (archive footage)
as Frankie Lymon in Why Do Fools Fall In Love (archive footage)
George Tobias
as Al Doyle in Nobody Lives Forever (archive footage)
as Al Doyle in Nobody Lives Forever (archive footage)
Lana Turner
as Cora Smith in The Postman Always Rings Twice (archive footage)
as Cora Smith in The Postman Always Rings Twice (archive footage)
Diane Venora
as Justine in Heat (archive footage)
as Justine in Heat (archive footage)
John Vernon
as Mal Reese in Point Blank (archive footage)
as Mal Reese in Point Blank (archive footage)
Craig Wasson
as Jake Scully in Body Double (archive footage)
as Jake Scully in Body Double (archive footage)
Keenen Ivory Wayans
as Det. Jim Campbell in The Glimmer Man (archive footage)
as Det. Jim Campbell in The Glimmer Man (archive footage)
Jack Webb
as Sergeant Joe Friday in Dragnet (archive footage)
as Sergeant Joe Friday in Dragnet (archive footage)
Raquel Welch
as Michele in Flareup (archive footage)
as Michele in Flareup (archive footage)
James Whitmore
as Lou Hopke in Shadow in The Sky (archive footage)
as Lou Hopke in Shadow in The Sky (archive footage)
Cornel Wilde
as Griff Marat in Shockproof (archive footage)
as Griff Marat in Shockproof (archive footage)
Mykelti Williamson
as Det. Oliver Franklin in First Power (archive footage)
as Det. Oliver Franklin in First Power (archive footage)
Jonathan Winters
as Wilbur Glenworthy in The Loved Ones (archive footage)
as Wilbur Glenworthy in The Loved Ones (archive footage)
Natalie Wood
as Judy in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)
as Judy in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)
Jenny Wright
as Diz in Out of Bounds (archive footage)
as Diz in Out of Bounds (archive footage)
Burt Young
as Curly in Chinatown (archive footage)
as Curly in Chinatown (archive footage)
Darrell Zwerling
as Hollis Mulwray in Chinatown (archive footage)
as Hollis Mulwray in Chinatown (archive footage)
Kurt Russell
as Snake Plissken in Escape From L.A. (archive footage)
as Snake Plissken in Escape From L.A. (archive footage)
Crew arrow_drop_down
Thom Andersen
Producer
Producer
Thom Andersen
Writer
Writer
Thom Andersen
Director
Director
Deborah Stratman
Director of Photography
Director of Photography
Adam R. Levine
Editorial Services
Editorial Services
Peter Bo Rappmund
Editorial Services
Editorial Services
Peter Bo Rappmund
Editor
Editor
