Los Angeles Plays Itself

Los Angeles Plays Itself is a documentary that delves into the relationship between the city of Los Angeles and its depiction in film and television. Director Thom Andersen examines how Hollywood has represented and misrepresented its hometown over the years, using carefully selected footage from various films made in or about the city. The documentary explores the ways in which Hollywood has mythologized Los Angeles, from its portrayal as a stand-in for other cities to its depiction of modernist architecture as the domain of villains. Through a meticulous examination of the real and cinematic history of Los Angeles, Andersen reveals the stories and legends that have come to define the city, and the real city that lives beneath the myths.

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Some movies that have similar genres and were produced around the same time as Los Angeles Plays Itself include Crossing the Line, Grizzly Man, Who Killed the Electric Car?, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Capitalism: A Love Story, Riding Giants.