K.K. Barrett: Is Her a Vision for LA?

One of the fascinating things about the movie Her is the reaction it’s gotten -- not only from movie goers who like the love story, but from those interested in the real future of LA.

Gizmodo’s urbanism editor Alissa Walker tells DnA about the laughter that greeted Joaquin Phoenix’s character Theodore Twombly when he emerges from the subway at the sea. They were laughing with delight at the very idea of a transit-based, more urbanized LA -- that is forming as we speak, a future that seemed to be validated and enhanced by Her.

I asked K.K. how he felt about their fictional cityscape being viewed as a real projection of LA. And does he really want LA will be car-free or a city of towers like Vancouver or an Asian city? K.K. says the team has been tickled and surprised by how much their fictional creation has been received as a seer on urban planning and near-future technology. Not only was it not based on any expert indicators of LA’s development he says, it did not take cues from other futuristic movies. Besides, he says, he does not want to see old LA ripped away to make way for towers, and he loves his car – even as he would like more public transit, and for personal mobility to be automated.

And yes, he talks about the high-waisted pants too.