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    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Los Angeles Plays Itself

    “Los Angeles Plays Itself” is a movie about movies about Los Angeles. It’s nearly three hours of film clips shot in or about Los Angeles. Nothing’s added except a sardonic, deadpan voice-over. A college professor and filmmaker named Thom Andersen premiered his film at the Toronto Film Festival in 2003.

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    By Madeleine Brand • Aug 27, 2014 • 1 min read

    “Los Angeles Plays Itself” is a movie about movies about Los Angeles. It’s nearly three hours of film clips shot in or about Los Angeles. Nothing’s added except a sardonic, deadpan voice-over. A college professor and filmmaker named Thom Andersen premiered his film at the Toronto Film Festival in 2003. Since then, it hasn’t been widely available outside of the occasional art house screening. Now - at long last - it’s coming out on DVD.

    The full episode

    4 of 5
    Los Angeles Plays Itself, Amazon Gets Twitchy, and a Mideast Truce
    1. 0:00Will Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Hold?
    2. 6:54Reaction From Residents of Israel and Gaza
    3. 16:54Amazon Gets Twitchy
    4. 24:50Los Angeles Plays ItselfYou’re reading this
    5. 40:28Overprescribing Drugs for Foster Kids
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Andrew Walsh

      Too Beautiful to Live

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Matt Holzman

      Producer, 'The Document'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Thom Andersen

      Director of “Los Angeles Plays Itself,” and film and video faculty at CalArts.

      News

    The full episode

    4 of 5
    Los Angeles Plays Itself, Amazon Gets Twitchy, and a Mideast Truce
    1. 0:00Will Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Hold?
    2. 6:54Reaction From Residents of Israel and Gaza
    3. 16:54Amazon Gets Twitchy
    4. 24:50Los Angeles Plays ItselfYou’re reading this
    5. 40:28Overprescribing Drugs for Foster Kids
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand