Filmstelle

Thom Andersen adds the probably most filmed city of the world into a kaleidoscopic portrait of itself together. In his cinematic work Los Angeles is given all the roles, which it has played over the history of cinema. Andersen contrasts these fictious presentations with his personal experience and criticises the way in which the city is fictionalised in movies; be it historic (Chinatown), geographic (Blade Runner), ideological (L.A. Confidential) or architecturally (Zabriskie Point). Spoiler: Los Angeles movies despise the modern architecture; it is very beneficial in giving the villain a hideout, which can be blown up by the hero in the third act.

The filmessay allows a perspective behind the shining hollywood image and reveals through a variety of plot threads realities in racism, police brutality, house lootings, economic injustices and political perversions. It guarantees too, that you will leave the cinema with many more movies on your watchlist.

Elisabeth Agethen