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.
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A Visit to Los Angeles (1916)
To popularize the idea of automobile travel, Ford Motor Company produced Ford Educational Weekly, a film magazine distributed free to theaters. One 1916 series featured "Visits to American Cities." In this episode, Los Angeles is featured at the very beginning of the boom created by oil, movies and aircraft. On the occasion of its centennial in 1953, Ford donated its film to the National Archives and Records Service; this copy derives from a fine grain master printed from the Archive's preservation negative. Music by Frederick Hodges.
Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire (2019)
Mixing archival footage with interviews, this film celebrates one of Los Angeles's most influential painters and Chicano art activists from the 1970s.
Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film (2006)
Ric Burns unearths rarely seen footage and offers keen observations on the life and artistic influence of Andy Warhol. [Made for and aired on PBS's American Masters series.]
The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.
The Donut King (2020)
Cambodian refugee Ted Ngoy builds a multi-million dollar empire by baking America's favourite pastry: the doughnut.
Seeing Allred (2018)
Gloria Allred overcame trauma and personal setbacks to become one of the nation’s most famous women’s rights attorneys. Now the feminist firebrand takes on two of the biggest adversaries of her career, Bill Cosby and Donald Trump, as sexual violence allegations grip the nation and keep her in the spotlight.
Half the Picture (2018)
At a pivotal moment for gender equality in Hollywood, successful women directors talk about their art, lives and careers.
Matthew Stafford: Locked In (2024)
Centers around the second half of the Rams' 2023 season, when they come back from Bye Week with a 3-6 record, requiring them to win almost every remaining game.
Black Flag: TV Party Target Video (1983)
TV Party Music Video - (Live @ Target SF 1981) Rise Above - Thirsty & Miserable -Depression - American Waste - Fan greeting in Bologna, Italy 1979 - Revenge (San Francisco 8-20-80) - Jealous Again - Chuck (mock) interviews Dez & Henry - Rise Above (repeat)
One Six Right (2005)
An exhilarating documentary film that celebrates the unsung hero of aviation - the local airport - by tracing the life, history, and struggles of an airport icon: Southern California's Van Nuys Airport. Featuring thrilling aerial photography and a sweeping original score, the film dispels common misconceptions and opposes criticism of General Aviation airports.
Before Hollywood There Was Fort Lee, N. J. (1964)
Amazing, but true: Fort Lee, New Jersey (just across the George Washington Bridge from Manhattan), was once the epicenter of American film production. This documentary of a truly bygone era combines photographs culled from private collections, as well as restored footage from such films as Thomas A. Edison's Rescued from an Eagle's Nest and D.W. Griffith's The New York Hat, filmed at the studios in Fort Lee.
In The Mind of Warat Bureephakdee (2023)
A documentary about the story of what's in Warat's head with politics and the film industry through his movie “Secret Among Wings”
Touched by Gold: '72 Lakers (2012)
Many consider the 1971-72 World Champion Los Angeles Lakers one of the greatest teams in the history of the NBA. But despite a remarkable run to the title that included a record 33-game winning streak, this group was the unlikeliest of champions.
Dalya's Other Country (2017)
In 2012 Dalya and her mother Rudayna fled Aleppo for Los Angeles as war took over. Months before, Rudayna learns a secret that destroys her marriage, leaving her single at midlife. Arriving in LA, Dalya enrolls as the only Muslim at Holy Family Catholic High School. Can mother and daughter remake themselves while holding on to their Islamic traditions?
Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405 (2016)
56-year-old artist Mindy Alper has suffered severe depression and anxiety for most of her life. For a time she even lost the power of speech, and it was during this period that her drawings became extraordinarily articulate.
Look Away (2021)
Interviews from women involved in the 70's and 80's rock music industry. An examination of the people taking advantage of underage fans and calling for a "Me too" movement in the music world
Où sont les noirs ? (2020)
French actors Lucien Jean-Baptiste, Aïssa Maïga, Sonia Rolland, Deborah Lukumuena, Marie-France Malonga, Gary Dourdan and others speak up on the reality of black actors in the French movie industry.
Place Clichy sans complexe (1996)
Documentary on the 18-month renovation of the large Pathé Wepler cinema on the Place de Clichy in Paris. This 1,600-seat cinema is a landmark in the heart of a working-class district of Paris. The cinema becomes a twelve-screen multiplex.
The Secret Lives of Bill Bartell (2025)
Bill Bartell was a multifaceted individual who traversed the punk rock scene, law enforcement, rodeo riding, and country music. Known for his unique contribution to punk rock through his label Gasatanka Records and band White Flag, Bartell's life defies conventional boundaries, blending hyper-masculinity with subcultural rebellion. His story, filled with mysterious and seemingly contradictory roles, offers a compelling narrative about identity, transformation, and the unexpected paths life can take.
