Birkbeck, University of London logo
BiRD - Birkbeck Research Data

    [EFF15S6] Session 6: Los Angeles Plays Itself

    [EFF15S6] Session 6: Los Angeles Plays Itself

    Cite as: Temple, Michael and Barrington, Matthew (2023): [EFF15S6] Session 6: Los Angeles Plays Itself. Birkbeck College, University of London. doi: https://doi.org/10.18743/DATA.00000236

    Description

    26 March 2015, 17:30, ICA Cinema

    Film: Los Angeles Plays Itself, Thom Andersen, 2003/2014, USA, DCP, 170 minutes, English

    Thom Andersen’s landmark documentary, Los Angeles Plays Itself, now available in a re-mastered and re-edited version, explores the tangled relationship between the movies and their fabled hometown – as seen entirely though the films themselves. This video essay is an overwhelming work of film archaeology, delving deeply into the various archetypical and often contradictory ways in which film has represented and defined Los Angeles against the city itself, its rich and complex history, its people and communities. Masterfully edited by Andersen out of hundreds of film excerpts, Los Angeles Plays Itself is constructed in three thematic sections: the city as background, the city as character, and the city as subject. Ultimately Thom Andersen’s gesture is one of militant nostalgia (using his own words), a recuperation of a city’s vanished history.

    Previews


    1 - Session 6 discussion (EFF15S6 Constanze Ruhm discussion 27.3.15 Edit.mp3)

    Collection Method

    The Essay Film Festival ran between 2015 and 2023, and presented a global range of contemporary and restored essayistic works. The events are now archived here for research purposes.

    Data Objects

    Offline / Analogue Data Records

    There are no offline / analogue datasets associated with this record

    External Data Records

    There are no external datasets associated with this record

    Digital Data Downloads

    To download and items from this dataset, you must agree to abide by the licence attached to the individual items. If you make use of any item you download, you must also cite it in any publication or outputs of your own.

    If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact us at researchdata@bbk.ac.uk.

    Full Archive

    Metadata

    Dataset Title:

    [EFF15S6] Session 6: Los Angeles Plays Itself
    Creators:

    Temple, Michael and Barrington, Matthew
    Dataset Contributors:

    ContributionNameEmailORCID
    CollaboratorMcCabe, Janetj.mccabe@bbk.ac.ukUNSPECIFIED
    CollaboratorYapp, Emmaeyapp01@student.bbk.ac.ukORCID logohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2646-6066
    School/Department:

    Birkbeck Schools and Research Centres > School of Arts > Film, Media and Cultural Studies
    Data collection method:

    The Essay Film Festival ran between 2015 and 2023, and presented a global range of contemporary and restored essayistic works. The events are now archived here for research purposes.
    Collection period:

    FromTo
    26 March 201526 March 2015
    Statement on legal, ethical, and access issues:

    All film stills were provided by participating artists.
    Depositing User: Emma Yapp
    Date Deposited: 18 Feb 2025 15:26
    Last Modified: 18 Feb 2025 15:26
    Publisher: Birkbeck College, University of London

    Export / Share Citation

    Cite as: Temple, Michael and Barrington, Matthew (2023): [EFF15S6] Session 6: Los Angeles Plays Itself. Birkbeck College, University of London. doi: https://doi.org/10.18743/DATA.00000236

    Impact & Reach

    DownloadsShow export options
    Activity Overview
    6 month trend
    0Downloads
    6 month trend
    0Hits

    Additional statistics for this dataset are available via IRStats2.

    Actions

    Edit Item (Login Required)