Mulholland Drive (2001)
LIMITED SERIES
SUMMER IN THE CITY:
LOS ANGELES, BLOCK BY BLOCK JUN 1–AUG 31, 2024
“We might wonder if the movies have ever really depicted Los Angeles,” muses the voiceover in Los Angeles Plays Itself , filmmaker Thom Andersen’s epic 2003 essay film that weaves hundreds of clips from cinema history into a rich tapestry that showcases the city as a character and as a subject. From Beverly Hills to Watts, filmmakers have been drawn to the region for its alluring light, its year-round mild weather, and the intoxicating gravity of the movie industry—though some were born here, of course, and drew stories from their own backyards. Through cinema, the demolished domiciles of Bunker Hill are erected once again, Valley teens flock to the brand-new Sherman Oaks Galleria, and Central Avenue is bustling with late-night juke joints. This summer, we’re celebrating dozens of neighborhoods around the Southland through a diverse array of films that highlight the “real” people in the City of Angels for a series that creates an idiosyncratic road map of LA location films. Programmed and notes by Hyesung ii, Patrick Lowry, Sari Navarro, K.J. Relth-Miller, and Robert Reneau.
Boogie Nights in 70mm Sat, Jun 1 | 7:30pm | DGT
Los Angeles Plays Itself Sun, Jun 2 | 2pm | TMT
Set in the San Fernando Valley, the capital of the other film industry and filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson’s birthplace, Boogie Nights utilizes the region’s sprawling landscape as the sunbaked stage for adult film star Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg), his ragtag band of pornographers, and an underground industry’s rise and ultimate fall. Set among a memorable collection of Valley locations, including Miss Donuts in Reseda and domestic exteriors in Encino, Studio City, and Van Nuys, Anderson’s second feature is a cautionary tale of lost innocence, the allure of stardom, and the anxiety of changing times. DIRECTED/WRITTEN BY: Paul Thomas Anderson. WITH: Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle. 1997. 155 min. USA. Color. Scope. English. Rated R. 70mm.
Thom Andersen’s film essay is a thoughtful and loving look at the way Los Angeles has been historically presented on the big screen, in three particular ways—as plot, background, and subject. Andersen uses a wealth of clips covering decades of cinema history and a variety of genres, with his narration adding keen insight to his exploration of the city’s use as a narrative setting and a filming location, as well as “a character in itself.” DIRECTED/WRITTEN BY: Thom Andersen. 2003–14. 169 min. USA. B&W, Color. English. DCP. Real Women Have Curves Mon, Jun 3 | 7:30pm | TMT Ana García (America Ferrera), on the brink of graduating high school, is bright but has dismissed plans for higher education as she grapples with familial obligations. When Ana takes a job working for her sister Estela (Ingrid Oliu) at the family sewing factory, she gains new perspectives on life from
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