This book explores the history of Los Angeles cinema and the complex relationship that American film has had with its host city throughout history. It is impossible to talk about the City of Angels without talking about its movie business. The history of American cinema is so intertwined with Los Angeles that the term "Hollywood" is used interchangeably with "American film" worldwide. From the early 20th-century migration of film pioneers from the East Coast to the emergence of local subcultures and global genres, John Trafton traces how the city has been imagined by insiders and outsiders alike. Key case studies include the L.A. Rebellion School, disaster cinema, and the intersections of independent cinema with the music scene and VHS culture. The book culminates in an exploration of Los Angeles neorealist cinema - a form that centers marginalized voices and challenges the myth of Hollywood glamour.

Autorentext
John Trafton is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Media Arts & Culture at Occidental College, USA. He has authored several works on film history and culture, including The American Civil War and the Hollywood War Film (2015). His most recent work, Movie-Made Los Angeles (2023) examines visual culture in Southern California from 1870 to 1930 and how Los Angeles became the epicenter of America's motion picture industry.

Klappentext

An exploration of the history of Los Angeles cinema and the complex relationship that American film has had with its host city throughout history.

Inhalt

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements

Introduction

1. The Legend
2. Noir
3. White Flight
4. A New Hollywood Rises
5. The L.A. Rebellion
6. Fabulous Disasters
7. Punk
8. We Called It "El Barrio"

9. The Los Angeles Auteur: 90s Cinema

   Notes
   Bibliography
   Index