Jim Backus

Thom Andersen's landmark documentary LOS ANGELES PLAYS ITSELF explores the tangled relationship between the movies and their fabled hometown as seen entirely though the films themselves. 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...

Jim Stark, the teenage son of a well-to-do family, is overcome by loneliness, frustration and anger, which leads to violence when he seeks approval of a gang of high-school hoodlums.