Actually, the topic of films about LA has been rather haunting me lately. Probably because of some recent films. *Devil in a Blue Dress*, though for me not an entirely satisfying reworking of *Chinatown*, IS an extremely satisfying movie about racism in Los Angeles after WWII. It would make an interesting counter-point to *Chinatown*--a kind of one-two punch. Also, the recent *Strange Days*--which hasn't been discussed at all on this list!--is very much a Los Angeles film. I suppose its po-mo dystopic outlook would put it next to *Blade Runner*, but it should probably be screened with *In the Line of Fire*, which isn't strictly about LA, BUT both films have central final sequences set at the Hotel Bonaventure, and since the big ugly beast of a building IS an icon of postmodernism, the two films together would make nice watching after reading Fredric Jameson on "Late Capitalism blah blah blah." For both films, the computerization of images is central, but, in *In the Line of Fire*, this computerization is off-stage, so to speak: actual footage of various presidential campaigns was reworked to get rid of actual candidates' names and to insert fictional ones, as well as to put Clint into the Presidential motorcade. (Also, we're given a bit of faked footage of young Clint and young JFK--two 'movie stars' who can be juxtaposed thanks to *Gump*-esque techno- logy.) Also (last random point): I've always suspected that many film noirs are as much about Los Angeles (and Hollywood) as their ostensible subject matter (insurance, whatnot). *Double Indemnity* is particularly fine for LA landscape, what with the Hollywood Bowl and all the precise demography the narrator gives, and N. Ray's *In a Lonely Place* is similar in this respect. I hope my recent musings at least provide some food for thought. Sincerely, Edward R. O'Neill UCLA ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]