Movies and television programs that capture the atmosphere of the city.
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Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)
Silly romp in which a suicidal homeless man (Nick Nolte) turns life inside-out for a Beverly Hills couple (Richard Dreyfuss, Bette Midler) and their kids.
Grease (1978)
Timeless classic in which summer lovers Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) reconfigure themselves to conform to the realities of life at Rydell High.
L.A. Story (1991)
Steve Martin's wacky romantic comedy lovingly parodies the quirks and foibles of chaotic, car-happy L.A.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
David Lynch's dreamlike mystery shows L.A.'s oddities, layered with surreal textures and quirky personalities. The movie is pure fantasy, but it captures the city's mysterious, ephemeral essence.
The Player (1992)
Robert Altman's atmospheric ensemble thriller about a studio executive being blackmailed by a rejected screenwriter. Inside references and political Hollywood intrigue portray "the business" as cutthroat and unforgiving. Luckily, it's just a movie.
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
High drama ensues when a wealthy, aging film star (Gloria Swanson) hires an obscure screenwriter (William Holden) to brush up her comeback vehicle. Rich black-and-white settings (a Fifties-era Paramount picture, opulent mansion) and concepts (a star's insatiable ego, the prevalence of "the business") haven't lost any relevance.
