At the start of Los Angeles, the artist posits the city with two images: a perfect woman puts lipstick on her already red lips with a secure hand in a Cupid’s bow, and a roll of film runs through a projector. ‘City of Angels’, city of stars on the eve of the Oscar ceremony. The musical score (Gillick) slides securely from kitsch à la Jean-Michel Jarre to cheerful dance in order to portray this city, entirely in the service of the film industry. Morris maintains her surprising interest in the graphic details of the city (windows, fences, water) but focuses much more than previously on the people. A film producer who allows himself to be dressed by his butler while talking on the phone in a moving car almost looks as if he is acting in a comic scene. We see a choice selection of film stars at work from close by or while they are networking: Dennis Hopper, Brad Pitt, Will Smith. Without explicit commentary, Morris juxtaposes the world of the stars and their fairytale accommodation with everything that is needed to maintain this: the Botox injection, the teeth that have to be bleached, the sun bed and the huge pharmacy. Shots of brightly coloured aquarium fish speak for themselves. (SB)
Also in this combined programme
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Midtown
He’d not extreme of typical urban images, shot in midtown Manhattan with crazy light and colour captured in gleaming skyscrapers,swarming crowds and t -
Miami
Sarah Morris is known for her film Los Angeles (2005) and abstract paintings and prints, all of which visually explore the built environment and our… -
AM/PM
The seducing and seductive reality of Las Vegas, a completely guided, artificial reality aimed at making you spend as much money as possible in the… -
Capital
Buildings in Washington such as Capitol Hill, the White House, the Defense Department and the building of the CIA show how political power is expresse
Film details
- Country of production
- USA
- Year
- 2004
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2006
- Length
- 26'
- Medium/Format
- 35mm
