One Pair of Eyes

December 1, 2008 1:31 AM

Architectural critic and writer Reyner Banham loved Los Angeles. (Last link is a BBC documentary, circa 1972, 52 minutes -- NSFW at 47 minute mark)

Surprisingly, some parts of LA seemed much more run down 30 years ago than now. Most shocking to me was being reminded of how horrific the Santa Monica Pier looked back when it was slated for destruction (appx. 32 minute mark).

And no, the pre-GPS Baede Kar system wasn't real, they made it up.

posted by miss lynnster (2 comments total)

Great documentary with some very funky music, cheers miss lynster. Incidentally, if you're in LA, you can always go on the Reyner Banham Bus Tour. As Banham himself says, "I learned to drive in order to read Los Angeles in the original."

[Derail: And I know the NSFW tag is a bit more complex than that, but I like the idea of someone watching 47 minutes of a documentary at work, but then getting into trouble for the brief scene in a topless revue]
posted by Hartster at 2:42 AM on December 1, 2008

I love this film, thanks for the reminder.
posted by carbide at 3:38 AM on December 1, 2008