I didn’t just move to Los Angeles. I stepped into a movie

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Back in 1911, a playwright working on Broadway sent a sarcastic letter about a young actor who had just traveled by train from New York to Los Angeles.

William C. deMille jokingly wrote to David Belasco that a young man was considering a career in filmmaking. He predicted this meant the end of Mary Pickford’s career, suggesting she would soon be forgotten.

That early scandal shaped the narrative of Hollywood, highlighting its mix of excitement, tragedy, self-importance, humor, and unexpected turns. Mary Pickford quickly rose to global stardom, and her brother Cecil followed her to the West Coast. In 1914, he directed “The Squaw Man,” which became the town’s first feature-length film.

Los Angeles has made countless films since the beginning of Hollywood, but surprisingly, no one has ever bothered to count exactly how many. Estimates suggest around 30,000 feature films have been produced, which feels like a modest number considering Hollywood’s huge impact on global culture. If you tried to watch them all, it would take just over five years – and you wouldn’t be able to sleep!

Movies

We chose “Chinatown” as the top movie filmed in Los Angeles. “Mulholland Drive” and “Clueless” also made our list of 101 favorites. What movies did we leave out? And what film do you think deserves the number one spot?

As a total film buff, I’ve been thinking a lot about movies that really capture the spirit of Los Angeles. So, I put together a list – 101 films, to be exact – that I think do just that. They showcase all walks of life here: the stars, the hustlers, the police, the criminals, the hopeful singers, the ambitious go-getters, those just drifting along, and even a few futuristic robots! It’s a pretty comprehensive look at the city and the people who inhabit it.

It’s ironic that “The Squaw Man,” despite being a landmark film, doesn’t actually qualify as being filmed in Hollywood because Cecil B. DeMille pictured the story unfolding on the open plains. However, the barn he used as a studio still exists today – it’s now the Hollywood Heritage Museum. You’ve likely driven past it on Highland Avenue while traveling between Mulholland Drive, Sunset Boulevard, and Chinatown – a route that highlights three other important films, even if those stories aren’t always flattering.

Los Angeles films often stand out because the city isn’t afraid to show its flaws. We’re more interested in telling a compelling story than protecting our image, and we readily share our history – both the good and the bad. You can see this willingness to be honest in iconic movies like ‘Chinatown,’ which doesn’t shy away from showing a gritty, even brutal, side of the city, like the famous image of Jack Nicholson with a damaged face.

It’s funny that Hollywood, famous for happy endings, actually has a lot of movies with sad or bleak conclusions – about half of them, in fact. Despite the sunny image, Los Angeles isn’t an easy place to live, and it’s becoming more challenging. My friends and I joke that movies like “Falling Down” and “Death Becomes Her,” which portray harsh realities like traffic and self-absorption, are made to discourage people from moving here – it’s like a warning sign to keep outsiders away.

I moved to L.A. right after finishing college, and like a lot of people, my idea of the city came straight from the movies. I was an Oklahoma kid expecting something like the Sunset Strip of the 80s, you know, the hair metal scene Penelope Spheeris captured in ‘The Decline of Western Civilization Part II.’ But that was long gone, and even the ‘Swingers’ crowd were starting to feel a bit dated. I actually picked my first apartment in Little Armenia because I was a huge ‘Big Lebowski’ fan – the bowling alley from the movie was only two blocks away! Sadly, it closed down a month after I moved in, but at least I got to bowl there once.

I was heading to L.A., and honestly, I braced myself for the usual stereotypes – earthquakes and superficial people. But what I found completely surprised me! I discovered a city brimming with interesting people and hidden gems around every corner. It feels like there’s always something new to discover, and I know I’ll never run out of things to explore.

Entertainment & Arts

The Hollywood Heritage Museum embodies the spirit of Old Hollywood, reminding us that even the most remarkable achievements often start in humble, makeshift beginnings.

Fifteen directors appear on our list multiple times, a diverse group including names like Amy Heckerling, David Lynch, Charles Burnett, Kathryn Bigelow, Michael Mann, and Billy Wilder – Wilder actually has two films in the top ten! Each of these filmmakers brought something new to cinema and created a lasting impact. (And three other directors even managed to get more than two films on the list.)

Great storytellers are naturally curious, and in this city, there’s something interesting to capture everywhere you look – whether it’s the casual atmosphere of “Friday” or the sensual mood of “Spa Night.” Sean Baker’s energetic film, “Tangerine,” was famously shot on an iPhone at a donut shop and perfectly demonstrates this, inspiring viewers to explore and discover the city for themselves.

Los Angeles has a unique way of blending fantasy and real life, and these films prove it. You can still visit places like Bob’s Market in Angelino Heights – a typical neighborhood store with everyday items – and recognize it from several movies, including “L.A. Confidential,” “Nightcrawler,” and the famous car-action film “The Fast and the Furious.”

As the song “I Love L.A.” plays in the movie “Volcano,” Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche manage to redirect a lava flow, saving the city. The newly formed Mt. Wilshire seems to breathe a sigh of relief. The director of “Volcano,” Mick Jackson, also directed the Steve Martin romantic comedy, appropriately titled “L.A. Story.”

Not long after I started working here, a science club showed the movie “Volcano” outdoors at the La Brea Tar Pits, surrounded by palm trees that seemed to be in the film’s line of fire. A local geologist even dressed up as a volcano, using a black sheet and colorful foam noodles! As the movie ended, near the park’s mammoth statues, I completely agreed with Randy’s assessment.

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2026-01-15 14:01