Rewatching Joe Versus the Volcano last night with friends over zoom, I was surprised to see this view turn up in a film so unambiguously set in its own world, and was reminded why as someone who's never worked there I love Los Angeles so much. A landmark without a landmark, the city as seen from the Griffth Observatory is still unmistakable. You can't see the skyscrapers just to the left, or the mansions on the hill below, just one enormous, uninterrupted, unshowy settlement. A lit grid, it's beautiful by accident, like the back's been taken off something
functioning and marvelous, something without secrets. I could be completely wrong. End of post. No. I could be completely wrong but I want to credit Steven
Spielberg with immortalising it. I first saw it in ET anyway - or possibly the lovely accompanying special ET and Friends (starring Robin Williams and viewable here) - and previously it was inverted to make the mothership from Close Encounters. But I'd love to know if I'm wrong, and if so, who the first artist was to realise the view's gigantic, humble power.
In other notices, continuing the Frankenstein Hallowe'en countdown, here is what I wrote about 1935's Bride of Frankenstein. And I'm sorry that this post isn't about Ghosts, but please watch Ghosts. And I will write about Ghosts.
You're not wrong, except for the word 'functioning', which LA only just barely stretches to meet at the best of times. It is a marvel in that it keeps running at all, but boy, I wouldn't want to be riding in that jalopy when one important screw falls out ... But yes, the view from Griffith Observatory will take your breath away, and flying in at night might be even better, as you get the parallax and can see the implausible immensity of it.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea about the mothership in Close Encounters! That's brilliant!
Thank you. Yes, functioning's not the best word. I mean, it's binary, but I want something to convey its exstence as a workshop.
ReplyDeleteAh, I see, yes. I don't know what one word would communicate that ... but it is a rather apt comparison to a ramshackle shed where magic happens.
DeleteI am finally reading the Long Trail to Mcmurdo, on your blog. I absolutely love it.
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