I watched an L.A. movie last night: Welcome to L.A.
I've been really screwed up about this one. Meaning: All along I hadn't been sure whether I'd ever seen it. It was released in 1976, but apparently not in the U.S. till early 1977. In hearing about its release on Blu-ray a few years ago I had this vague feeling that it had been more like 1971. Don't know why I had that idea. Next, I'd been thinking all along that it was a Robert Altman film. It is, but he produced it and Alan Rudolph directed it. But Rudolph had a strong connection with Altman, as did of course a couple of the cast. Anyhoo, I think I spot-checked the disc and put it away for another day. That was easily a couple of years ago. Finally, something made me think of it, and it was time to give it a spin.
Most interesting. I watched it straight through, even though I wasn't 100% into its goings on, but I had to figure out whether I had indeed ever seen it, and I had to finally have familiarity with it regardless. Believe it or not, I'm still not entirely certain that I *didn't* go to see it in 1977. If I did, it sure didn't stick with me. So that will have to remain a mystery. But great fun revisiting the still young Sissy Spacek, Geraldine Chaplin, and Keith Carradine. Whenever I see one of his films, I always find it jarring to associate that with having seen him on stage in the Encores! Paint Your Wagon. And it's still an "Altman film" to me, even though not quite.
I really wished this one had had more L.A. locations. We get some Century City from a distance, but we sure could have used a lot more. Anyway, a strange return (?) to a film that is certainly "of its time".
