Los Angeles and Film series: The Crimson Kimono
Set in L.A.’s Little Tokyo neighborhood, Samuel Fuller’s L.A. film noir starring James Shigeta is a rare example of progressive-minded depictions of racial relations and portrayals of an Asian-American lead character during this period of film history. This event is moderated by Professor Vivian Lin and will also feature two short films from Visual Communications on life and culture in Little Tokyo.
L.A. Noir: Murder, Betrayal, and Sunshine
Los Angeles: city of noir. There have always been two faces of LA: a city built on promises of sunshine and modern living and a city built on corruption and dark secrets. This class will look at contemporary LA. noir cinema—in films like Training Day (2001), Drive (2011), and Nightcrawler (2014)—tracing its roots to early cinema and Southern California art and literary movements.