Collection by Luke Hopping
From Chinatown to Terminator, A (Very) Abbreviated Look at the L.A. River in Film
As the center of the global film industry, Los Angeles and its landmarks occupy a special place in the cultural imagination. What else could explain why a mostly dry, concrete waterway elicits such strong emotions? Though the Los Angles River of the silver screen frequently hosts vehicular and/or violent showdowns, the real-life locale is mostly uneventful day-to-day. Many Angelenos have trouble even accessing it. But all that could soon change. The 51-mile river, which has been dammed up for decades, is on the verge of a $1 billion revitalization that would transform it into a public green space, a development we touch on in our June issue. In anticipation, we take a look back at the river's gritty portrayal in iconic Hollywood movies.
Chinatown (1974)
Roman Polanski's noir tale of Los Angeles's early water wars necessarily had to feature a cameo from the River.
Grease (1978)
Another Los Angeles period piece (albeit one with more duets than duels), Grease excises the River's dangerous core, while retaining a rough enough edge to stage the climatic race scene there.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
In the second installment in the Terminator franchise, action hero and future California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger squares off against his foes in an unforgettable chase sequence in the River.
Drive (2011)
For Ryan Gosling's nameless anti-hero in Drive, the River is less a site for mayhem, than a place for quiet contemplation in fast cars.