Funny how movies play up some places in LA... (Los Angeles: crime, homes)

[Freddy K]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

I just watched the Entourage movie and I don't know what they did but they made LA look WAY better than it is. Granted it's not hard, the nicest parts of the city are great but it still seemed like it was touched up. I've never been to a place in LA that has all super models. Every car was a Ferrari, not just a Beamer but a Bentley or Ferrari. I've been to half the places they filmed at and I never remembered them looking that fancy. It was like watching a live action catalogue of luxury goods and settings. All polished to look the best and sell a lifestyle. Again I knew what I was getting into but I surprised by how blatant it was.

This must be what people out in the Midwest think of when they think of LA. LOL. Hollywood is always portrayed as West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Rodeo and Robertson Blvd.

I do have to give to the cinematographers for making LA look so nice.

Now what's the other side of the coin? End of Watch? Gangbanger movies? LA needs better more balanced portrayals of the city.

Gangs are not what they were here.

And they do the same thing for Miiami and Tv shows and movies.

My brother moved to Miami with his buddies. He lasted a few weeks. Hated it to death and left.

[Freddy K]

Alot of people have moved to NYC and have said "it isn't like it is the movies and TV". This isn't favorable.

So LA isn't alone here.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by jtamay3

Entourage is a movie about excess, just like the TV series is. It's meant to show off celebrity LA which it looks exactly like that to them. Why? Because they have the money to buy the toys and they have those meetings in cafe's, expensive restaurants, etc. Drive up to Malibu or in the hills and you will see those houses. And those cars are around LA alot more than you think. Also, as a movie star, director, producer, or movie studio head, you think I'd be driving a Honda? Heck no. When those people all meet up in one spot than you will have more than just one Ferrari or Lambo, etc.

You have to understand what you're watching to see why they would portray the city the way they do. Just like Fear the Walking Dead wants to set a dark tone, they're going to make the city seem smoggier and darker and full of despair. Then, there are certain movies or shows which don't revolve around the setting or environment which could happen anywhere they wanted and the story would've progressed and it would've seem believable.

Yeah true. I watched the Entourage movie and believe I saw all the episodes of the show. It was no surprise how L.A was going to be portrayed considering the show.

Also there are people out there that probably do live pretty close to that lifestyle. They have the mansions, the exotic cars, go out to high end places all the time. They don't venture to the grittier parts of town often.

Sure, that's not the lifestyle of most people in L.A..but Entourage isn't about the everyday L.A denizen..it's about the 1% or .1% . The elite.

Looks like some posters have posted some suggestions of films that have a more 'balanced' look at L.A ..would be interested to check them out.

At the end of the day...these are fictional movies..not documentaries.

Also a lot of people want to watch movies to escape. They want to see examples of lifestyles that they have fantasies of or something they can't experience in their real life.

To experience real life in L.A..you have to actually experience it ..and can't expect to experience it through watching a film.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by jm1982

Yeah true. I watched the Entourage movie and believe I saw all the episodes of the show. It was no surprise how L.A was going to be portrayed considering the show.

Also there are people out there that probably do live pretty close to that lifestyle. They have the mansions, the exotic cars, go out to high end places all the time. They don't venture to the grittier parts of town often.

Sure, that's not the lifestyle of most people in L.A..but Entourage isn't about the everyday L.A denizen..it's about the 1% or .1% . The elite.

Looks like some posters have posted some suggestions of films that have a more 'balanced' look at L.A ..would be interested to check them out.

At the end of the day...these are fictional movies..not documentaries.

Also a lot of people want to watch movies to escape. They want to see examples of lifestyles that they have fantasies of or something they can't experience in their real life.

To experience real life in L.A..you have to actually experience it ..and can't expect to experience it through watching a film.

Exactly, it portrays the 1%.

This is a ridiculous thread anyway.

The TV show "Dallas" didn't portray the average Texan.

[jm1982]

True.

I think it's funny when people will say about a movie, "That's ridiculous that would never happen in real life"..well that's kind of the point.

I mean if Entourage was a documentary and presented itself as a documentary about the lifestyle of the average Angeleno...then that would be pretty outrageous.

Here is an article from back in 2007 about the show and debates the 'realism' of the show.
HBO's 'Entourage' makes Los Angeles a character - Lifestyle* - southcoasttoday.com - New Bedford, MA

The show creator stated ,
""The show is an attempt to be as realistic as possible," said show creator and executive producer Doug Ellin. "We use the locations that we actually use in real life, the restaurants we eat at, the bars we go to.""

But then again he's a rich Hollywood guy that can afford the most expensive places.

That being said...I do feel the show actually showed more real L.A locations and felt more real in that way versus the movie.
That could be one of the reasons I really did like the show ...it was cool to see real places in L.A . I felt like the movie had a lot of the scenes at Mansions or other scenes. Of course there are reasons for this ,the movie cost a lot more to make versus the shows I'm sure ,etc.

[diabolus413]

Anybody watch Californication? How does that stack up to reality?

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

Exactly, it portrays the 1%.

This is a ridiculous thread anyway.

The TV show "Dallas" didn't portray the average Texan.

I think that's the point of the thread. That I found it funny how LA was portrayed and that it not only romanticized that elite lifestyle but they also touched up LA to look a little more than what it is to match that lifestyle. These elite people may go to the places in the film but they made them look extra shiny. It was like photoshopped catalogue of luxury goods and settings. And I also mentioned that it doesn't help to send an image to impressionsable young people that want to give up everything in the Midwest and move here without a prospect. Very small number I'm sure but still there.

So are you getting it now or do you still want to continue this faux anger about me hating LA?

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by jm1982

True.

I think it's funny when people will say about a movie, "That's ridiculous that would never happen in real life"..well that's kind of the point.

I mean if Entourage was a documentary and presented itself as a documentary about the lifestyle of the average Angeleno...then that would be pretty outrageous.

Here is an article from back in 2007 about the show and debates the 'realism' of the show.
HBO's 'Entourage' makes Los Angeles a character - Lifestyle* - southcoasttoday.com - New Bedford, MA

The show creator stated ,
""The show is an attempt to be as realistic as possible," said show creator and executive producer Doug Ellin. "We use the locations that we actually use in real life, the restaurants we eat at, the bars we go to.""

But then again he's a rich Hollywood guy that can afford the most expensive places.

That being said...I do feel the show actually showed more real L.A locations and felt more real in that way versus the movie.
That could be one of the reasons I really did like the show ...it was cool to see real places in L.A . I felt like the movie had a lot of the scenes at Mansions or other scenes. Of course there are reasons for this ,the movie cost a lot more to make versus the shows I'm sure ,etc.

They dude use real locations but they did glisten them up a bit more, probably edited it to look better and added a stack load of models in every scene. The production quality to me seemed a bit cheap for their budget. It had an airbrushed feel.

[MordinSolus]

Originally Posted by diabolus413

Anybody watch Californication? How does that stack up to reality?

It's basically a dirtier Entourage with slightly less wealth. The main character, constantly broke and ruining business opportunities, somehow lives an exorbitant lifestyle and has no shortage of beautiful women knocking down his door.
It's actually kind of painful for me to watch because I was a huge fan of the X-Files. It's like watching your friend go from being a successful person, with wealth and a beautiful family, to a sadsack divorcee living in a dingy apartment a block from the grocery store where he stock shelves...

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by MordinSolus

It's basically a dirtier Entourage with slightly less wealth. The main character, constantly broke and ruining business opportunities, somehow lives an exorbitant lifestyle and has no shortage of beautiful women knocking down his door.
It's actually kind of painful for me to watch because I was a huge fan of the X-Files. It's like watching your friend go from being a successful person, with wealth and a beautiful family, to a sadsack divorcee living in a dingy apartment a block from the grocery store where he stock shelves...

Isn't being able to walk to work a luxury in LA? It seems working in a market could also be a good place to meet women , I heard that the pay and benefits for grocery store owners can be pretty decent too . Sounds like there could be worse scenarios for a divorcee .