Looking for gold in Hollywood, ciudad de ensueño

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for dusty, black-and-white relics where everyone acts with their whole face, then sure, dive in. It’s perfect for a rainy afternoon if you want to pretend you're in a film studies class without the tuition. But if you need pacing that doesn't feel like it’s wading through molasses? Stay far away. 📽️

Lia Torá has this way of looking at the camera that makes you feel like she’s trying to communicate through a thick pane of glass. It’s haunting, in a weird, unintentional way.

The Rhythm of the Reel

The movie moves with the grace of a toddler in oversized shoes. It’s clumsy. Sometimes it stops for no reason, letting the scenery breathe for a solid minute while you wonder if the projector is actually stuck.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Hollywood, ciudad de ensueño (1931) through its definitive frames.

There is this one shot of a street scene that just goes on forever. People walk by, look at the camera, then look away, then walk back. It reminded me a bit of the aimless strolling in The Sunrise Trail, where you just end up watching the background actors trip over their own feet.

• The lighting is either blindingly bright or pitch black. No middle ground.
• The piano score is loud enough to rattle your teeth.
• Every emotional beat is hit with a sledgehammer.

You can tell they wanted this to be a grand statement about the industry. Instead, it feels like a postcard sent from someone who was never actually there. It’s got that specific, hollow feeling I remember from The House of Youth, where the sets feel like they might tip over if someone sneezes too hard.

There’s a moment near the middle where the dialogue cards just… stop making sense. It’s almost abstract. I found myself hitting pause just to laugh at how earnest they were being while absolutely nothing was happening on screen.

It’s a flawed little thing. But it’s got heart, or at least a very convincing imitation of it. It’s not going to change your life, but it might make you wonder what those actors had for lunch in 1931. Probably something bland. Probably something that tasted like ambition. 🎞️