USA
1973 90 mins
OV English
“One of the most distinctive, unsettling, and compelling films of its year—which is really saying something since 1974 included THE GODFATHER PART II, ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE and A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE”
– Jim Hemphill, INDIEWIRE “To watch HOLLYWOOD 90028 is to slowly sink into the murky land of lost dreams that was, and still is, the underbelly of Tinseltown. Christina Hornisher’s lens looks presciently and compassionately at how the human heart can become so twisted that the one thing more terrifying than committing murder can be finding love. And if that wasn’t enough, she caps off the film with one of the ballsiest shots possibly ever made in Hollywood!”
– Arkasha Stevenson, director of THE LAST OMEN HOLLYWOOD 90028 is an existential serial-killer story that explores themes of pornography, fame, hopes, and fears filmed in 1970s Los Angeles. Notably, the film was the first and only feature film directed by Christina Hornisher, credited under the pseudonym Craig Hansen, who was a big part of the Los Angeles underground student-film scene, which included Doors members Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek,
LEMORA (1973) director Richard Blackburn, and
AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973) co-screenwriter Gloria Katz. It stars Christopher Augustine as Mark, a cameraman who spirals into a life of violence, and Jeannette Dilger as Michele, the adult film star that fuels his obsession. The film's haunting score by Basil Poledouris and its visually striking style, thanks to cameraman Jean-Pierre Geuens, add depth to its disturbing narrative.
A love letter to Los Angeles, it offers an intense visual and auditory experience with a lack of narrative and dialogue. The emphasis on pornography and voyeurism is both titillating and disturbing. It includes plenty of gratuitous violence. While focusing on the sleaze and filth of Los Angeles' underbelly and exploitation industries, it remains a beautiful piece of rediscovered art. The film was originally released in theaters in 1973 as
HOLLYWOOD 90028 and had a second run at drive-ins via Hallmark Releasing Corp. in 1978 as
THE HOLLYWOOD HILLSIDE STRANGLER and
TWISTED THROATS. It was re-released in 1983 on VHS as
INSANITY but has been unavailable since then. Nonetheless, it’s been hailed as a masterpiece by contemporary filmmakers such as Arkasha Stevenson (
THE FIRST OMEN), Anna Biller (
THE LOVE WITCH), Ti West (
MAXXXINE) and Buddy Giovinazzo (
COMBAT SHOCK). This 4K restoration has brought new life to this rarely-seen cult classic, unavailable for decades, highlighting its significance as both a critique of the exploitation industry and a historical snapshot of 1970s Los Angeles. –
Heidi Honeycutt