# Dream State: California in the Movies - Hardcover

by **Mick Lasalle** (Author)

**An eminent film writer looks behind the curtain of the California dream**

It hardly needs to be argued: nothing has contributed more to the mythology of California than the movies. Fed by the film industry, the California dream is instantly recognizable to people everywhere yet remains evasive for nearly everyone, including Californians themselves. That paradox is the subject of longtime _San Francisco Chronicle_ film critic Mick LaSalle's first book in nine years. The opposite of a dry historical primer, _California in the Movies_ is a freewheeling journey through several dozen big-screen visions of the Golden State, with LaSalle's unmistakable contrarian humor as the guide. His writing, unerringly perceptive and resistant to clich , brings clarity to the haze of Hollywood reverie. He leaps effortlessly between genres and generations, moving with ease from _Double Indemnity_ to the first two versions of _Invasion of the Body Snatchers_ to _Boyz N the Hood_ to _Booksmart_. There are natural disasters, heinous crimes, dubious utopias, dangerous romances, and unforgettable nights. Equally entertaining and unsettling, this book is a bold dissection of the California dream and its hypnotizing effect on the modern world.

**Number of Pages:** 224

**Dimensions:** 1 x 8.7 x 5.4 IN

**Publication Date:** May 18, 2021

## Details

- **Price:** 28.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 28.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Dream State: California in the Movies - Hardcover

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