I have lately been researching the quirky architectural critic Reyner Banham. Amongst his many loves, Los Angeles took on a profoundly soft spot in his heart. His adoration for the city of Angel’s “non-plan,” organic layout informed much of his architectural ideals.

In 1972, after writing Los Angeles: the Architecture of Four Ecologies, Banham made a documentary about the City following his exploration of his favorite haunts of fascination. The story begins with Banham expressing his love for driving, (which he learned to do in “order to read Los Angeles in the original”,) moving through landmarks such as Pueblo de Rio and the Watts Towers.

This fun BBC documentary can be viewed in full here thanks to Google video. If you find yourself in LA you can also take a bus tour that walks through Banham’s thoughts and notes about this city.