UCLA/L.A. Times
In his great book
L.A. Noir (Three Rivers Press, 2009),
John Buntin suggests that the look of film noir was influenced
by the smog attacks of the '40s that began on July 26, 1943--
so after seeing gsjansen's pictures of the Civic Center during
wartime dimouts, I wonder if the noir mood was sparked
by both the dimouts
and the smog....
UCLA/L.A. Times
Another smoggy day, this one as seen from the Perry Mason courthouse at the corner of Hill and First, March 1962. (Take note of the peripatetic statue of Stephen M. White in the foreground--more to come on that.)