Franco Rossi's SMOG (1962) — hosted by Alison Martino
About this Event
As part of PRS's YesterdayLA 2026 series—a month-long exploration of the people, places, and works of art that have become part of the fabric of Los Angeles history—7th House is proud to present Franco Rossi's long-lost Italian arthouse gem, SMOG (1962), hosted by Alison Martino, creator of Vintage Los Angeles, on-air host for Spectrum News, and one of the city's most esteemed and beloved chroniclers of mid-century Los Angeles, its disappearing architecture, and its cultural history.
One of the great outsider views of Los Angeles and one of cinema's most extraordinary records of the city's mid-century architecture, Smog has long occupied a special place in the imaginations of cinephiles and Los Angeles historians.
The film follows Vittorio (Enrico Maria Salerno), a conservative Roman attorney stranded in Los Angeles on a forty-eight-hour layover. Emerging from LAX carrying little more than his bag, Vittorio begins wandering the City of Angels on foot, exploring an alien landscape of car lots, oil fields, diners, and modernist landmarks, from Paul R. Williams's space-age Theme Building at LAX to Pierre Koenig's Stahl House and Bernard Judge's geodesic Triponent ("Bubble") House. After committing his first foreign faux pas—walking in L.A.—he falls in with a sexy and slightly sinister group of Italian expatriates who guide him on a meandering odyssey through the city, one that gradually gives way to an existential crisis. As he drifts from one encounter to the next, Vittorio finds himself equally seduced and unsettled by a Los Angeles whose freedoms and possibilities seem as intoxicating as they are confounding.
After premiering at the 1962 Venice Film Festival, Smog vanished into studio vaults and became virtually impossible to see, surviving for many only through a striking poster and a handful of intriguing, imagination-sparking stills. Sixty years later, the Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna exhumed the surviving elements and—in collaboration with the UCLA Film & Television Archive—embarked on an ambitious and meticulous restoration effort that, finally, brought Vittorio back to Los Angeles. Six decades after his first bewildered steps out of LAX, he arrived on the big screen at UCLA's 2024 Festival of Preservation, where audiences were able to join his drift through our city and finally experience Rossi's extraordinary film for themselves.
Now, this remarkable long-lost film has found its way to PRS's screen for a rare opportunity to experience this preserved portrait of a Los Angeles lost in the haze of its complexities, contradictions, and futurist dreams.
Dir. Franco Rossi, 1962, 101 mins, Italy/United States, English/Italian w/ English subtitles, Unrated, Digital.
Restored by Fondazione Cineteca Di Bologna and the UCLA Film & Television Archive in collaboration with Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Restoration funding provided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Tickets: $12 (All Screenings Are In Person Only)
Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.
Pre-restoration
Alison Martino
Alison Martino is a writer, television producer and historian. Known as an expert in Los Angeles history, Martino’s affection for old Hollywood and her hometown’s architecture led her to create the wildly popular Vintage Los Angeles, an ever growing photo-centric Facebook page dedicated to highlighting L.A.’s physical transformation during the 20th Century, as well as its history as the center of the entertainment industry and community.
ABOUT YesterdayLA 2026
This July, the Philosophical Research Society celebrates our beloved city’s rich and diverse past with YesterdayLA 2026, our second annual month-long exploration of unique stories and works of art that have become part of the fabric of Los Angeles history. The landscape of our city is changing faster than ever before. By examining the LA of yesterday, we invite Angelenos to gather together to not only look back but forward to the possibilities of our great city’s tomorrow.
Throughout its 90+ year history The Philosophical Research Society has stood as a sanctuary for those seeking truth and enlightenment, with its doors open to Angelenos who have created great works of art and innovation, political movements, and spiritual evolutions across the eras. YesterdayLA will explore the fascinating stories of our city’s past with the continued spirit of curiosity that has stood as the pillar of PRS’s mission.
ADVISORY DISCLAIMER
With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email [email protected].
CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.
ACCESSIBILITY
PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to [email protected] before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.
REFUND POLICIES
All sales are final. There are no refunds for PRS events , except in the event of a medical emergency, including but not limited to a positive COVID-19 test. Ticket exchanges may be granted on a case by case basis, pending circumstances.
In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.
PARKING
Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and (after 7 PM) on Los Feliz Blvd. We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking.
PRS EVENT POLICIES
- We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
- Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.
- We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.
- Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.
- No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.
- There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.
- We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.
- Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.
- Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 14.64
