How a chance encounter at a middle school inspired a 1970s cinematic love letter
In short: Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2021 film Licorice Pizza was born from a fleeting observation of a student flirting with a photographer. This coming-of-age drama, set in the 1973 San Fernando Valley, blends fictional romance with real-life anecdotes from the director’s friend, former child actor Gary Goetzman, to capture a specific, nostalgic mood.
The film’s narrative follows the unconventional relationship between 15-year-old actor Gary Valentine and 25-year-old Alana Kane. Anderson drew heavily from the life of Gary Goetzman, who transitioned from child acting to running a waterbed business and a pinball arcade. To ensure the film felt authentic to the 1970s, Anderson and cinematographer Michael Bauman shot on 35 mm film using vintage lenses, while production teams recreated long-demolished landmarks like the Tail o' the Cock restaurant.
Casting was a deeply personal affair for Anderson, who envisioned Alana Haim for the lead role years before production. He cast her alongside her real-life family, while Cooper Hoffman—son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman—was selected for the role of Gary after Anderson found professional child actors too trained for the film's naturalistic tone. The project became a collaborative 'family-and-friends' endeavor, featuring cameos from Anderson’s partner Maya Rudolph and their children.
Despite critical acclaim and a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film faced commercial challenges, grossing $33.2 million against a $40 million budget. Nevertheless, it secured three Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won a BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay. The title itself, borrowed from a defunct Southern California record store chain, serves as a sensory touchstone for Anderson, evoking a Pavlovian memory of his own childhood that he sought to translate into the film’s atmosphere.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Licorice Pizza
- Also: Wikidata — Licorice Pizza · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Licorice Pizza · CC0
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