ACR B757 FLC IS VECTORED OFF THE FINAL APCH COURSE BY LAX CTLR AND ASKED TO SIGHT A B747 TURNED IN FRONT OF THE B757. B757 FLC CANNOT SIGHT TFC DUE TO WX AND CITY LIGHT CONDITION. PLT CALLS FACILITY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT INCIDENT.

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WHILE ON FINAL AT LAX FOR RWY 24R; AT APPROX 10 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN; APCH CTL INSERTED A B747 (ACFT Y) AHEAD OF OUR ACFT (ACFT X). TO PROVIDE SEPARATION IT WAS NECESSARY TO VECTOR US OFF THE APCH (270 DEG HDG). THIS HDG WAS HELD UNTIL WE BROKE OUT INTO VMC CONDITIONS. UPON RPTING IN VMC; APCH CTL ASKED IF WE HAD THE PRECEDING B747 IN SIGHT. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO PICK OUT ANY ACFT IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE OBSERVER IS LOOKING DOWN INTO A HIGHLY LIGHTED URBAN AREA. IN DISCUSSING MY UNHAPPINESS WITH THE SOCAL APCH CTL SUPVR; HE ADMITTED THAT HE HADN'T BEEN ON A NIGHT FAMILIARIZATION TRIP SINCE ACR Z WAS IN BUSINESS. THAT'S AT LEAST 10 YRS! WE WERE PUT IN A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE SIT (TRANSITION FROM IMC TO VMC ON A HDG DIVERGING FROM THE FINAL APCH COURSE AND RWY; INTO THE FACE OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION DOWNWIND TFC WHICH WAS CAUSING OUR TCASII TO BE NOISY; BEING EXPECTED TO SALVAGE AN APCH BY SEEING AND IDENTING AN ACFT IN AN ACFT RICH ENVIRONMENT; OVER A SEA OF LIGHTS). ALL OF THIS BECAUSE THE CTLR DOESN'T REALIZE THAT ACFT IDENT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE. SOLUTION: NIGHT FAMILIARIZATION TRIPS FOR CTLR.