National Theatre
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
64 people
favorited this theater
Showing 251 - 275 of 755 comments
You know, I drive by the National every day on my way to work and you’d never guess that it is closed since the huge “Feast of Love” billboard/poster is up on the marquee and I think the one-sheets are there as well. Why wouldn’t they take down the signage if it is closed?
There was no screening at the National. There couldn’t be, because, as reported on Cinema Sightlines, all the sound equipment has been removed.
Hold your angst, we were jesting.
if all the chairs are stripped then it’s begun, the national is gone baby gone.
It’s over.
we….have failed (head dipped to floor)
Well, if Roadshow reports that all the chairs are gone, then I guess so!
Howard maybe it’s Standing Room Only. :)
Thanks for the clarification, but since there’s a private screening, it doesn’t sound likely that the interior is being stripped away (yet).
oh— I didn’t go upstairs, so I can only speak of the downstairs lobby.
“The interior hasn’t been touched….”
Roadshow, on November 1, you wrote here
http://cinematreasures.org/news/17463_0_1_20_C/
“The demolition may be temporarily halted, but the owners have already begun to strip away the interior of the theatre."
Why did you make that assertion?
I walked by the theatre today. There was a brand new standee for “the perfect holiday” outside the open doors, next to a sign directing people to a private screening. The interior hasn’t been touched… yet, at least.
Well, then, you will appreciate that on October 6, 1983, the World Premiere in 70mm of “Never Say Never Again” took place at the National.
I don’t recall recall the so-called insider stating flat out that the National was definitely going to be demolished. I recall him making many snide remarks of his own, repeatedly calling attention to himself with claims about knowing things we didn’t, but he wasn’t saying anything constructive, only shooting down everything else. His condescending tone didn’t lend him much credibility. And if he knew it all why didn’t he say anything about the closing on October 7? Some people may have dropped everything and run over there for one last movie.
I don’t claim to have all the answers, but at least I have made a constructive effort in contacting three major draftouse/grill theatre chains, and several industry and media news outlets to call attention to the National.
Let me repeat, one more time: Regardless of the outcome, I’d rather be able to say I tried something rather than just sit around and talk about how impossible and hopeless it all is.
There’s no mystery there, Roadshow, click on my name. I am a member of the Los Angeles Conservancy as well as the Theatre Historical Society of America, and a frequent contributor to these pages. I’ve been to almost every historic theater in Los Angeles.
Some of you actually did made snide comments at the insider who said months ago that the theater was going to be demolished. Then, some of you focussed on what classic films could be shown at midnight to the oh so few people who attended. The handwriting was on the wall months ago…but…
Doesn’t actually matter- the National wasn’t going to continue for movies. That’s not what I wish- Mark is right, it is a prefectly designed auditorium.
We all want historic theaters to survive. I agree that the National is worthwhile to consider for historic designation. If it got it though, expecting movies to resume is truly a longshot. Look at the Villa in Salt Lake City, selling rugs.
Of course, if you have a meal & drink movie exhibitor willing to make a serious bid to buy or lease, that would be interesting.
Howard, I’m curious, where do you live? Not all of us believed the National was saved when it was reopened. It’s been written here and elsewhere some time ago that there was a great suspicion, and I believe it was said that a 26 year old manager was a good indication that the theatre’s days were numbered. I don’t think many of us actually believed it was actually saved.
No one has said the National was being gutted. Yet. Things are being removed. It is very common for a developer to try to deface or destroy a property so there is nothing left to protect. Case in point: Indian Hills Theatre in Omaha.
Declaring the National hopeless is not a constructive statement. Today four people decided it had enough merit to consider. A chance is a chance. Let’s proceed calmly and deal with the matter at hand.
To me the interior of the National is the point. It represents (in my mind) perfect auditorium design. (Even if it has funky drapes and uncomfortable old seats).
Nothing has changed in the last few years!
Regardless of what you may have heard from whoever, once designated, buildings stay protected.
Also, when a major chain departs operating a moviehouse & an indie takes over, and has a manager barely out of school, and arthouse films that can’t fill 10% of the house start to appear….and people who know make it clear that the theater is going to be demolished….why sit around believing the theater has been saved?
Well, now the wool is pulled from eyes, and the interior is being gutted? Is that correct?
Even if the exterior of the National got designated, the interior would be a retail store or restaurant or something. Does that please people?
Here’s what is realistic:
Save the South Pasadena Rialto for entertainment.
Save the exterior (and maybe cinema use) of the NuWilshire.
Save the Village & Bruin, for which you have 3 or fewer years to do.
the National for films is done.
Howard, I am not interested in debating that with you. All I know is what I was told years ago by someone directly involved in the Dome issue. Maybe things have changed in the past few years. Right now I’m more interested in seeing what we can do to assist Charlie’s efforts, because he clearly knows what he’s doing.
Roadshow, let me repeat, one more time: landmark protection in LA is permanent, NOT only for one year.
The Carthay Circle, if demolished around 1970, might have been a bit early for any city to designate as historic a movie palace. Few American movie palaces were “saved” and reused for other uses before then. No LA movie palace (including the RKO Hillstreet and Metropolitan/Paramount downtown) seems missed as much as the Carthay Circle.
The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted 4-0 to take the National Theatre under consideration as a Historic Cultural Monument for the City of Los Angeles. This first step puts a stay on any demolition plans while the application is reviewed, the site inspected by the Commission and final determination is made.
If the Cultural Heritage Commission votes to declare the National Theatre, the recommendation is forwarded to the City Council for a final vote. The building is located in the 5th council district. That is the district of Councilman Jack Weiss. Mr Weiss has not traditionally been supportive of historic preservation and this
nomination faces major challenges. I would implore anyone who has Jack Weiss' ear and wants to save this theater to work with us.
The ideal will be if a buyer with vision comes forward with a serious offer to take this wonderful venue over and make it work the way it truly can.
I will be posting support letters that have come in for the National over the next few days.
When the Dome was in danger, I was told by the man who won a fight to save it, that landmark protection in LA would last only a year.
I suppose the theatres torn down many years ago, like the Carthay Circle perhaps, of architecture that was no older then than the National’s is now, weren’t considered old or “historic” enough, either.
People don’t learn.
Having spoken with the LA Conservancy and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, I must disagree with the Oct 29 statement by Roadshow that there’s no longterm legal protection of buildings designated historic in Los Angeles. In some other states, cities don’t have such protection, but they do in Los Angeles. That doesn’t mean that any legal system is perfect. It does mean that in general, buildings designated historic stay.
That said, the National hasn’t been designated as historic, so doesn’t have any protection.
News From Cinema Sightlines:Â Â
www.cinemasightlines.com
CULTURAL HERITAGE HEARING ON THE NATIONAL THEATRE IN WESTWOOD.
The National Theatre in Westwood is one of the 3 last big-screen, large capacity individual movie theatres still standing in greater Los Angeles. This theatre is a rare example of late 60s-early 70s modern architecture, with some historical significance regarding the motion picture events that have taken place there. Known for superior picture and sound presentation, The National Theatre has been a favorite movie showplace in Los Angeles for over 37 years.
The property owner, Simms Development corp, has definite plans to demolish this irreplaceable theatre, to build condominiums and probably some commercial space.
A group called Friends of the National Theatre is applying to the LA Cultural Heritage Commission to grant the building Historical-Cultural Monument status, which could delay demolition while the case is fully reviewed.
The National application is the final item on the agenda of a meeting scheduled for Thursday, November 1 at 10am in Room 101 of City Hall.
If there is any hope of saving the theatre, this is the opportunity for Friends of the National Theatre, and anyone wishing to speak up with reasons not to destroy it, to come forward.
What: Cultural Heritage Commission Hearing on the National Theatre
When: Thursday, Nov 1 at 10:00AM
Where: LA City Hall – 200 North Spring Street – Room 1010 – Los Angeles, CA 90012
We suggest you make the Cultural Heritage Commissioners aware of your support for the National Theatre, and help them recognize its historical & cultural significance by faxing polite letters to:
Mary Klaus-Martin – President
Richard Barron
Alma Carlisle
Glen C. Dake, ASLA
Miriam “Mia” Guttfreund Lehrer, ASLA
Cultural Heritage Commission
Fax (213) 978-0017
View link
http://cityplanning.lacity.org
Just asking to keep the theatre standing isn’t as persuasive without some practical ideas for how the theatre could be made into a profitable venture. We are working on a proposal suggesting that the National could be commercially viable if adapted into the popular Movie Tavern/Studio Movie Grill/Alamo Drafthouse concept, which has yet to be done in this area and seems particularly suitable for an upscale college community like Westwood.Â
Keeping the first-rate bigscreen picture & sound presentation, while adapting part of the audience area to accommodate several levels of food service, could broaden the theatre’s appeal by offering something for everyone in a way that is not available elsewhere.Â
Anyone with other ideas is encouraged to write them up and have them ready for the hearing. Please take this opportunity to speak up now, rather than regretting later on that the theatre was lost due to lack of support.  TAKE ACTION NOW!
Further details at www.cinemasightlines.com
Jason, two voices are better than one,so please feel free to join me in alerting all of the drafthouse/tavern/etc. operations of the National’s potential. I would hope just the mention that one of these businesses might be interested in the National could be reason enough to delay demolition while exploring the possibility. And since this is a very long message string, please re-post the link to your article and also fax it to the Cultural Heritage commissioners at (213) 978-0017.
Oh boy, you need to BE at a Drafthouse screening. It’s like no other moviegoing experience currently in the world. Besides the food and the drinks, they also strictly enforce their no-talking and cell phone policy, which has helped keep their sales up. The company has opened cinemas in Houston and San Antonio and no doubt they want to make a big expansion. So why not LA?
The National has plenty of room for kitchen and service space, along with providing, like you said, VIP sections and special seating. It might take that seat count from 1,100 down to about 400-500 or so, but as long as you kept that screen it would be worth it!
The Studio Movie Grills in the Dallas area appear, at least to me, to be more of a sports bar venue. I’d lean more towards the Drafthouse concept which I think would benefit greatly from the nearby campus who are looking for a fun night out.
As for the cinema’s current significance, I have an article I posted on efilmcritic.com about the National (the link is posted far up on this page) to contribute.
Jason I have heard of Alamo Drafthouse, and I have also looked up Studio Movie Grille and Movie Tavern, all of which are successful companies who have their top people listed on their sites. I’ve been working on a proposal about how many ways the National can can be viable for this purpose, and I hope to send it out by morning.
Meanwhile we have to prepare some kind of presentation regarding the theatre’s historical significance…
I am hoping Michael Coate can use some of the National article he was working on.