National Theatre
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
64 people
favorited this theater
Showing 426 - 450 of 755 comments
The problem lies in the fact that no production companies are giving the good movies out to the National Theatre BECAUSE of the lack of attendance. When they see a movie theatre with low grosses, why would they wanna give their movie to that theatre?
Mark, how do you know whether or not those movies will do great? Sure they can bring in some bank, but how are you gonna claim that it “would fill the houe faster than anythign they have booked since reopening”? Do you know National’s exact grosses? If you do, please share; I’m dying to know.
Roadshow, I don’t think you realize how much it would cost for the things you are talking about. To replace that HUGE theatre of over 1100 seats would be extremely costly.
Also, there is nothing wrong with the projection and sound at the National Theatre, and they actually have multiple projectors in their booths, including digital 2k’s. Do you honestly think that the average person cares whether the movie is playing in film or in digital? Most wouldn’t care.
The National needs a “El Capitan” type of format to be succesful. A major studio would have to help renovate and keep it booked with Hollywood Product. If someone like Universal for example would take it over to showcase thier big films, it would at least have hot new product. Imagine how great The Bourne Ultimatum would be on the National compared to the crappy Avco. Up until a couple years ago big Paramount films would open there. But they started giving those to the Village instead.
It would be great if it was restored to its late 60’s glory. The main thing it has needed is new seat and drapes. Some tile replacement in the restrooms, a spruced up marquee, sign and box office. It already has a killer sound system.
But at this point Westwood is not the place anybody really wants to invest. 10 years ago the chances would have been stronger. The sucky part is perhaps 5 – 10 years from now it could be a hot spot again and the National would benefit. As it looks now, it will not be standing in 5 years.
I agree with D Packard. 70’s kitsch is in vogue in LA right now. Leave the drapes and wallpaper. Replace the seats and the carpet. And then show a double bill of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Star Trek Il”. That would fill the house faster than anything they have booked since reopening.
I don’t think new drapery and carpeting would be that damaging. The Cinerama Dome certainly benefited from that kind of TLC.
updating the 70’s decor would completely ruin the place, thats one of the best things about the National!
William: I totally agree that the future in question and now is the time for action. Alert the Media…
Brad: you’re right about the National not having enough support from the studios, and the place could do very well with a blockbuster.
Mark: Unfortunately, the National’s streamlined modern design is not enough to make it a landmark based on its architectue. Its history, and potential are the real reasons to save it.
The National’s kitschy 70s decor is so easy to update, new drapes and seats in the auditorium, new paint and wall coverings, etc and you’ve got a fresh up-to-date venue. I still think something like a conversion to a “dine in seats” venue (wildly successful elsewhere but not fully done in LA) I’d leave some seats for normal viewing and maybe create a VIP dining section. Installing superior projection like Sony’s 4K or better could help. My point is the National has great potential as a movie showplace and it wouldn’t take a lot of restructuring to make it viable. We can only hope, and make some noise to call attention to the place.
In those pics the auditorium looks a lot like the Warner/Pacific 1-2-3 today.
saps for photos go to:
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=2134
The problem now is that The National is not part of a chain. When Mann ran the theatre they had certain studios they had agreements with including Warner (which mostly went to the Village if a blockbuster), Paramount, Columbia and some Fox, MGM, Focus Features and Lionsgate. A majority of Columbia Pictures titles played at the National towards the end of Mann running it.
Disney books into the Regent; and AMC books Universal, some Columbia, some Disney, Some MGM, Dreamworks and now some Paramount into the AVCO.
Pretty much The National and The Majestic Crest get whatever Mann and AMC kick back. So the National got Sicko and 1408 because nobody had them booked, and The Crest managed to get Hairspray. The Fall Season has more releases than the Summer does usually; the National could pickup some hits, and UCLA will be back in session and they will have students attending again.
Any photos of this place?
Hostel II is complete crap but Rescue Dawn is an excellent film, but i assume you mean ‘crap’ in terms of attendance and audience draw (which btw has NOTHING to do with the quality of a film) especially these days where the dumber and crappier are the box office draws, not the extremely rare and occasional good or intellgent film (remember those?) If they even manage to get a release, or even more miraculous, get made.
And the only reason the National gets low attendance is because they won’t SEND any of the big releases there!!! Imagine if the Village and Bruin were closed for a few months because of a freakish killer insect infestation (or something) and they were forced to send everything to the National. (actually they’d probably open all the big films at the regent and festival anyway) This is the problem, the bookers/execs, who-ever parties are in control of theatre booking are the one’s to blame!
Yes it is, and that is because the owner did not have any summer hits booked. Sicko and Paris did alright but all the others, such as Hostel II and Rescue Dawn are complete crap.
Hopefully there will be some decent fall/winter hits that they get.
As of right now, the National does not look like a place to book films because of it’s low attendance, which is another problem in itself. Now is the time to help out and support IMO.
Roadshow, I’m not saying I have the answers. The National’s future is in question.
I gather this theatre is not old enough or architechturally significant enough to be registered as a historic place? Even if it was the last single screen built in LA? Too bad. One day all theatres from this era (my favorite) will be gone.
William, the Banana Republic story was denied by the manager a couple months ago. I have heard nothing definitive announced about the National. only heresay from an unnamed source. In the absence of some word from the actual owner or lessee, we have only rumor and speculation. I certainly think something is up and the National’s future is in question, and by all means, make some noise if you want to help save the place, but let’s not claim to have the real answers until do.
It’s over, the National closing is a symbol of the final blow for “the death of cinema” in these strange, worn out, empty, dark and hopeless times. Society is slowly crumbling before us and we are bearing witness to it. It’s like the scene in Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas where Johnny Depp walks into a cloud of dust thinking “so what now?”
Well if you read some of the posts above you will find that the theatre only has around 6 months left. There is a plan to build a Banana Republic store on the site of the National. In my last post by saying “may soon be razed”, I’m saying tomorrow but in the next year. ScottS posted a link on May 14th, 2007 Ziegfeld Theatrepm, that talks about it. The owners of the land want more money for the property, than could be made with a single screen theatre sitting on it.
And who’s your source, William?
“What is the petition for?”, the National Theatre may soon be razed to make way for a retail development.
ALL good bookings but to large a theater to make money on…
What is the petition for? Rescue Dawn will be gone and “Becoming Jane” will be playing August 10th. Try to catch the movie before it’s gone this Thursday.
Well the current count on the petition is 71 as of this date.
I may try to catch Rescue Dawn sometime this weekend. It is a shame that it got to this point that the National is hanging on by a thread. There was a time it was considered one of the most valuable theatres in Los Angeles. I wish AMC Century 15 would suddenly get unpopular and ditto the Grove. Those 2 theatre complexes are awful, but ‘The Sheep’ flock to them instead of the big Palaces.
I went opening weekend to see PARIS, JE T'AIME at the National, even though I live in walking distance to Sunset 5 where it was also playing. There were about 100 or so people for the Saturday Night showing I went to see.