Aero Theatre
1328 Montana Avenue,
Santa Monica,
CA
90403
1328 Montana Avenue,
Santa Monica,
CA
90403
37 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 63 comments
Above Photo courtesy of Kyle McCarthy
Here is a promotional article from a company that makes theater speakers:
http://tinyurl.com/27hefr
Pann’s Restaurant in Los Angeles is a good example of Googie architecture.
http://tinyurl.com/9ty7ms
“This theater’s name sounds "streamlined” or Googie-esqe, but the theater is not streamlined at all!"
To address an ancient issue, you’re confusing two types of architecture: Streamline Moderne and Googie. Streamline Moderne started in the 1930s, and took its inspiration from the shapes of aeroplanes, locomotives and ocean liners. The Academy Theater of Inglewood is a classic example of the Streamline Moderne style — smooth, flowing shapes and free of Art Deco’s obsessive details.
Googie comes from the 50s and is most typically associated with coffee shops, car washes, and fast food. It involves elements such as upswept roofs, sharp angles, large plate glass windows, exposed steel beams and flagcrete walls. See the Wich Stand in Ladera Heights in comparison to the Academy Theater. Very different.
Yes, the Aero building is not very streamlined. But the place was built for Douglass Aircraft Factory employees, and that’s where the name comes in, not from representing any particular style.
Twistr54, yes.
Is this the same AERO theatre shown in the movie DONNIE DARKO?
Here’s a night shot from June 18th:
http://tinyurl.com/5xr93g
I was planning on going to see either Patton or Khartoum this weekend, but have some last minute family events which may get in the way. If I can break away and attend, I’ll post a report. Regardless, I’ve seen 70 mm before at this theatre, and they put on a great show. They are also well attended: last time I saw Baraka at the Aero it was a sell-out.
JSA
okay, someone has to report back here and their impressions on the upcoming 70mm presentations of THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES (May 29), and PATTON (May 30) and STAR! (May 31)
Here is a 1960 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/6cmojd
I first went to this joint during the 2007 Holiday season. I must say, I do love this place! American Cinematheque’s doing a helluva job with it!
It’s all about the NuWilshire!
For folks interested in the wonderful world of googie, check out www.spaceagecity.com, or just google “googie”.
According to the adverts in Evening Outlook, when the Aero opened they ran films continuous from 2pm on Saturday & Sunday. On weekdays the house opened at 6:30pm. This was Jan. 10, 1940.
So I’m not sure when they switched over to 24 hour screenings, but I would guess it would be after Pearl Harbor was bombed.
I love this theatre— i recently saw Donnie Darko and this theatre was used in that as well (the characters are watching Evil Dead).
My mother owned a school on montana between 9th & 10th Street “Happy Hour Day Care"For 35cents I could see a good movie with two cartoons. Lobo,living desert, swiss family Robinson. I am so glad its been restored.
Santa Monica was a wonderful town to grow up in. My father was born there too in 1913. The neighborhood kids would all troop down to the Aero on Saturday and see a feature movie and a Buck Rogers or a Hopalong Cassidy serial as well as oodles of newsreels all for 10 cents. Wonderful memories…………..
Thanks, guys! I go googoo for Googie!
Googie is a type of architecture, primarily from the 1950s, that is typically related to coffee shops such as Pann’s in La Tijera and some of the old Ship’s restaurants when they were still around. The term evokes memories of angled ceilings and stainless steel that was considered “modern” in the fifties.
Googie styled architecture is loosely sort of space age, 1950’s to early 1960’s from what I can gather.
I guess it’s not. I’M BACK!!!!
Is Googie an actual type of architecture?
This theater’s name sounds “streamlined” or Googie-esqe, but the theater is not streamlined at all!
This is great news! Looking at their initial calendar with its daily changes, it almost seems like the second coming of the Fox Venice or the original Nuart.
One question – why will it be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays?
As a child I went to many Saturday morning movies including the Lone Ranger, Hopalong Cassidy, news reels and much more. We were even given a piece of bubble gum as we left the theatre ! My father (and myself) also worked at Douglas. What wonderful times and fun we had at the Aero Theatre and so glad the theatre has been restored.