The John Candy movie “Armed and Dangerous” has a sceen where he and Eugene Levy visit the Cave. I think they were trying to find a crook. There is a scene in a private booth and one on the main floor. John Candy was great; he made a mediocre movie like this funny and entertaining.
I went here when it was a single-screen, large auditorium. The best double feature I saw was “Oh, Lucky Man!” plus “The Boys In The Band.” I’ve been to the six-plex, and it’s terrific. Good sight lines, good audience. Why do they want to destroy a successful theater? Money, of course! Screw what the audience who is supporting the theater wants! Typical corporate business.
It never ceases to amaze me when I see how these theaters get abandoned and trashed. So many people just don’t seem to care. I can see why comedians use New Jersey as a punch line so often. What a shame, this building going to waste.
As much as I would love to see some of the screenings at the Dome, I really miss going to the Pan Pacific on a Saturday, for a $1.50 double feature, then to the Oriental or Gordon on a Sunday for about the same price. Yes, I know the theaters were run down, the prints could be scratchy, and the popcorn was pre-popped, but the experience was much more rewarding than going to the Dome with my credit card and high expectations.
Based on the ads in the photo section, it looks as though the adult films were the soft-core product coming out of Europe, and the ‘nudie-cuties’ that ran in the adult theaters during the 60s – and maybe 50’s? If I remember correctly, the hardcore, “yes, they’re really doing it” type films came in on the heels of ‘Deep Throat’ in the early 70s.
There is off-street parking behind the theater, about ½ block away. I haven’t been there in some time, but I remember a huge parking lot, serving several buildings, including the theater, located behind the building.
I had a very dear friend who used to go to places like this, here in Los Angeles. He would tell me, in explicit detail, what went on in these “theaters.” They were semi-safe places for gay men to engage in unsafe sex. He said that they were filthy, they smelled horrible, and some of the people appeared to be high, drunk, or psychotic. What I remember most is when he told me that he saw a guy, completely naked and covered with KS scars, performing oral sex on one man and receiving anal sex from another man, at the same time, with no condoms.
One of the people posting below said that this theater was always busy. My friend said that the places he went to were sometimes full of people; the seats were full, people were having sex in the aisles, and the “back room” in back of the screen was full, also. It’s no wonder so many people died from AIDS. I’m a gay man, and there’s no “pride” in using theaters for dangerous behavior. In L.A., it still goes on, but there are only a few theaters left, thankfully.
I worked here during the summer of 1977. The main manager, Danny, was a complete failure at this business. The projectors were always breaking down and they never finished construction on cinema 3, but they tried to show movies there anyway. When I said I was going back to college and had classes during the day, he fired me – on my birthday. What scumbag fuck he was. I used to see him at the Lion’s Den restaurant in Torrance, always alone, always looking like the loser he proved himself to be.
I used to work for General Cinema. The horrible twinning was done to the South Bay Cinema II in Redondo Beach, CA, in 1974. A beautiful curtain house chopped up into two smaller screens with mismatched paint and no screen curtains. It was awful. General Cinema, you people were the worst! From the managers to the auditors to the executives who treated us like we weren’t there – I hope you’re all retired, and I know a few are dead – good riddance!
I haven’t read all the comments here, so please forgive me if I’m being redundant. Does anyone know who – yes, I’ll say it – dared to clean the theater? I would give away my mint copy of Jayne Mansfield’s LP “Shakespeare, Tchaikovsky & Me” for some anecdotes, especially if they found evidence of celebrity attendance, multiple murder, and political intrigue. Thanks!
I live about 30 minutes from this place and have never heard of a theater inside the building, so I called and got some information. There is a theater with a “main screen” with a projected DVD playing with sound. Also, there are six flat screen TVs on two walls, for a total of 7 screens (1 projected and 6 flat screen). There are 8 large-size chairs and a couch along the back wall. The back wall is “a part wall and a way to go in” to an area where, as they said, “people can stand and watch the movies.” It’s most likely an area for anonymous sex, so don’t be shocked if you go and see it happening. They didn’t say if it was kept clean or if a lot of people go. The hours are 9 a.m. to 4 a.m. every day, and the admission is $10.00.
There isn’t anything ‘bizarre’ about the name of this theater. The patrons would enter the theater, spend a few minutes having furtive, anonymous sex, then leave – all within a few quick minutes. “Quickie” – get it? Welcome to L.A.
There is a comment below by carlkester, stating that he thought William was wrong about the Vista’s porno past. William is a walking encyclopedia of cinema; I don’t think I have ever read any incorrect posts by him. The Vista was not showing porno in the mid- to late eighties. In fact, many of the X-rated theaters had closed due to the films becoming available on videotape. The Vista was showing double-features and Landmark was running it for awhile during the eighties.
I drove by this back in 2010. The marquee needs to be replaced; it makes the drive in look trashy. When I managed theaters, the owners said to keep posters in the showcases and keep the marquee attractive. It’s the first thing customers see, and it projects a positive image if they’re maintained well.
They need to get rid of the spinster curtains and get some paint that doesn’t look like it was taken from road kill. It may attract a gay audience, but this is a straight establishment, and it shows.
LebowskiT1000 – Yes, it was a single-screen house. I went there several times, the last time to see “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” Then, I went to eat BBQ beef at The Hat.
dickneeds111 – There were speakers installed throughout the field of the Century drive-in during the Cinerama runs. I was there and remember them. Also, William can tell us if they were stereo; they may have been.
This theater complex attracts an older, mature, quieter crowd than the nearby Edwards or AMC houses (where there is a line of police cars outside the building on Friday night). There are all the conveniences of a big multiplex, but there isn’t the noise, people all over the place, and the never-ending teenagers with cell phones in their ears, saying “Wassup, wassup?” and “Jus chillin', seen da flick.”
There is a Lucille’s restaurant next to the theater. Try the BBQ ribs and garlic mashed potatoes. Great stuff, but about $25 a dinner.
Wow! Talk about character! I never went here but used to see the listing in the L.A. Times. The photos are terrific, but, God, the scumbag gangs are ruining the inside of the building. A lot of work went into designing this theater; why can’t it be restored?
It might be like the Fox Inglewood (my home). If it does get restored, people may not go because of the surrounding area. Who wants to go to a movie and spend most of the time worrying about their car getting stolen or getting mugged after the show is over?
A fantastic theater to see any movie. I saw “The Exorcist” when the engagement was winding down. Most of the audience was sitting toward the back of the auditorium. Big butch me, I went to sit, all alone, about 10 rows from the front. When I looked around, all I saw was the huge screen and rows of empty seats. When the film ended, the ushers found me in a fetal position, having a conversation with Sigmund Freud. I am now a popular religious figure with a large congregation, and I plan on marrying my partner. He’s six years old, and his favorite movie is “The Exorcist.”
Glad to hear that a new programmer is in place. That Blacklock guy, a straight guy operating out of L.A., was terrible. A large part of the Castro is classics and camp, not intimate foreign films, however good they may be.
You can get “Skaterdater” on DVD at ioffer.com – Here is the url: http://www.ioffer.com/search/items/skaterdater
The John Candy movie “Armed and Dangerous” has a sceen where he and Eugene Levy visit the Cave. I think they were trying to find a crook. There is a scene in a private booth and one on the main floor. John Candy was great; he made a mediocre movie like this funny and entertaining.
I went here when it was a single-screen, large auditorium. The best double feature I saw was “Oh, Lucky Man!” plus “The Boys In The Band.” I’ve been to the six-plex, and it’s terrific. Good sight lines, good audience. Why do they want to destroy a successful theater? Money, of course! Screw what the audience who is supporting the theater wants! Typical corporate business.
It never ceases to amaze me when I see how these theaters get abandoned and trashed. So many people just don’t seem to care. I can see why comedians use New Jersey as a punch line so often. What a shame, this building going to waste.
The actual name was the Sky Sunset View Speedway, located on Hartman, Hartman, and 72nd.
As much as I would love to see some of the screenings at the Dome, I really miss going to the Pan Pacific on a Saturday, for a $1.50 double feature, then to the Oriental or Gordon on a Sunday for about the same price. Yes, I know the theaters were run down, the prints could be scratchy, and the popcorn was pre-popped, but the experience was much more rewarding than going to the Dome with my credit card and high expectations.
Based on the ads in the photo section, it looks as though the adult films were the soft-core product coming out of Europe, and the ‘nudie-cuties’ that ran in the adult theaters during the 60s – and maybe 50’s? If I remember correctly, the hardcore, “yes, they’re really doing it” type films came in on the heels of ‘Deep Throat’ in the early 70s.
There is off-street parking behind the theater, about ½ block away. I haven’t been there in some time, but I remember a huge parking lot, serving several buildings, including the theater, located behind the building.
I had a very dear friend who used to go to places like this, here in Los Angeles. He would tell me, in explicit detail, what went on in these “theaters.” They were semi-safe places for gay men to engage in unsafe sex. He said that they were filthy, they smelled horrible, and some of the people appeared to be high, drunk, or psychotic. What I remember most is when he told me that he saw a guy, completely naked and covered with KS scars, performing oral sex on one man and receiving anal sex from another man, at the same time, with no condoms.
One of the people posting below said that this theater was always busy. My friend said that the places he went to were sometimes full of people; the seats were full, people were having sex in the aisles, and the “back room” in back of the screen was full, also. It’s no wonder so many people died from AIDS. I’m a gay man, and there’s no “pride” in using theaters for dangerous behavior. In L.A., it still goes on, but there are only a few theaters left, thankfully.
I worked here during the summer of 1977. The main manager, Danny, was a complete failure at this business. The projectors were always breaking down and they never finished construction on cinema 3, but they tried to show movies there anyway. When I said I was going back to college and had classes during the day, he fired me – on my birthday. What scumbag fuck he was. I used to see him at the Lion’s Den restaurant in Torrance, always alone, always looking like the loser he proved himself to be.
I used to work for General Cinema. The horrible twinning was done to the South Bay Cinema II in Redondo Beach, CA, in 1974. A beautiful curtain house chopped up into two smaller screens with mismatched paint and no screen curtains. It was awful. General Cinema, you people were the worst! From the managers to the auditors to the executives who treated us like we weren’t there – I hope you’re all retired, and I know a few are dead – good riddance!
I haven’t read all the comments here, so please forgive me if I’m being redundant. Does anyone know who – yes, I’ll say it – dared to clean the theater? I would give away my mint copy of Jayne Mansfield’s LP “Shakespeare, Tchaikovsky & Me” for some anecdotes, especially if they found evidence of celebrity attendance, multiple murder, and political intrigue. Thanks!
I live about 30 minutes from this place and have never heard of a theater inside the building, so I called and got some information. There is a theater with a “main screen” with a projected DVD playing with sound. Also, there are six flat screen TVs on two walls, for a total of 7 screens (1 projected and 6 flat screen). There are 8 large-size chairs and a couch along the back wall. The back wall is “a part wall and a way to go in” to an area where, as they said, “people can stand and watch the movies.” It’s most likely an area for anonymous sex, so don’t be shocked if you go and see it happening. They didn’t say if it was kept clean or if a lot of people go. The hours are 9 a.m. to 4 a.m. every day, and the admission is $10.00.
Want STDs or HIV? Go Here! A lot of people do – and they wonder why people can’t stand San Francisco.
There isn’t anything ‘bizarre’ about the name of this theater. The patrons would enter the theater, spend a few minutes having furtive, anonymous sex, then leave – all within a few quick minutes. “Quickie” – get it? Welcome to L.A.
There is a comment below by carlkester, stating that he thought William was wrong about the Vista’s porno past. William is a walking encyclopedia of cinema; I don’t think I have ever read any incorrect posts by him. The Vista was not showing porno in the mid- to late eighties. In fact, many of the X-rated theaters had closed due to the films becoming available on videotape. The Vista was showing double-features and Landmark was running it for awhile during the eighties.
I drove by this back in 2010. The marquee needs to be replaced; it makes the drive in look trashy. When I managed theaters, the owners said to keep posters in the showcases and keep the marquee attractive. It’s the first thing customers see, and it projects a positive image if they’re maintained well.
They need to get rid of the spinster curtains and get some paint that doesn’t look like it was taken from road kill. It may attract a gay audience, but this is a straight establishment, and it shows.
What an incredible screen tower! Don’t tell me, let me guess … the drive-in has closed and the tower has been demolished. I sure hope not.
LebowskiT1000 – Yes, it was a single-screen house. I went there several times, the last time to see “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” Then, I went to eat BBQ beef at The Hat.
dickneeds111 – There were speakers installed throughout the field of the Century drive-in during the Cinerama runs. I was there and remember them. Also, William can tell us if they were stereo; they may have been.
This theater complex attracts an older, mature, quieter crowd than the nearby Edwards or AMC houses (where there is a line of police cars outside the building on Friday night). There are all the conveniences of a big multiplex, but there isn’t the noise, people all over the place, and the never-ending teenagers with cell phones in their ears, saying “Wassup, wassup?” and “Jus chillin', seen da flick.”
There is a Lucille’s restaurant next to the theater. Try the BBQ ribs and garlic mashed potatoes. Great stuff, but about $25 a dinner.
Wow! Talk about character! I never went here but used to see the listing in the L.A. Times. The photos are terrific, but, God, the scumbag gangs are ruining the inside of the building. A lot of work went into designing this theater; why can’t it be restored?
It might be like the Fox Inglewood (my home). If it does get restored, people may not go because of the surrounding area. Who wants to go to a movie and spend most of the time worrying about their car getting stolen or getting mugged after the show is over?
A fantastic theater to see any movie. I saw “The Exorcist” when the engagement was winding down. Most of the audience was sitting toward the back of the auditorium. Big butch me, I went to sit, all alone, about 10 rows from the front. When I looked around, all I saw was the huge screen and rows of empty seats. When the film ended, the ushers found me in a fetal position, having a conversation with Sigmund Freud. I am now a popular religious figure with a large congregation, and I plan on marrying my partner. He’s six years old, and his favorite movie is “The Exorcist.”
Glad to hear that a new programmer is in place. That Blacklock guy, a straight guy operating out of L.A., was terrible. A large part of the Castro is classics and camp, not intimate foreign films, however good they may be.