iPic Westwood

But the problem is that it doesn’t really live on… at least not in the way that it was know and loved for. I saw Empire Strikes Back here in the early summer of 1980 and it shaped my life. Not just the movie but this particular theater and the experience it housed. It created my love of movies and the movie-going experience, influenced me to work in the theater business and, now, the movie business, and is one of the single strongest memories I have from my childhood. So from the sounds of it, they’re pretty much gutting the place to turn 4 screens to 6, add a kitchen, and generally create glorified living rooms (with screens that I’m sure will be about as cinematic as most living rooms). Then again, AMC pretty much killed any magic the AVCO had when they butchered the premiere screen downstairs. All I know is that the iPic version of the AVCO will be about as impressive and transformative a theater as that dirt lot that sits where the National used to be.

George Lucas' AMERICAN GRAFFITI played here as a limited release on August 1, 1973.

The plain and simple truth is, exhibitors go where the patrons go. If people didn’t want dinner theatres, there wouldn’t be so many dinner theatres opening. If the people didn’t want the screening lounge seating with plush leather sofas and love seats, there wouldn’t be so many of these types of auditoriums being converted.

Westwood’s issues with theatrical exhibition could be fixed in a heartbeat, if those in charge of Westwood Village wanted those changes. But they don’t. They don’t want the excessive traffic problems of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. They don’t want an Arclight-style setup for the Bruin or Village. They don’t care if the Crest or the Festival ever open again or they get torn down like the National and left as unused plots of land.

It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and bemoan what’s wrong with the exhibition industry. The Avco wouldn’t be where it’s going now, and the Crest and Festival where they remain, if the business supported their staying open in their previous states.

This is awful. People are rude and unruly as it is in movies these days. Can’t people stop eating long enough to watch a damn movie? Film exhibition is in the toilet. If it weren’t for Arclight Hollywood and hanging on Village I don’t think I would ever go to the movies.

Wow!! 480 seats spread across 6 screens! And sorry, I don’t want servers summoned into the theater at the push of a button. People talking during movies is bad enough, now we have to get ready for people ordering food and drinks during the show? The biggest problem with theaters today is that people act like they are in their living rooms. Now a chain is going out of its way to totally recreate that environment. I guarantee you that when it comes to picking a theater, iPic a different one.

No word leaked yet on new operator?

It’s scary how inaccurate our memories can be on things like this. I found some of mine confirmed on your list, but could have sworn I saw “Carrie” and “Silent Movie” in the main auditorium there. Oh well, this is endlessly fascinating.

silver, Cliffs, Howard, Chas, etc.:

A few years ago I compiled a comprehensive listing of everything that played in the Avco’s large auditorium. The list included plenty of detail ideal for an introductory write-up (opening date, transition date of conversion to 4-plex, longest-running engagements, info on presentation types, etc.). I’m not surprised my list is being overlooked since it is buried on Page 6 of this theater’s comments.

I think I liked the site better when comments all appeared on the same page. And in just checking my 2008 comment that included the list, I see the formatting got all screwed up in the transition from the old site to the new site. New-and-improved website, my ass!)

Silver, I’ve written many of the Introducions & haven’t noticed any of mine being shortened or disappearing. Even for LA, usually I (here in Philly) or Ken Roe (over the pond in London) take it upon ourselves to write a much more complete Intro than the skimpy one this one has. Only once did I see a movie here, in 1988, did I see a movie here, “The Milagro Beenfield War” in what my notes say was a large auditorium.

What year was it that the Avco got subdivided up into 4 screens?

To the Cinema Treasures operators: Historical info of thissort always used to be in the overview descriptions at the top of the page for theaters, but seems to have been deleted in many cases with the recent site redesign for some reason… Why?

For that matter, this overview doesn’t even include basics like the year built or opened… What gives?

They will most likely just gut it out and start from scratch. The first floor has quite alot of space for those who remember when it was a large screen. I still have to think it will be somewhat awkward though. Not really sure if it will catch on unless the food is good because I would imagine the presentation of the film will be unimpressive.

I am curious how they plan to break up the auditoriums and where they plan to put the kitchen.

I just don’t understand why, if you’re going to spend that kind of money on renovating that theater, you wouldn’t at least consider restoring the original screen downstairs (something that might actually appeal to film fans). I doubt, however, that the new operator even has any knowledge of what the Avco used to be. They’re moving in to basically do what drove people away in the first place; twinning what’s left and carving it up even more. I can’t imagine wanting to see anything in a theater with only 150 seats, and that’s the BIG auditorium. I agree with what Greg Laemmle said in that article with regard to the companies involved being more interested in being restaurateurs and bartenders than film exhibitors. Sorry, but the Avco ended up in about the worst hands it could have. I had initially held out hope that we may get someone in there who really remembered how important this theater was historically in Los Angeles and what it really could have been again, but instead we got another slash and burn “entrepreneur” to make this theater even less desirable than it has been for nearly 20 years.