National Theatre
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
64 people
favorited this theater
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does anyone remember when a young manager named Mac Carter was manager of the National in ‘84? i often wonder what became of him.
the workers are there, if you are around that area around noonish you see the workers get lunch they sneak in behind the barracade and into what the former entrance was into the theatre. Practically speaking, the theatre will probably be demolished within the next few weeks
strange all these pictures of the National never show the workers, it’s as if Gremlins were taking apart the place in the middle of the night
Wow! Invasion USA! A Cannon Film has played at the Village!
Mark, I put together a small listing for Mann VILLAGE; at least a period I could remember. My employment there was Fall 1980 until January 1983. It is about 98% accurate. My mind is blurry any earlier and beyond that date.
Mann VILLAGE theatre, Westwood (June 1979 – December 2004)
1979
6/8 PLAYERS (3 Weeks)
6/29 BLOODLINE (3 Weeks)
7/20 RUST NEVER SLEEPS (2 Weeks)
8/3 NORTH DALLAS FORTY (9 Weeks)
10/5 “10†(10 Weeks)
12/14 THE JERK (8 Weeks)
1980
2/8 THE LAST MARRIED COUPLE IN AMERICA (4 Weeks)
3/7 COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER (9 Weeks)
5/9 WINGS OF CHANGE (2 Weeks)
5/23 THE SHINING (8 Weeks)
7/18 HONEYSUCKLE ROSE (2 Weeks)
8/1 THE HUNTER (5 Weeks)
9/5 THE BIG BRAWL (3 Weeks)
9/26 MONTY PYTHON’S LIFE OF BRIAN (RE: 2 Weeks)
10/10 PRIVATE BENJAMIN (11 Weeks)
12/25 ALTERED STATES (14 Weeks)
1981
4/1 ORDINARY PEOPLE (RE: 1 Week)
4/10 EXCALIBUR (10 Weeks)
6/19 SUPERMAN II (9 weeks)
8/21 FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER (5 weeks)
9/25 MOMMIE DEAREST (5 Weeks)
10/30 LOOKER (3 Weeks)
11/20 RAGTIME (4 Weeks)
12/18 NEIGHBORS (5 Weeks)
1982
1/22 SHOOT THE MOON (3 Weeks)
2/12 CANNERY ROW (2 Weeks)
2/26 CHRISTIANE F (3 Weeks)
3/19 VICTOR/VICTORIA (10 Weeks)
5/28 ROCKY III (3 Weeks)
6/18 FIREFOX (4 Weeks)
7/15 TRON (MO: 4 weeks)
8/13 PINK FLOYD: THE WALL (13 Weeks)
11/12 CREEPSHOW (4 weeks)
12/10 THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON (1 week)
12/17 BEST FRIENDS (7 Weeks)
1983
2/11 LET’S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER (1 Week)
2/18 LOVESICK (4 Weeks)
3/18 HIGH ROAD TO CHINA (4 Weeks)
4/15 FLASHDANCE (9 Weeks)
6/17 SUPERMAN III (4 Weeks)
7/15 STAYING ALIVE (12 weeks)
10/7 NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (6 Weeks)
11/18 YENTL (13 Weeks)
1984
2/17 LASSITER (2 Weeks)
3/2 AGAINST ALL ODDS (6 Weeks)
4/13 TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (RE:3 Weeks)
5/4 GREYSTOKE (MO:4 Weeks)
6/1 STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK (7 Weeks)
7/20 BEST DEFENSE (3 Weeks)
8/10 RED DAWN (7 Weeks)
9/28 IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES (1 week)
10/5 TEACHERS (2 Weeks)
10/19 THIEF OF HEARTS (4 Weeks)
11/16 JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (1 Week)
11/21 SUPERGIRL (2 Weeks)
12/7 2010 (Until sometime Mid/late-January 1985)
I know that in 1985 the Village showed VISIONQUEST, THE SURE THING, THE SLUGGER’S WIFE, LADYHAWKE, A VIEW TO A KILL, SILVERADO, YEAR OF THE DRAGON, INVASION U.S.A.,JAGGED EDGE and ROCKY IV but I cannot remember if there was anything else that year.
Very cool. Thanks Michael. Could you explain how you obtained all this info? I know you are tempted to do the Village next, then the Bruin, the Chinese…………
Thank you, Mark. I’m pleased you have enjoyed the list. It brings back a lot of good memories, doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, I do not have any plans to do a similar listing for the other Westwood theaters. The closest thing to what you’re seeking may be the 70mm in Los Angeles project, which, while not listing all of the bookings, identifies those films exhibited throughout Westwood in the 70-millimeter format.
On the subject of these booking lists, I’d like to mention, in case you haven’t seen it yet, that I recently posted one for the CINERAMA DOME.
It would be a hard sell for another chain to buy. After Mann Theatres which operated it for most of it’s life to walk away. When Mann Theatres operated it, it was on a long lease. So the rent and the bookings had a nice profit margin to operate it. If you go back to the 90’s time frame you would have had a true bidding war for the theatre. When UA lost the Egyptian Theatre in Westwood. Many of the major chain had a bidding war for that theatre, Cineplex won out. Which became the Odeon Theatre in Westwood (aka: Festival). When Cinplex dropped the house Mann picked it up at nicer terms than Cineplex was paying. Under Cineplex’s terms the theatre could never make a profit for what price they charged admission. It was just a booking perk for them. If it was tobe bought by another chain they would had to plex it, to make it work.
north west corner top wall exposed, all you can see is the outer skeleton now. Honestly its too bad another theatre group couldnt buy that theater, i.e. AMC or Pacific.
I guess the status on top will change from closed to demolished.
the mann national sign that was on top is now gone
One of the problems that hit Westwood and many other areas is how films are booked and released. When the National was built Westwood was only starting it’s climb tobe one of the prime areas for first run movies in Los Angeles. It all started out in Downtown Los Angeles along Broadway. Then Broadway and Hollywood districts shared playdates. Then Beverly Hills had some prime houses. And when Beverly Hills dried up in the mid 70’s, Westwood was the next area. So Hollywood and Westwood was the First Run districts. Once the the studios started to release 1000’s of prints at a time. And chains built more screens those First Run district like Westwood and Hollywood started to lose patrons. Remember many of those theatres in those districts were medium to large houses. So once you cut up that pie and release the film in a theatre afew miles away from your location, it will eat away your business sooner of later. If you look at Metropolitan Theatres and how they handled the theatres along Broadway in their last days as theatres. They closed the smaller ones first while keeping the larger palaces open as long as they could make a profit. Since Mann was just leasing the property, they did what they could. The landlord wanted more money for the new lease.
Well, in that case I stand corrected. I may have been rather hasty in slagging off and blaming Mann for the National closing. It is just a sign of the times. You are correct; it is symtomatic of a much larger problem. People (like us) just don’t care about theaters like The National and they lose money, thus making them a liability and unprofitable. I know that. When folks would rather go to the local supermarket of mega-plexs and see a film in a box or, worse, on their Ipods, how is a single movie theater to survive? I’m still bummed though …
I don’t blame Mann for the downfall of the National either. The blame is on the public who rather go to sub-par AMC Plastic Plexes instead. Mann actually was going back and forth with ideas to keep the theatre going, but realized it would not be profitable in the long run.
I really think the blame should fall less with Mann and more with the City of Los Angeles and bad planning in Westwood Village. (Bad Parking, Zoning, rules for # of seats allowed in the area etc.). Plus most movie goers are not theatre geeks like we are and would not understand why the National was an infinitely better place to see a movie than an AMC. Convenience wins the day. Mann might have been lacking the foresight to keep the chain strong and weather the megaplex boom better than it did, but it is a business and because of the prohibitive dynamics of Westwood Village they probably had no other viable solution for National than to shut it down. Any other chain would have had to do the same. You can’t “Arclight” a property that is completely surrounded by tenants in a neighborhood that nobody wants to visit.
Those pictures of the National gutted just destoys me. Well the fat lady had most defintely sung, yeah? I recall all the films I saw there over the last 30 years with the last one being “North Country” in 2006. Wow, just so very, very sad. It’s a sad day when they close you favourite movie theater. Very much a “Last Picture Show” kind of moment. Hope springs eternal and I had hoped it would be saved from the wrecking ball at the 11th hour. A grand dame of a movie theater if there ever was one. I will miss the lobby and the stairs to the auditorium too as well as the snack bar – not to mention that big screen and when the guy in the booth would crank the sound during the THX plug before the feature. So, good bye old friend I will miss you. RIP Westwood National Theater. And FU Mann Theaters…
My National visits:
1973:The Mackintosh Man
1975:Dog Day Afternoon
1976:Jaws
The Bad News Bears
The Big Bus
1977:Fun with Dick & Jane
Islands in the Stream
Nasty Habits
Sorcerer
1978:FM
Big Wednesday
Heaven Can Wait
Superman
1979:The Main Event
More American Graffiti
Star Trek The Motion Picture
1980:Little Darlings
The Nude Bomb
Caddyshack
Oh God Book II
Popeye
1981:Incredible Shrinking Woman
Postman Always Rings Twice
The Hand
The Fan
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Paternity
Reds
1982:Some Kind of Hero
Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan
Night Shift
1983:The Outsiders
Twilight Zone The Movie
Brainstorm
Star 80
1984:Reckless
Footloose
Greystoke
Indiana Jones Temple of Doom
Tightrope
Body double
Oh God You Devil
1985:Stick
Rustlers' Rhapsody
Explorers
The Black Cauldron
Weird Science
Compromosing Positions
Plenty
To Live & Die In LA
Young Sherlock Holmes
1986:Best of Times
9 ½ Weeks
Pretty in Pink
Blue City
Top Gun
Heartburn
1987:From the Hip
Some Kind of Wonderful
Secret of My Success
Big Easy
Empire of the Sun
1988:Beetlejuice
Clean & Sober
Running on Empty
Rain Man
1989:Dead Calm
Indiana Jones Last Crusade
License to Kill
Let it Ride
X-Mas Vacation
1990:Hunt for Red October
1991:City Slickers
Star Trek VI
1992:Patriot Games
Boomerang
Honeymoon in Vegas
Husbands & Wives
Hero
A Few Good Men
1993:Point of No Return
The Firm
Undercover Blues
1994:Intersection
The Paper
Jurrasic Park
The Client
Clear/Present Danger
Only You
Interview w/Vampire
Drop Zone
Nell
1995:Brady Bunch Movie
Bye Bye Love
Kiss of Death
Congo
Clueless
Goldeneye
Sabrina
1996:12 Monkeys
Birdcage
Fear
Mission Impossible
Courage Under Fire
A Very Brady Sequel
Bogus
First Wives Club
Star Trek First Contact
1997:Absolute Power
Volcano
Fathers Day
Face Off
Spawn
In & Out
Boogie Nights
The Rainmaker
The Postman
1998:Lost in Space
Truman Show
Your Friends & Neighbors
1999:Austin Powers Spy Who Shagged Me
Runaway Bride
Bringing out the Dead
Talented Mr Ripley
2000:Shaft
The Replacements
Ladies Man
What Women Want
2001:Along Came a Spider
Shrek
Tomb Raider
The Score
Rat Race
Hardball
2002:Super Troopers
Changing Lanes
Spiderman
Sum of all Fears
Simone
Swimfan
Transporter
Star Trek Nemesis
2003:Just Married
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
The Core
Italian Job
Charlies Angels Full throttle
S.W.A.T.
School of Rock
2004:Mean Girls
Manchurian Candidate
Team America World Police
Spongebob Squarepants
Closer
2005:Hitch
Pride & Prejudice
Family Stone
2006:Brokeback Mountain
2007:Music & Lyrics
2007: (Non-Mann) Paris, Je Taime
I was at the last show for the National as a Mann Theatre. Film was “Shooter”. Lousy movie, superb presentation. (pictures on CinemaTour):
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=2134
Here is my complete list cut and paste from above:
02/05/99 … SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (RE, 4 weeks, Dolby Digital) What an intro to the National!!
05/05/00 … GLADIATOR (6 weeks, Dolby Digital)
07/13/01 … THE SCORE (5 weeks, Dolby Digital)
11/16/01 … HEIST (MO, 1 week, Dolby Digital)
05/31/02 … THE SUM OF ALL FEARS (4 weeks, Dolby Digital)
12/13/02 … STAR TREK: NEMESIS (2 weeks, Dolby Digital)
08/26/05 … MARCH OF THE PENGUINS
07/28/06 … SUPERMAN RETURNS (MO, 1 week, Dolby Digital)
12/20/06 … ROCKY BALBOA (3 weeks, Dolby Digital)
04/06/07 … SHOOTER (MO, 2 weeks, Dolby Digital)
Wish I could have been there more.
What a great history created by Michael Coates above. I wish he were able to do a grid of all the Westwood theatre bookings during that timeframe. Does any exist out there?
Zodiac was the last film i saw there, i was always bothered by the fact that Fincher tried to pass that off as some theater in San Francisco, which anyone who knows SF knows is silly. He should’ve just had a scene where Jake Gyllenhaal is visiting L.A. (for some reason) and goes to see The Exorcist at the National, people are fainting in the isles, and maybe some woman vomits on Gyllenhaal at the same time Linda Blair is vomiting onscreen.
I wonder, was anyone at the very last show of the last film that ran there? (Feast of Love) I don’t think anyone knew
I saw Zodiac at the National, and that’s weird: watching people in a movie watching a movie in the theater you’re in. I don’t remember the first movie I saw there, but I do remember an advance screening of Wyatt Earp. The audio when a steam train was rolling into town really impressed me.
I’ve been photographing theaters as a hobby for several years now, and for the most part I’m not interested in anything built after the 60s. The National is a rare exception. Probably because it’s very similar to the main theater in the town where I grew up. 70s architecture, golden curtains, big screen and big sound. That was indelibly printed on my psyche as what a movie experience was all about.
In those last months, I saw Ultraviolet and 3:10 To Yuma. And I also took my camera in to get some shots of that great lobby upstairs. I’ve had employees complain before when I’ve started taking pictures inside their theaters, but in this case I was pretty sure that no one would bother me, and they didn’t.
these are the movies i saw there, rocky (2006), the score (2001), march of the penguins(2005) and the ex (2007). the problem with national, in my opinion, was that no big time blockbusters were never at that theater granted some were, like titanic , but mostly mann village always stole the show.
For those who never will get to see the National’s interior. You can see a very small part in the film “Zodiac”. The filmmaker used the National as a location in the film for a theatre in the San Francisco area.
For those who had a chance to see a film or two there. Should go back over the list posted above and see how many film you saw there.
I saw 3:10 to Yuma at the National in 2007 after not having been there for maybe 30 years. It all came back to me as soon as I stepped inside: the lamps on end tables, the overstuffed chairs in the lobby, the carpet, the smell of popcorn, even the walk up the stairs to the auditorium, which always felt like walking up to heaven. So many great memories of going to the National when I was a teen, especially my friend and I turning cartwheels at the front of the theatre.
:–(
There will never be a theatre like this ever again. We will be stuck with AMC Plastic Plexes, with no character, cramped seating, and small screens. I’m truly saddened.
Very sad.