Magic Lantern Theater

960 Embarcadero del Norte,
Isla Vista, CA 93117

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Additional Info

Operated by: Metropolitan Theatres

Functions: Movies

Previous Names: Isla Vista Theater

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Magic Lantern Theatre

A neighborhood theater in a 1960’s style. In the 1980’s, the Magic Lantern Theater became a second run house, and was later purchased by the University of California Santa Barbara.

Contributed by Scott Padrick

Recent comments (view all 6 comments)

MagicLantern
MagicLantern on May 24, 2004 at 10:15 am

Opened in 1966, the Magic Lantern Theatre (at 960 Embarcadero del Norte, Isla Vista), operated as such through 1985, at which point Metropolitan sold it to UCSB, who renamed it the Isla Vista Theatre. It’s very much open these days, as the Magic Lantern:

http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/pa/Display.aspx?PKey=1120

JackGen
JackGen on April 13, 2006 at 9:56 pm

i remember attending a screening at the magic lantern, when jim babb ran this theater, soon after that-1969- he went to the cinema theater in hollywood.

bojeta
bojeta on July 17, 2006 at 11:13 pm

When I was in High School, the Magic Lantern was the place to go see surf flicks, and cult flicks like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I can’t remember ever seeing a new release there even though it was the closest theatre to my home (University Village) and I lived there when the theatre opened. Whew! Isla Vista is really a pretty mellow place compared to the hippy days. I remember watching the Bank of America burn twice not far from the Magic Lantern. You guys remember when the streets and sidewalks were literally covered in graffiti? All the “Secret Police Get out of IV” stencils, People’s Park, TP Village etc. What a strange place for a kid to grow up.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on February 19, 2010 at 6:47 pm

Would like to see some photos,cool name for a theatre.

MagicLantern
MagicLantern on February 13, 2011 at 12:14 pm

525 and 148 seats in both auditoriums – apparently it’s been twinned – View link

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on July 17, 2020 at 8:36 pm

1970 photo added courtesy Dennis Parker‎.

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