Regent Theatre

The first movie booked there was "Take the Money and Run" in 1969. I was about 13 years old and a couple of friends and I saw the first public performance. A matinee.

Landmark Theatres are now running this theatre. Expect major renovations to the concession area and upgrades to the auditorium including new seats. In the booth is a Norelco AAII, the Cadillac of projectors, and a Christie platter. JBL speakers behind the screen and surrounds. More updates to come.

Landmark has done a nice job restoring the theatre. I went there recently. It has a College town feeling to it again.

The Regent and the Plaza Westwood were the premiere theatres in the 70's. They showed exclusive runs of Oscar winners "Network", "Cuckoo's Nest", "Rocky" and was a regular house of Woody Allen flicks like "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan". This was during the era though when United Artists was the film company that ruled. I hear that Pacific actually booked the theatres for Laemmle but I cannot confirm that. When MANN took over they continued to try to book with small intimate films like "Birdy", "The Unbearable Lightness of Being", "Diner", "The Killing Fields" @ The Regent and Plaza but lost alot of bookings to AMC Century city when it became big.

CALLING ALL THEATRE / MOVIE ENTHUSIASTS!!!

T'he Los Angeles Theatre' on South Broadway, LA is playing host to the UK television show 'Dead Famous LIVE'. We are currently looking for people who would like to come along as part of the studio audience.

'Dead Famous LIVE' is a studio entertainment show all about Hollywood History and the paranormal. We will be welcoming celebrity guests on to the show and investigating famous locations around Hollywood which are rumoured to be haunted including the Los Angeles Theatre itself.

This is an invaluable chance to get access to the Los Angeles Theatre, the place where Charlie Chaplin's 'City Lights' premiered in 1931 and to have a thoroughly great day out! (And its free!!)

We're transmitting 'Live' back to the United Kingdom so expect it to be exciting and fun!

We will be filming on three days from 11th - 13th November between 11.30am - 4pm. If you are interested in coming on one or all of these days then email me for tickets!

george.hughes@twofour.co.uk

I look forward to your responses!

Landmark is a specialty chain that shows mostly independent and foreign films, yet lately they seem to have running a lot of mainstream Disney/Touchstone fare at the Regent. The Westside Pavillion, which Landmark operates a couple of miles away, still books independent and foreign films on its four screens. It is too bad they can't book some of these at the Regent. The Westside Pavillion is small with small screens (especially for scope pictures!). The Regent has been wonderfully remodeled with all the motifs of an art house (old foreign fim posters, flyers for festivals, etc.) yet is showing Disney's latest underdog basketball movie... What Gives? I used to like going to this theatre!

Landmark tried booking the Regent with Foriegn & Art-House Films, but it didn't work in Westwood. The Art-House Crowd wasn't willing to deal with parking in the Westwood Village and the College Kids didn't come.

You can look forward to more Disney films thru July, at least.

When I lived in that area many years ago, you could park for free at the Federal Building and then take either a 5-minute walk or a shuttle bus ride to the village. Not true anymore?

If it is true, not many take advantage of it. Business is booming for the parking lots.

I worked at the Regent in '81/'82, and served Natalie Wood a small popcorn and a coke; I didn't know who she was until my collegue working the door asked for her autograph. On another occasion Cathy Lee Crosby parked her Rolls out front and asked me to watch it during the film. When Mann took control of the Plaza, I worked there for a while. Those were some good crazy times.

Now that the National is closed (RIP), does anyone know what is going to happen to the Regent?

I think Landmark will keep it running. But I wonder if the zoning will change that The Landmark 12 will count as a Westwood screen and will play day/date with Century City. They may start booking the Disney product in the Landmark 12; Mall theatres are more suited for that type of film.

The Regent is still booked with Disney product thru August, at least. "The Landmark"... God, that name is so lame, will try to book 12 screens with arthouse films only. Whatever "arthouse" means nowadays.

The Regent is NOT currently in danger of being shut down.

BradE41, the zoning only has to do with the theatres in Westwood area. The Landmark 12 complex is in West Los Angeles/Rancho Park. So withever parking/zoning in that area will count there, not at the Regent Theatre. In your post of May 26th 2005, to confirm that Pacific Theatres did book the Regent and Plaza Theatre for Laemmele Theatres.

This is a recent photo of a Regent Theater in Westwood.

Good Earth Fans: They just opened a Good Earth next to the Regent Theatre.

In light of what is happening with the National, the Rialto and other single-screeners, I was a bit disappointed that the Cinematreasures are holding their meeting to discuss theatre preservation etc. at the brand-spanking-new Landmark 12!!! Less than 2 miles away from Westwood Village, the densest grouping of open single screeners in the country. Are they serious? Are they serious about preservation?

I expressed my disappointment here:
http://cinematreasures.org/news/17409_0_1_0_C/

Feel free to express your feelings as well.