Regency Village Theater
961 Broxton Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
961 Broxton Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
69 people
favorited this theater
The Village Theater in Westwood opened on August 14, 1931 with a Spanish Mission style decoration (a la Carthay Circle Theater, Fox Arlington Theater, Fox Florence Theater). The Village Theater was remodeled in the late-1940’s-early 1950’s and gold swirls were added near the stage areas, along with upgrades for the exits, lobby and new seats and carpet were added.
The California Gold Rush artwork in the lobby was added. (You can see the same artwork in a few other Fox houses in Southern California like El Portal Theater (North Hollywood), California Theater (Huntington Park).) The artwork near the restrooms, was also added during the renovations. Before that remodel there was a small patio outside. The artwork covers this area now. The stage area was damaged and changed between 1931-1940. Dressing rooms and storage areas were walled off from use. The Village Theater stayed the same until the late-1970’s (except for the new CinemaScope equipment in the 1950’s).
For “The Deer Hunter” engagement, the Village Theater got new 70mm projection equipment, a new larger screen, and a new main title waterfall curtain. The old screen was half as tall as it is today. The theater also got a new, less flattering carpet in the early-1980’s.
Fortunately, the “Fox” tower sign was refurbished in the late-1980’s.
The last remodel was around 1998-99, when the Village Theater got new seats and carpet. The Village Theater seated 1,480 people before the 1950’s remodel. After the 1950’s remodel it seated 1,535. With the last remodel it lost seats for (handicap areas/new wider seats). It seats 1,341 people now.
After more than sixty years as a first run movie palace, the Village Theater is still one of the sites of Hollywood’s biggest movie premieres.
Regency Theatres replaced Mann Theatres as the movie operator on April 1, 2010.
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Recent comments (view all 452 comments)
Comparing movies theatres to amusement parks is like comparing apples to legumes. Both of the latter provide sustenance, but that’s about where the comparisons end.
An amusement park does not soly rely on product produced outside the environment on a daily basis in order to entertain its guests, nor does the amusement park need to hand over up to 90% of its revenue with the producer of said outside entertainment provider. The amusement park may entertain, but it entertains in a quite different way than a movie theatre, and that’s where the comparisons end.
Ask yourself this… why does the Landmark just one mile down the road often do 8-10x the business with the same movie as the Village? The Landmark does not offer season passes nor free wi-fi, and their ticket prices and snack bar items are more expensive than the Village. It’s because there is no one single factor that makes people change their habits.
We are cinephiles, and we care about the overall presentation. Most people don’t. They don’t care about the history of the place they are going to. They don’t care about what’s available at the snack bar. They don’t care if it’s a massive auditorium with a 60' screen and THX-approved sound and picture, or if it’s a thirty seat house with a 10' screen and sofas instead of seats. They don’t care if there is a wine bar. They don’t even really care if you have to pay for parking. All they want is a clean place to see a movie that has other things to do before or after the movie, in a convenient setting. Westwood isn’t all that convenient for most anymore, while the Westside Pavilion is. And that’s what makes all the difference in the world.
Westwood is not a theatre district any longer. But there is no reason to try to turn them into little cafes. Now with the Crest gone and the Avco closing Regency will be able to book more freely and keep the films flowing. It will not be 1980’s capacity but they will not be stuck with films that do not fi the theatre. Westwood will become like Los Feliz with the Village, Bruin and Regent. At this point doubtful a new complex with be errected. I think everyone has resigned themselves to the fact Westwood will not have a big resurgence. I’m pretty sure Regency did not take over the screens expecting anything spactacular.
With the Avco temporarily closed Regency has been having short 1 and 2 week bookings for the Village. They have CHRONICLE (this Fri) STAR WARS PHANTOM MENACE 3D Re-issue (2/10) and GHOST RIDER 2 (2/17). With more product available they do not have to keep films longer than they should.
Rather amazing that they seem to have gotten out of the customary 2-week contracts on CHRONICLE and STAR WARS (neither is slated to move to the Bruin, which is getting JOURNEY 2).
On 3/23 caught the 10:45PM “Hunger Games” show at the Village and was happy to see over 400, mostly UCLA students, in attendance.
“Only 400?” For a movie that just made $150M in 3 days, over 400 for the late show on opening night sadly indicates most people have abandoned this theater. I remember going to the 10:30pm opening night show of Daredevil at the Village 9 years ago and it was nearly sold out (and that movie only made $45m opening weekend). The Village SHOULD HAVE been sold out. Just a few years ago it would have been.
Especially considering that there were 900+ watching it at any given time at the Landmark and AMC Century City.
Back in 2003 when Daredevil was released the The Landmark 12 did not exist, and the AMC Century City was 14 screens was only 3,800 seats (Not sure what seat count is for the 15 plex). The Village still did big business on new releases, heck even the National was near selling out in 2002/2003 with Spiderman (Selling Out), Sum of All Fears, Italian Job and a few other big titles. Patrons have moved on.
The Landmark 12 and AMC 15 along with the ever thriving Grove and Arclight really hit Westwood hard. 400 is about as big as the Village will get these days (Maybe more this Summer with Dark Knight Returns). This year Regency will probably make ther biggest b.o. from the theatre because of the Avco being closed and short one and two week bookings. I really do not see the Village and Bruin returning to the glory days the once had.
Have many great memories involving this theatre. Hope the new operators have a feel for history and presentation!
The new operators do feel the history of the Village and Bruin. I’d guess they knew they are not cash cows like they once were. But they are so iconic that I think they really helped legitimize Regency theatres. I would guess they are not exactly seeing huge profits.
That is my take on it.