National Theatre
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
59 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 749 comments
Just recognized the National in all its living glory while watching David Fincher’s Zodiac. The house is packed with a 70s era audience while Dirty Harry plays on the big screen. The lobby is also featured as the film lets out. Check it out if you’re feeling nostalgic.
I was hired as an usher during the initial run of “Exorcist” and became the National’s AM for several years during the 1970s. CRAZY place filled with CRAZY people. It was glorious!
I was in Westwood about a week ago and saw men working in the lot where the National stood, so it looks like they might actually be ready to build something there… five and a half years after they tore it down.
I’ve just written a script called WESTWOOD NIGHTS set at the NATIONAL in ‘85. An 80’s American Graffiti. It will likely never get made but just thought I’d mention it
A fantastic theater to see any movie. I saw “The Exorcist” when the engagement was winding down. Most of the audience was sitting toward the back of the auditorium. Big butch me, I went to sit, all alone, about 10 rows from the front. When I looked around, all I saw was the huge screen and rows of empty seats. When the film ended, the ushers found me in a fetal position, having a conversation with Sigmund Freud. I am now a popular religious figure with a large congregation, and I plan on marrying my partner. He’s six years old, and his favorite movie is “The Exorcist.”
Man what a loss… I was at opening night here for Krull, Star Trek The Motion Picture, and bunches of others, My home theater was the Village, but this was a special place!
Yes, it is Regan’s window box. They installed a fan to blow the curtains. It was done by Warner Bros. PR department.
Is that Regan’s bedroom window with the curtains blowing around on the side wall of the theater? Nice touch of showmanship.
NOW I remember where I saw “The Exorcist”! Thanks!
A big thanks to markinthedark for the latest batch of photos taken on the National’s last night.
Heartbreaking.
The photos newly added just want to make me cry. We will never have theatres like this ever again. I love the newly added photos from the early 70’s.
Many THANKS to ‘hollywood90038’ for the photography of the demolition of the National. While it is indeed sad to see this theatre torn down, it is important that all aspects of the theatre be documented when ever possible. I sincerely hope that will all that iron in the frame of the National that it was recycled into another structure and not simply sold to a salvage yard.
Ross, thats a great article in the ‘Curbed!’ Best way yet I’ve seen to remember a former theatre, hope that idea catches on!!!
Thanks Joel! CinemaTour is an amazing site. Here’s a photo you must see in Curbed Los Angeles.
I wish I had been taking pictures of the National over the years before it closed. It had one of the best marquees of any theatre. If you took Gayley into the village from Wilshire the National greeted you. The marquee was so large that any graphics really stood out. The pictures on Cinematour with How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days really illustrates how stunning the National was. I still get sad when I drive in Westwood. It is a theatre we will never experience again.
Thanks for the link JoelWeide. I never went to this theatre before it’s demolition but I like it’s sparse, understated 70’s grandeur. I’m sure not everyone would agree. We’ll never see big, single screen cinemas built like this again. It was unique. What a waste to destroy it and not even fill in the lot with some bland condos. It definitely qualifies as a lost Cinema Treasure.
Greetings Ross: You will find extensive photography of the National Theatre at: http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/2134.html .
See you at the movies! Cheers!
Joel Weide
I have to say that I’m rather mad at myself for not shooting the interior. Anyone have a shot??
No one has an interior photo of this theatre? Didn’t it appear in the film Zodiac?
The theater lives on in the Googlemobile photo. Michael Moore’s “Sicko” was playing at that time.
This is a billboard on the Sunset Strip circa 1974. I thought it was interesting:
http://tinyurl.com/3v8twjg
It is still not the same driving into Westwood and not seeing the National. I’m sure sure it would be doing business these days, but it would be nice it have it around still. Westwood is so sad these days. It breaks my heart.
Well, at least that’s one badly-needed patch of land where rain will fall on Los Angeles and actually soak into the ground to join the watertable, instead of being swept down the gutters and down the concrete channel of the Los Angeles River and out to sea.
But it would be nice to have the National back.
Boy, that looks really ghetto. I suppose it might be one thing if the building was sitting derelict. I think the taxes on a vacant parcel are less than on a parcel and building. But they had someone who was willing to lease the theatre apparently. So there would have been money coming in. Maybe there was a magnificent condo deal in the works, which definitely would have fallen through in the bust.
It’s pretty sad that there are those who think it’s more important to tear down a good theatre for a bunch of weeds or parking lots.
That is a mighty fine looking parcel of weeds. Thank you, owners of that plot of land, for bringing a little bit of dreariness to an otherwise boring area.