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Mann National goes dark
posted by
Michael Zoldessy
on
April 18, 2007 at 5:15 am
LOS ANGELES, CA — After a long period of rumors of the plug being pulled, it appears the Mann National is finally closing tomorrow.
For more, go to LA Observed.
I’ll try to dig up some more information on this one and report back.
Comments (14)
I’ve spent many happy hours watching films there and ran a few Premieres over the years.
I always enjoyed going to the National. I saw Catch 22 in 1970 in its first year of operation. It was one of the last major exclusive single screen first run theatres to be built along with the now gone National in New York City, and the Astor Plaza. This theatre made money during most of its life but its long term lease was up. This was an industry house and I guess there wasn’t enough financial motivation for the industry to keep one of its last Deluxe houses. This now leaves the industry with the Village, Bruin,Chinese,El Capitan and Cinerama Dome for its major film events.I guess our generation is slipping away and the young people will only be familiar with the megaplex when they go to the movies. I am sure glad I was born in my time where I experienced all the glorious single screen theatres from the Downtown movie palace to the great neigberhood movie theatres.brucec
If this is being demolished, what is going up in its place?
I haven’t seen anything saying it’s being demolished quite yet but I’d have to assume they’re doing that at some point soon.
I’d like to see SONY install their mythical 4K projectors in the national and use it as a showcase for big screen digital…
It’s very sad that no one has come up with a way to save this place, it would take so little to fix it up… no new construction or stadium seating is needed here, just new paint, carpets, drapes, and bigger seats – in rows spread much farther apart and staggered to improve the sightlines. I’d switch the color scheme from brown and orange to burgundy and gray to warm it up. Not far to go to make it a top notch prestige theatre…
I don’t know how the Ziegfeld in NYC survives but someone should run the National the same way. The Ziegfeld even runs “classic” films periodically.
RIP National. My favorite Los Angeles theatre is going dark.
Since people are making suggestions on what one could do with it I might as well:
Turn it into a 21 and older movie pub/bar (helps pay the rent) and keep the 70’s decor. Then use the National and its giant screen and superb presentaion to show classic 70mm films and other rep programming.
Just a dream. Guess I am gradually being forced to going to multiplexes….
RIP National. My favorite Los Angeles theatre is going dark.
Since people are making suggestions on what one could do with it I might as well:
Turn it into a 21 and older movie pub/bar (helps pay the rent) and keep the 70’s decor. Then use the National and its giant screen and superb presentaion to show classic 70mm films and other rep programming.
Just a dream. Guess I am gradually being forced to going to multiplexes….
View link
I plan on being there Thursday night for the final show.
I don’t know how the Ziegfeld in NYC survives but someone should run the National the same way. The Ziegfeld even runs “classic” films periodically. – posted by CinemaSightlines on Apr 18, 2007 at 5:45pm
Unfortunately, the Ziegfeld loses money, so I wouldn’t use it as a model for running the National.
An article I posted earlier this week on the Mann’s closing:
View link
I plan on being there tonight as well. Hope everyone can join.
Enjoyed such engagements as THE EXORCIST and TOP GUN at the National. Used to live within walking distance many moons ago.
I was only ten years old, but I could sware that the original “THX” promo during the opening weekend of “Empire of the Sun” at the National was the loudest I’ve ever heard. I also have fond memories of having a birthday party watching Crocodile Dundee II at the National with my friends, as well as seeing Misery, Beetlejuice, Species, Christmas Vacation and many others. It will be missed.
I still live in Westwood and excercise at LA Fitness (about a block from the National) several times a week. I’ll keep an eye out and post any noticable exterior changes to the theater on this site.
A couple random thoughts:
-Wasn’t the Crest purchased and restored by some passionate independant investor a few years ago? Perhaps this person be looking at aquiring the National as well?
-The corner that the National sits on is relativly quiet and parking is sparce. The Circuit City accross the street went out of business a few years back after Best Buy came to town, and the huge DSW shoe store that opened recently in it’s place always seems empty. I can’t see the National being converted into some big-box retail store and being too successful. Quite honestly, I can envision that space sitting vacant for years unless someone reopens it as a theater.