I’ll have to try to see Posiedon this weekend for one last time at the National. I doubt anybody will take it over at this point, it would not be logical. What is going on with the proposed Mann Stadium 5 plex behind the Bruin? Pretty soon Westwood Village will be down to only the Village and the Bruin unless someone builds someting new. If ANY theatre needs to go it is the Avco. That theatre lost any lustre it had when the chopped it up.
I’ve have been trying to go again before it closes but MANN has been using the National as a dumping ground for crappy movies. “RV”, “Silent Hill”, “ATL”, “Larry The Cable Guy…”, “The Hills Have Eyes”, “Take The Lead”, “Ultraviolet”, none of these are what I want to see as one of my last films at this great theatre.
There is no longer Online Ticket purchasing for The National on the Mann Theatres Website. I guess they are really slowly closing it down. I’m truly sad about this.
Have there been any updates? I am hoping it is just negotions going through a rough patch. Mann needs to keep this theatre open. There will never be a screen like it ever again. The AMC treatment of theatres really did in the grand movie theatres and this theatre needs to be saved. Common Mann… What are you going to do with only 3 screens left in Westwood Village? The National is an exceptional theatre.
The 3rd street promenade and AMC CENTURY theatres really killed Westwood in the 90’s. I guess The Grove and The Arclight are putting the final nails in the coffin. Not to mention the pending 14 plex in the Westside Pavilion; which is now under construction. Too bad people rather sit in small uncomfortable theatres these days than Grand Theatres with BIG screens and great sound. To me presentation is everything and my first choices are the National, Village, Bruin, Chinese and Arclight theatres whenever I see a film.
I’m sad by this news. Hopefully it is a tactic by Mann; otherwise it will be gone because it would not be logical for someone to take it over. I have great memories of the National; I worked at the Village Theatre between the years of 1980 – 1982; and the BIG THREE Mann Theatres were the top Theatres in L.A.
Suggestion; If Mann would put some money into it and replace the uncomfortable and broken seats perhaps people would like to go there more often. That is my ONLY complaint about it currently; otherwise it is a great theatre. I’m keeping my fingers crossed it stays and I plan to make as many visits as I can until July.
Perhaps they are putting very little into now with plans later on for a renovation. They probably took over the least to have the lease. If they could gutt out the place and build nicer and bigger screens they could have something.
Seems a shame. Even back when I worked at the Village in the early 80’s it was whatever Warner or Paramount wanted. MGM stopped booking with Mann at the Westwood Theatres after Mann pulled ROCKY III (Still doing great) for Warner’s FIREFOX. MGM was not happy about it and did not let Mann move it over to the Plaza like they intended. Instead MGM let GCC book it into the still nice AVCO.
KING KONG really seems a natural for the Village. :–(
I used to visit the Vista back in the 80’s when they showed 2nd Run Double Features at a decent price. I’m glad it is succesful as a first run theatre now. Single screen theatres are so rare.
This is still by far my favorite theatre anywhere. I’m upset that KING KONG did not open there (Avco instead) today. It should be the Theatre for ALL “event” films opening in Westwood Village. The unfortunate thing is the MANN pretty much caters to Warner and Paramount (Owners) so sometimes the bookings are not very logical.
It did open in the Fall of 1987. The AMC CENTURY 15 is supposed to be all Stadium Seating auditoriums. I do not patronize the theatres because I prefer the Village, Bruin, National (Westwood) or Arclight and Grauman’s Chinese (Hollywood). Those are ALWAYS my first choices for Cinemas. Maybe I will check out the 15 plex just to see what it is like.
Maybe not the Oscars, but perhaps there should be a Movie Theatre Award handed out at the end of each year. Why Not? There seem to be Awards for everything else lately>?
My vote for 2005 is the Arclight in Hollywood, CA.
Believe it or not, the Mann Old Towne 6 was a cash cow for Mann Theatres. I was working at the Village in Westwood around 1981/1982 and they bragged all the time that it was their highest grossing theatre in the entire chain. Go figure.
I can’t believe these theatres are still open. They were awful in the 70’s and 80’s. I could only imagine what they are like now. I’m surprised AMC hasn’t opened a 20 plex in that area yet.
The ElMiro was called the Cinema on the Mall in the early – mid 70’s. Century Cinema ran it and the GGC for a while. It became a independent theatre for a while afterwards and showed 2nd run sometimes first run films. “Rollercoaster” was booked IN SENSURROUND during the summer of 1977 after it finished it’s Mann Bruin Westwood run while being a Independently run theatre. Later it because a Spanish language theatre before its current state.
I remember going there with my mother and sisters around Christmas time. We lived in Santa Monica but it was the one of the only malls that was close to us. They let me go to the movies while they shopped and I saw a double feature of “Bugsy Malone” and “The Big Bus”. I believe it was only 4 theatres still at that point. Yes, I do remember the Carmel Corn odor. It was fun back then to go to the movies. Now it almost feels like work to go.
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.
I cannot say this is really something to celebrate. These theatres have really hurt the majestic single screens in the U.S. From what I read, NYC more than L.A. At least we still have Grauman’s Chinese, Mann Village, Bruin and National (Westwood), Aero (Santa Monica), Egyptian (Hollywood), Crest (Westwood) etc.
As flashy as these MONSTER-PLEXES are they will not hold up ‘look-wise’ 20 years from now. While Grauman’s Chinese and Mann Village will still be wonderful to visit and look at.
The Brentwood twins had the most uncomfortable seats ever in any movie theatre. I frequented it alot when I was a teenager. In the 70’s they showed 2nd run films in double features. Later when Cineplex Odeon ran it they went 1st run (one Feature only) features. The Brentwood twins were noted for hiring the handicapped and recieved good press about it.
It is a shame theatres like this are going away. I am starting to dilike the new theatres. They are big, flashy and ultimately shallow looking and feeling.
The Village is FAR FROM rundown. I was there for ALEXANDER and it looks great. Along with The Arclight in Hollywood, Mann Village is the Best Theatre in Los Angeles County.
I’ll have to try to see Posiedon this weekend for one last time at the National. I doubt anybody will take it over at this point, it would not be logical. What is going on with the proposed Mann Stadium 5 plex behind the Bruin? Pretty soon Westwood Village will be down to only the Village and the Bruin unless someone builds someting new. If ANY theatre needs to go it is the Avco. That theatre lost any lustre it had when the chopped it up.
I’ve have been trying to go again before it closes but MANN has been using the National as a dumping ground for crappy movies. “RV”, “Silent Hill”, “ATL”, “Larry The Cable Guy…”, “The Hills Have Eyes”, “Take The Lead”, “Ultraviolet”, none of these are what I want to see as one of my last films at this great theatre.
There is no longer Online Ticket purchasing for The National on the Mann Theatres Website. I guess they are really slowly closing it down. I’m truly sad about this.
UA also had a Twin A & B outside the Cerritos Mall with a smaller 4 plex in the mall. Same as Westminster. They are All closed also.
Have there been any updates? I am hoping it is just negotions going through a rough patch. Mann needs to keep this theatre open. There will never be a screen like it ever again. The AMC treatment of theatres really did in the grand movie theatres and this theatre needs to be saved. Common Mann… What are you going to do with only 3 screens left in Westwood Village? The National is an exceptional theatre.
The 3rd street promenade and AMC CENTURY theatres really killed Westwood in the 90’s. I guess The Grove and The Arclight are putting the final nails in the coffin. Not to mention the pending 14 plex in the Westside Pavilion; which is now under construction. Too bad people rather sit in small uncomfortable theatres these days than Grand Theatres with BIG screens and great sound. To me presentation is everything and my first choices are the National, Village, Bruin, Chinese and Arclight theatres whenever I see a film.
I’m sad by this news. Hopefully it is a tactic by Mann; otherwise it will be gone because it would not be logical for someone to take it over. I have great memories of the National; I worked at the Village Theatre between the years of 1980 – 1982; and the BIG THREE Mann Theatres were the top Theatres in L.A.
Suggestion; If Mann would put some money into it and replace the uncomfortable and broken seats perhaps people would like to go there more often. That is my ONLY complaint about it currently; otherwise it is a great theatre. I’m keeping my fingers crossed it stays and I plan to make as many visits as I can until July.
Perhaps they are putting very little into now with plans later on for a renovation. They probably took over the least to have the lease. If they could gutt out the place and build nicer and bigger screens they could have something.
I hope if MANN does take over the space they gut it out a build some nice screens. Wasn’t Pacific going to build more screens at the Grove?
There is no listing for the Theatre in today’s L.A. Times so I am assuming it is now gone. The theatre WILL NOT be missed; it really sucked.
Seems a shame. Even back when I worked at the Village in the early 80’s it was whatever Warner or Paramount wanted. MGM stopped booking with Mann at the Westwood Theatres after Mann pulled ROCKY III (Still doing great) for Warner’s FIREFOX. MGM was not happy about it and did not let Mann move it over to the Plaza like they intended. Instead MGM let GCC book it into the still nice AVCO.
KING KONG really seems a natural for the Village. :–(
I used to visit the Vista back in the 80’s when they showed 2nd Run Double Features at a decent price. I’m glad it is succesful as a first run theatre now. Single screen theatres are so rare.
Any word on if the National will be refurbished? At least new seats? Drapes? It is still one of the BEST Theatres around.
This is still by far my favorite theatre anywhere. I’m upset that KING KONG did not open there (Avco instead) today. It should be the Theatre for ALL “event” films opening in Westwood Village. The unfortunate thing is the MANN pretty much caters to Warner and Paramount (Owners) so sometimes the bookings are not very logical.
It did open in the Fall of 1987. The AMC CENTURY 15 is supposed to be all Stadium Seating auditoriums. I do not patronize the theatres because I prefer the Village, Bruin, National (Westwood) or Arclight and Grauman’s Chinese (Hollywood). Those are ALWAYS my first choices for Cinemas. Maybe I will check out the 15 plex just to see what it is like.
Maybe not the Oscars, but perhaps there should be a Movie Theatre Award handed out at the end of each year. Why Not? There seem to be Awards for everything else lately>?
My vote for 2005 is the Arclight in Hollywood, CA.
Believe it or not, the Mann Old Towne 6 was a cash cow for Mann Theatres. I was working at the Village in Westwood around 1981/1982 and they bragged all the time that it was their highest grossing theatre in the entire chain. Go figure.
I can’t believe these theatres are still open. They were awful in the 70’s and 80’s. I could only imagine what they are like now. I’m surprised AMC hasn’t opened a 20 plex in that area yet.
The parking is really bad unless you go on a Sunday afternoon.
The ElMiro was called the Cinema on the Mall in the early – mid 70’s. Century Cinema ran it and the GGC for a while. It became a independent theatre for a while afterwards and showed 2nd run sometimes first run films. “Rollercoaster” was booked IN SENSURROUND during the summer of 1977 after it finished it’s Mann Bruin Westwood run while being a Independently run theatre. Later it because a Spanish language theatre before its current state.
I remember going there with my mother and sisters around Christmas time. We lived in Santa Monica but it was the one of the only malls that was close to us. They let me go to the movies while they shopped and I saw a double feature of “Bugsy Malone” and “The Big Bus”. I believe it was only 4 theatres still at that point. Yes, I do remember the Carmel Corn odor. It was fun back then to go to the movies. Now it almost feels like work to go.
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.
I cannot say this is really something to celebrate. These theatres have really hurt the majestic single screens in the U.S. From what I read, NYC more than L.A. At least we still have Grauman’s Chinese, Mann Village, Bruin and National (Westwood), Aero (Santa Monica), Egyptian (Hollywood), Crest (Westwood) etc.
As flashy as these MONSTER-PLEXES are they will not hold up ‘look-wise’ 20 years from now. While Grauman’s Chinese and Mann Village will still be wonderful to visit and look at.
The Brentwood twins had the most uncomfortable seats ever in any movie theatre. I frequented it alot when I was a teenager. In the 70’s they showed 2nd run films in double features. Later when Cineplex Odeon ran it they went 1st run (one Feature only) features. The Brentwood twins were noted for hiring the handicapped and recieved good press about it.
It is a shame theatres like this are going away. I am starting to dilike the new theatres. They are big, flashy and ultimately shallow looking and feeling.
The Village is FAR FROM rundown. I was there for ALEXANDER and it looks great. Along with The Arclight in Hollywood, Mann Village is the Best Theatre in Los Angeles County.