Vista Theater Hollywood
4473 Sunset Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90027
4473 Sunset Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90027
61 people
favorited this theater
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In the Independent Theatres listings of the Los Angeles Times for February 10, 1971, the Vista was showing a double feature of Cindy and Donna (IMDb) and Girly (IMDB).
These were more low-budget sexploitation movies than full-on porn, but they were the sort of thing the Vista was running regularly around that time. The theater went to gay porn for a while later in the ‘70s, and then in 1980 it became a revival house, first operated by Thomas Theatres out of San Francisco and then by Landmark, which operated it more as a revival/art house combination.
Landmark abandoned the revival format at the Vista in 1985. The August 24, 1986 Los Angeles Times has the house listed as the New Vista, showing a double feature of Top Gun and Real Genius. I don’t think the Vista ever went back to porn after its time as a revival house. It did show some gay-themed movies during those years, aimed at the large gay audience in Silver Lake and East Hollywood, but I don’t think any of them were porn.
The Vista and its sister venue a half-mile away, Los Feliz 3, converted to digital around Sept 6; however, the Vista was allowed to keep its 35MM projector as some directors wanted it for special screenings.
(Martha used to run “Phantom” at the late lamented Majestic Crest. The women dress up and it’s fun being one of the lone men attending)
This year’s Screening (Redux ~ IX) will be at The Vista Theatre.
Cheers! Martha (Boswell)
Cell: 310-709-8917
Date: November 10, 2012
Time: Midnight
Tickets: $20.00
Nice to see about 160 people for the 8:50PM show this past Tuesday for “Dark Knight”. Veteran actor Clu Gulager, a regular at the Beverly Cinema, showed at the Vista recently.
http://www.whosay.com/pattonoswalt/photos/205478
I saw that episode and was pleased to note that they use mylar (or plastic?) displays on the marquee, old-school style, rather than just hanging letters that spell out the title of the feature.
The exterior with “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” on marquee was featured for a few minutes in tonight’s episode of TNT TV’s “Southland” cop drama show.
I was there on Sunday for the 1:30 showing of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, which drew a very big crowd for a matinee. The theater is beautiful and the projection was perfect. I like the fact that they have screen curtains. Last time I went there, about ten years ago, they didn’t. The only minus is that the curtains look too modern for that theatre. A shiny gold curtain flooded with red lights would look better with the classic decor. By the way, I live in Virginia, and whenever I travel I make it a point to visit single screen theaters. On this trip west, I visited the Vista, the Crest, and the Regent.
Attended the 9:45PM showing on 6/15 of “Super 8”. A great crowd a little over 200 in attendance. Many people in the industry go to the Vista. I just realized that the opening for Elvira’s weekend horror movie on KDOC was filmed here.
Parking note: I take the Red Line from North Hollywood and get off at the Sunset-Vermont station. The Vista is only two blocks east. If in need of a quick bite, stop at Von’s right on the way and pick up a sandwich and a Starbucks-they have seating.
I was reading an article about the demolition of the National in Westwood (sad) , and ended up finding the updated official website for the Vista and the Los Feliz 3, run by Vintage cinemas (happy).
Some great interior shots HERE
I love this place and am so happy that it still exists in this day and age of multiplexes and on-demand movies at home and watching movies on mobile devices.. We’re lucky to have it in the neighborhood.
It’s still open and they’re showing “The Fighter”. I usually just Google it and it takes me to Vintage Cinema.
I get a redirect when I go to their website, but apparently the theatre is still open.
I’ve rediscovered the Vista when I went to see “The Social Network.” What an awesome theater: lots of leg room, good popcorn, great prices. Downside: yeah parking sucks but you just have to drive around. I did see a roach in the bathroom. But all in all, the theater is clean. The audience is gay, straight, young, old, metrosexual. A nice neighborhood theater that seats a lot of people. Please support this single screen theater so that we don’t have to go to the Grove or pay obscene prices like at the Archlight.
I add to this album of vintage theaters and memorabilia from time to time:
View link
Here’s a photo I shot in November 2010:
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Ah, Ken Roe did post that the Monica started life as a cinema, so that answers your question.
It opened in 1940 as the Monica Theater. Nothing on the Studs page to indicate if it was legit or cinema. Why would you ask that here?
QUESTION: Was the Tomkat Theatre on Santa Monica ever a legitimate movie theater?
Color photo of the Vista showing MAGNOLIA:
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The theater can be seen in the title sequence for the new run of Elvira’s Movie Macabre TV show.
I was at the record store today and saw that the band Suicidal Tendencies were photographed standing atop the marquee for the cover of their “Lights, Camera, Revolution” album.
“Born to Raise Hell,” one of the most violent gay roughies, had its West Coast premiere here on November 26, 1975.
Steven Wells is right. It was gay 76 – 79. The early 80s it was a revival house. Mid to late 80s it was a second run double feature house…and a great place to go!
Anyone know how to reach the Vista management? I want to see about renting it for a charity event (we were at Fairfax Regency until the landlord closed it down due to roof damage). The phone listed just gives time and cost and hangs up.
Another L.A. theatre with an interesting past.
Interesting.