National Theatre
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
64 people
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Showing 76 - 100 of 757 comments
Please forgive my typos on the previous post.
It is sad seeing that empty lot when I go into Westwood. Makes me kind of wonder what kind of bookings the National would be getting now if it was still around and Mann was still booking it. They can’t seem to get decent films into the Chinese. I could only imagine what the National would be getting these days. Towards the end of Mann operating the National it was not getting the top films it once was, actually it was getting alot of trash.
Re: Star Wars. 1977; When they were booking the theatres in Westwood for the Summer, “Star Wars” was not a blimp on the radar. “Sorcerer” and “Exorcist II:The Heretic” were considered to be the big smashes and were booked at the National and Village respetively. If they had known “Star Wars” was going to be huge, no doubt it would have been booked probably instead of “Sorcerer” in Westwood and would have not had the break at the Chinese.
“Star Wars” was only booked at the Chinese for a brief run and forced Mann do a rush remodel on the Mann Hollywood theatre down the street after it became a huge sensation. Later after “Sorcerer” tanked, “Star Wars” returned to the Chinese and played for a whole year.
The moving over to the Hollywood of “Star Wars” really brought bad blood between Fox and Mann Theatres, but they were already commited to “Sorcerer”. The bad blood lasted a long time between the two and finally loosed up in the 90’s when Mann was booking pretty much all of the Fox films in its Westwood theatres once again, and a few now and then at the Chinese.
During the 1997 re-issues “Star Wars” and “Empire” and “Jedi” had very successful engagements at the Village.
Thanks Karen. And, as a member of THSA, I strongly encourage anyone with a love of classic movie theaters to join as well.
As for the Star Wars debates, it’s always good to have accurate information. The important thing, though, is for everyone to handle one another with care.
While I know our comments sections produce a number of squabbles, without them, we’d be little more than a database. Your comments create and reflect the community.
-Ross
P.S. My comment was certainly not meant to minimalize the wonderful outreach and education that the Cinema Treasures site provides.
THS is proud to work cooperatively with Ross, Patrick and everyone else associated with Cinema Treasures – in fact their stunning book was the recipient of THS’s first ever Book of the Year Award. I was only addressing the difficulty of monitoring discussion forums and the tangents that can result from spirited discussion.
www.historictheatres.org
Theatre Historical Society of America –
Celbrating our 40th year in 2009!
THS is a membership organization for everyone who LOVES the architecture, history and people associated with theaters in America. We publish 5 magazines and 4 newsletters a year (as a benefit of membership), offer a yearly “Conclave” to a different region of the country where we spend 5 days traveling together to visit all kinds of historic theaters (last summer we were in the San Francisco Bay area, this year we will be in the Philadelphia area, next year we will be in and around Indianapolis. We also administer the yearly Weiss Literary Competition with cash prizes. Members also get discounts on theater related publications, including the upcoming re-release of American Theatres of Today.
THE REST OF THE STORY……
THSA is the only organization in the U.S. which exclusively records and preserves the rich architectural, cultural and social history of America’s theatres. Through its collections and publications, THSA makes available information on more than 15,000 theatres, primarily in the United States, and encourages further research in these areas.
Located in Elmhurst, Illinois, approximately 16 miles west of Chicago’s loop, THSA is on the second floor of the York Theatre building. The Society also operates The American Theatre Architecture Archives, an extensive collection of photographs, slides, negatives, books, blueprints, clippings, videos, printed programs, and other material on historic theatres, primarily in the U.S., The American Movie Palace Museum, featuring exhibits of photographs, artworks, antiques, artifacts, and other memorabilia relating primarily to the “golden age of the movie palace.”
Thanks for asking! : )
Theatre Historical Society
THS?
So, the next time someone asks me “why doesn’t THS have a discussion forum on their website”….. ‘nuf said.
Could we please find something else to discuss! There are more important issues to debate related to preservation and film than the tit for tat that is on display here!
Sorry, but this is just a little ‘much!"
“The expression "Don’t shoot the messenger” comes to mind."
Yes, so please don’t shoot me, as I was only offering constructive criticism. I hope you aren’t someone who loves to correct others, expects them to understand it, but cannot stand to be corrected themselves? If so,the word “hypocrite” would then come to my mind. :)
Seriously, klebrun, I think your criticism of me is misguided. The expression “Don’t shoot the messenger” comes to mind.
Then perhaps we ought to hold an election. :–)
Michael, we really do appreciate the info you add here and you are a wealth of Star Wars information and I am glad you post here. However, it does get a bit irritating when you are constantly correcting people about Star Wars. I understand your passion for details as I share it as well, but you have not been elected the Cinema Treasures Star Wars accuracy sheriff. As much as this is a board for cinema related information and I see no problem with trading accurate info with others, it is also about sharing our memories and emotional bond to these old gems. For those whose posts are purely sentimental, some may hesitate to post their feelings and old memories if they feel they are going to be constantly “corrected”. It would be much appreciated if you would try to differentiate between the two.
Thanks
The point is as you say vhase, its not what played there years ago, its GONE, and thats the real sin here.
Well, then My General Manager’s memory may have been lacking. He’d been around forever – said there was a big argument over it, because George didn’t want it at the Village. He may have been confusing the Chinese. He’d been around for a LONG time…
Hardly the point of my post, however.
No, it didn’t. The 1977 first-run Westwood engagement of “Star Wars” was at the AVCO.
Thanks for sharing that vhase. I understand how you felt sitting in the theatre all alone. I did the same thing when the Glenwood Theatre in Overland Park, KS was being demolished. Surprisingly, the property wasn’t fenced off and access was easy through holes in the walls. I sat in the original auditorium after it had been gutted. There were still a few seats left and I sat in one remembering the wonderful times I had there. No one was there as it was a Sunday. It felt like how a person would feel being the only family member sitting with a dying relative that no one seems to care about anymore. I could hear traffic outside and life going on as usual, as though the grand ole girl had already been forgotten. I know it sounds strange, but as I left for the last time (it was torn down shortly thereafter), I had a feeling in my stomach as though the theatre was saying “Thank you for caring and please don’t forget me”.
I was a part of the management team in Westwood from 2003-2005. When I left, there was still talk of refurbishing. Most of the money Mann makes in the Westwood area is with premieres – then the production company holding the premeire usually buys out the whole day at top dollar. As far as regular performances, when you have a clunker movie at a theater that sits over 1000, it gets awfully quiet…And very expensive to keep the lights on.
Even a massive film like a Batman doesn’t clock the numbers very well past the first two weeks. You’re still getting people, mind you – but a hundred or so for an evening performance at, say the 8pm showing, with thirty or so at the earlier shows still doesn’t keep the payroll dollars up. That’s why the multiplex has become king. In a building with ten theaters – one of them is bound to be the bread winner, or at least medium numbers across the board handle the paid positions, especially with the minimum crew it takes to man one building, as apposed to four buildings, as the case was in Westwood.
This actually has hit me hard just recently, as I fell out of touch with the staff and moved out of the area – I had no idea it was gone until just a month ago! How I would have loved another walk around the theater, like when I left the company…
I was creating training newsletters for our staff at the time, and when I left, I took my own little tour, and whipped up a goodbye edition. If you will allow me to indulge, I think you will find it is fitting to this situation – and the situations like this all over the country:
ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
Vincent’s Heartfelt Farewell
The neat thing about being in management is that I get the keys to the front door. Recently, knowing my days are numbered, I took advantage of being a key-holder, and went in late at night to take a good look at the buildings I have worked at for for almost two years.
There was no movie playing, of course, and no one else but me in each auditorium. I don’t believe in ghosts or channeling, but I am a firm believer in ambiance. With no one talking in front of me, and no one kicking the back of my seat, I let the theatre do the talking. What did I find?
TONS OF PERSONALITY
It’s amazing what I noticed: The sheer artistry of the Village. The straight lines and sharp angles of the Bruin. The almost unfathomable size of the National.
Why would I do this late night vigil? To remember just how special these theatres are. To remind myself of what it was like the first time I walked into one (want to know the year? Look up Pink Floyd: The Wall). We get so jaded, working here day after day. These places are living history. They will never build houses like these ever again. People actually ask me if they can just come in and look. People constantly take pictures of the marquees from the street. They are subjects of professional photographers and artists, and the goal of every actor is to one day walk down their red carpets. These theatres are one of a kind, not to be repeated.
I wanted to get one last good look before I didn’t have my keys anymore, before I became an average citizen once again. Just a moviegoer, no longer a moviedoer. Yes, I can come to see a movie, but I will no longer be intimately involved with the process. I wanted to remember how lucky I have been: how I was allowed to be a part of the history of these amazing places.
DELUXE PARTING GIFT
As I leave, I want to offer these words of of wisdom to you: Never forget that you are a part of history. The Village not only showed Star Wars Episode III, but the original Star Wars in 1977. The rather uneventful Exorcist: The Beginning played (very briefly) at the National, which Happened to open the Exorcist in 1973. At that time, the National was only three years old!
You are making your own history every day – Spiderman 2, Batman Begins, the Harry Potter films. These films will be remembered, and people will always remember the experience of seeing them here. Every time you see a child walk in for the first time, you are witnessing a lasting memory being created, and you are a part of bringing it to fruition.
Enjoy your time here. Log these memories away in a special place. Never take an opportunity to help our Guests for granted, for it is a memory in the making; both for them, and for you. Twenty years from now, God willing, these places will still be standing. Perhaps you will bring your own children, and will tell them that you worked here, and they will be amazed.
AND FINALLY…
God bless you and keep you – thank you very much for helping me make my own lasting memories. Working with each of you has been a pleasure and a joy. I will miss our day-to-day time together, but I will, of course, see you soon, as I come in and sit down, wait for the lights to dim, the curtain to rise, and the next memory to begin.
Take Care -
Vincent Hase
Well, at least I have my memory of the darkened room, the massive space – and all that ambiance.
A fair and balanced assessment of the National from a 1 year perspective, Cliff.
Was The National unnecessarily demolished?
Yes.
And nothing can bring it back.
Very well put, Cliff.
For those who haven’t checked this link, here is an overhead view of the National. Putting the map in “birds eye” view will give you different views. If you zoom in it will give demolition views.
View link
I was just thinking about this theater today because it’s been about a year now since they destroyed it. As many have seen, the lot still sits empty a year later with no sign of development.
Given the economy now, I have to wonder how long that property will now sit abandoned, with no investor wanting fund development of the site. Seeing as how the loss of the National under the Mann lease seemed to be all about, according to Mann, “unrealistic rent,” was the National just under victim of the spiraling greed of the real estate explosion? Given how real estate and the economy in general has been bottoming out, I have to wonder…
Was The National unnecessarily demolished?
It seems to me (and of course I don’t know the whole story) that the owners of the land realized everyone seemed to be making a killing on their real estate investments and decided they wanted in on that as well. When Mann’s lease came up for renewal, they (from the sound of it) came to Mann with terms that Mann saw as an “unrealistic” jump from the increases they had been accustomed to negotiating. Mann decides it can’t operate profitably with those terms, the theater closes, and the landlords cavalierly hack away at a piece of Westwood’s history so to quickly make room for one of the countless faceless businesses/building that populate anywhere USA (only to seemingly get F’d in the A when they can’t one of those faceless bodies to occupy and pay for that corner – I’m sure investors would never ask things like, “How long was that Hollywood Video across the street there before they closed?”)
Now I’m not saying that the landlords don’t have every right to try and charge fair market value for the use of their property. They certainly do. But sometimes being profitable isn’t always about how much money you can make today. Sometimes you need to be in the business of relationships. The National had occupied that corner for nearly 40 years. It was a Westwood landmark (even if a group of politicians didn’t see it as such). It had contributed income for a myriad of Westwood businesses (how many dinners were sold at countless restaurants by National patrons in the village for a night out?). The city made money from parking fees of movie-goers… the list goes on. And it stood with one purpose… to show movies. It should have been allowed to remain as such so long as it wasn’t unprofitable for the landlords. They should have made a little extra effort to consider the theater’s importance historically and its future potential.
If this is the way it really happened (and I don’t know if it is or not, just a theory) then I can only hope that the property has become a huge financial burden for the landlords over the last year and in their singular quest to make an extra dollar they’re wishing they’d never have let The National go…
That would be a sweet slice of karma.
Just in Westwood today, how sad to see the corner block of my favorite movie theatre a vacant dirt filled lot. I had many a fun high school night and later college night spent at this theatre. Great 70’s architecture and colors but when the lights dimmed and the curtain opened you had one of the largest screens ever and immaculate quality. Along with the Plitt Century Plaza, I miss this place so much! Here in LA we still have the Village, Chinese, and Cinerama Dome, but that’s just three compared to what we have lost due to the AMC virus.
William, did you see Carl’s movie, “Ricky Rosen’s Bar Mitzvah?”
I had fun times work with and for Carl too.
William, Good God I miss Carl. We were party animals in BelAir in the 90s. My age, and he just goes. Sad.