Fairfax Cinemas
7907 Beverly Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90048
7907 Beverly Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90048
28 people
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Showing 101 - 115 of 115 comments
Having just been in LA for the recent 3-D film festival at the Egyptian, it saddens me to hear Fairfax has been closed. I lived in the area from 1981 to 1989 and attended many films there in that period. It was saddening enough when the house was split into three in 1982—but I continued to attend, as compromised as the theatre was. I was so close this time there…I went to Canter’s and wanted to take a shot of the stage wall mentioned above with its “Glorifying the Talking Picture” sign. When I saw the sign had been covered over by a coat of white paint, I walked no further—that was disappointing enough. For what’s its worth—Canter’s is as good as ever.
The first time I saw a movie in Hollywood was at this theatre when its was part of the Cineplex Odeon family in 1989. The film: “Do The Right Thing.” An unforgettable experience. Another fond memory of this place was seeing “Braveheart” for $3.00 – and DTS Digital Sound to boot – on the Friday before the Oscars (when it won Best Picture).
I seriously doubt that the Grove killed this place. It was an arthouse for the last 10 years of it’s operation.
I’ll miss this theatre. Hopefully another arthouse chain will sweep in and pick it up.
The Pacific Grove Theatre complex killed this theatre. Like it did to the former (AMC)/GCC Beverly Connection 6.
Laemmle closed The Fairfax last week. This is the message of the Laemmle website.
After five years and a thousand and one good foreign, independent and art movies (or thereabouts)
Laemmle Theatres reluctantly announces we are ending our tenancy at the historic Fairfax Theatre.
Sincere thanks to all our Fairfax customers for their loyal patronage.
Here is an expanded version of the photo above:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015285.jpg
The marquee has been redesigned and now says New Fairfax. If you walk down the block towards Canter’s, you can still see an advertisement for the original Fairfax theater on the side of the building.
This theater was part of the Mann chain during the 1970’s. The then single screen Fairfax showed 1st run Disney films at the time. The theater went independent around 1979. By the end of 1981 the main spacious auditorium would be split into a tri-plex. After a few years running 2nd run films,the Fairfax was hurting from the competition from the Beverly Center. Cineplex took over operation of the Fairfax April 11,1985. The theater was completely renovated by Cineplex and ran 1st run art films for awhile. After a few years the theater went back to 2nd run movies and stayed that way until Loews/Cineplex closed the theater.
The current auditorium seating capacities are 172, 422, 192.
During the late 80’s when it was operated by Cineplex. The manager of the theatre hosted a few series of classic films on Sunday. Some of the series were classic widescreen musicals, Cult classics in 35mm 4-Track Stereo or 70MM 6-Track Stereo.
This theatre also hosts a monthly Friday Midnight showing of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”. The movie is shown the last Friday of every month. It’s compared to Midnight showings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”. There is a live performance acted out by Rainbow Carnage during the movie. This is a must see for any fan of the movie and is very fun to attend. The cast of Rainbow Carnage also performs a pre-show and makes every monthly viewing a themed event. By themed i mean guests are encouraged to wear costumes or dress according to the monthly theme.
I saw a pile of films here in the spring 1981, a year when the theatre was one of several used for FILMEX.
The Fairfax Theatre originally opened in 1932 (July?) and it had an original seating capacity of 1,504. A Wurlitzer 2 Manual/6 Rank SP theatre organ was installed.
Still to be seen today in faded lettering on the rear of the stage house is the painted sign stating; ‘New Fairfax Theatre – Glorifying the Talking Picture’
It was run into the ground as a $1 house. Cineplex Odeon took it over, remodeled and gave it new life as a first showing house. Then, Loews acquired it after Cineplex; It went back to being a $1 house. Films there were about six months old. My girlfriend used to work there between 98 and 00 during this time.
You would be amazed at how many celebrities would patronize this theater while Loews had it as a $1 house. I assume celebrities felt comfortable there since film fans usually attend first showing houses. Many industry people would spend a buck to see a flick.
On a pretty regular basis, studios would rent the theater for a day. I had worked as the projectionist during these studio screenings and audience response screenings.
Today, it is owned by Lammle Theaters, an arts movies theater chain.
The Fairfax briefly returned to its first-run, major studio release days after the 1994 Northridge earthquake when the movie theatres within the Beverly Center and Beverly Connection were forced to close for a time. Loews let go of the property shortly before or after its bankruptcy filing in February of 2001.
It now runs foreign films and independent films – first-run, mostly. It also hosts screens for the various film festivals that come through town.
I remember when Cineplex Odeon took over the Fairfax it had either been closed or run into the ground as a $1 house. I think they triplexed it and the last time I was in LA it was a first run theatre. When did it go discount?