Saturday, May 14, 2016

"High School Hellcats"



We get a bit of time in the Carmel, a 1925 vintage theatre designed by L.A. Smith, in "High School Hellcats" (American International, 1958). The girls belong to the "Hellcats" meet in this abandoned theatre, you see -- "on the other side of town."  Here we get a marquee view of the closed theatre 18 minutes into the film.



A marquee detail.


 
Good girl Joyce (played by Yvonne Lime) explores the entrance of the Carmel, headed to her first "Hellcats" meeting.



About an hour into the film we get some process work for a drive north on Broadway with Joyce and her boyfriend Mike (played by Brett Halsey) starting down near Olympic Blvd. Here, on the right, the United Artists is flashing madly.



In a frame from a bit farther north on our drive we get the Globe Theatre and the Music Hall beyond -- the latter now back to its original name, the Tower Theatre. Way down there on the right is the United Artists.  Yes, on the drive we're supposedly headed to the abandoned Carmel on Santa Monica Blvd.  Take a right at the next corner, Joyce says.



Our policemen, tipped off that Joyce is in trouble, head into the theatre.



A balcony view -- headed for trouble with a possible knife fight ahead. Joyce is accosted by bad girl Dolly, played by Suzanne Sydney.



A look at the back of the main floor after evil Dolly falls off the balcony.



A happy ending with boyfriend Mike joining Joyce in the balcony.

The Carmel was a Fox West Coast house but after a fling as an independent classics venue and a legit season went to porno and was renamed the Paris soon after the filming.  See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the Carmel Theatre for more information.

Thanks to Eitan Alexander for sending this one our way. The entire film can be seen on YouTube.

On IMDb: "High School Hellcats"

No comments:

Post a Comment