"The Canyons"

"Do you really like movies?... When's the last time you went to see a movie in a theatre?... A movie that really meant something to you?" asks Lindsey Lohan in Paul Schrader's "The Canyons" (IFC Films, 2013). The film, written by Bret Easton Ellis, is a thriller about some sad people on the fringes of the film business. It also features James Deen, Nolan Funk and Amanda Brooks. The cinematography was by John Paul DeFazio.

This view toward the Egyptian is one of many theatre shots seen in trailer #1 that don't appear in the actual film. The trailer is on IMDb, carrying the credit "Video by Joey Fantastico." IMDb also has later trailers including a 30s comedy take on the film, a lovely 50s style trailer and a grindhouse version. Thanks to former Egyptian head projectionist Paul Rayton for spotting the theatre and getting the screenshot.

See the pages about the Egyptian Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the 1922 vintage theatre and hundreds of photos of all areas of the building. It's located at 6712 Hollywood Blvd. 

 

 

The opening credits feature a montage of desaturated shots of abandoned movie theatres. We also get a few other theatre views scattered throughout the film. This is the Grand 12 plex in New Orleans. With the big clock in the lobby, was this the inspiration for the ArcLight decor? See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the ArcLight Cinemas, 6360 Sunset Blvd., for more data on the complex.

A wide angle look at the long-closed Fox Inglewood also appears in the film's opening sequence. See the page about the Fox Inglewood on the Los Angeles Theatre site for many interior views. Shut for decades, it's a strange time capsule of Skouras-style architecture.  

 

A shot of the X Theatre from the opening sequence. Head to our page about the X Theatre for more about the building. It was at 5959 Hollywood Blvd. 

 

 

Beginning a new day in the film so we get another theatre shot. This one is the Las Palmas Theatre, 1642 N. Las Palmas Ave. See the Las Palmas page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for the history. It's now in use as a music club.

This shot of the Regent pops up in the middle of the film. The Regent, a survivor of a once vibrant theatre district on Main St., has recently been reborn as a music club. See our Regent Theatre pages for history and photos.

On IMDb: "The Canyons"