"Blood Theatre"

Rick Sloane's low budget horror film "Blood Theatre" (Active Home Video, 1984) begins with a scene at a theatre boxoffice that was shot at the Fairfax Theatre, 7907 Beverly Blvd. 

 

It's a tale of murderous problems encountered by a new company trying to reopen an old theatre with a tragic past. The film, also known as "Movie House Massacre," is presented in Blood-O-Rama. The cast includes Mary Woronov, Jenny Cunningham, Jonathan Blakely, Andrew Cofrin and Joanna Fox.   

 

The cashier is looking worried. Her end will come soon. See the page about the Fairfax on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about this 1930 vintage deco-style house.  

 

 

 

When the saga continues years later, the Warner Beverly Hills, 9404 Wilshire Blvd., was used for the interior of the doomed theatre. The reopening doesn't go well. Don't miss the scene with a girl trapped in a popcorn machine. Here we get a look out to Wilshire Blvd. 

 

A closer look at some of the display cases. Rick Sloane mentioned the film in commenting on a post about the Warner that was on the Mid Century Modern Facebook page. He notes that it can be viewed free on the site Tubi and adds: 

"I shot all the interiors for my first feature film at that theater in the mid 80's. I was shocked to see the building torn down a couple years later. It's really low budget, but it was the final time the Warner Beverly was photographed in all its glory, before it was demolished."

 

In the lobby. Employees aren't happy after being transferred from a suburban 4-plex.

 

 

Pots start falling on people. 

 

 

Decorative work under the stairs. 

 

 

A railing detail. 

 

 

Another stair view. 

 

 

Since spooky things are happening, why not unscrew some fuses at the lobby lighting panel? 

 

 

The view from the balcony level. 

 

 

In the auditorium, looking out to the lobby. 

 

 

Another view to the house right stairs.

 

 

 A better look at the decorative treatment at the doors. 

 

 

A side exit. 

 

 

Across the front of the stage. 

 

 

A fine view to house left. 

 

 

A look to the rear of the main floor. 

 

 

A soffit detail. 

 

 

 

Our only backstage shot.  

 

 

A camera at the front of the balcony that moves by itself. 

 

 

One of the employees checking it out. 

A look to the main floor. Note the speaker stack for concerts. 

 

 

The house left end of the balcony crossaisle. 

 

 

The back of the balcony house left. 

 

 

A closer look at the door to the booth. 

 

 

Part of the management team up in the booth. 

 

 

The house left end of the booth. 

 

 

Another shot behind the Ashcraft Super Cinex lamps. No views of the projectors. 

Jonathan Blakely plays the ancient theatre manager responsible for much of the mayhem. The booth is dangerous. It'll be one electrocution and a decapitation via a porthole fire shutter.  

 

The Warner, once a grand first run theatre, had become a concert venue by the time of the filming. It was demolished in 1988 for a parking lot. See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the Warner Beverly Hills, once called "The Pride of Beverly Hills." Well, it called itself that -- on the side of the building. 

 

On IMDb: "Blood Theatre"  The full film can be seen free on Tubi. It's also available as a Blu-ray double feature with Rick's film "The Visitants" from Vinegar Syndrome.