"The Disaster Artist"

The Crest Theatre, 1262 Westwood Blvd., is featured prominently for a premiere during the last fifteen minutes of "The Disaster Artist" (New Line Cinema / A24 Films, 2017). The film stars James Franco, Dave Franco, Ari Graynor, Alison Brie and Seth Rogen in the strange tale of aspiring film director Tommy Wiseau and the making of his film "The Room." James Franco directed. The still of James and friends outside the Crest is one that was used by the distributors to promote the film.

Dave Franco plays Greg Sestero, an aspiring actor who wrote the book the film is based on. We start in San Francisco and when Wiseau and Sestero move down to Los Angeles we get a drive-by of the Music Box/Fonda Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. Later we get some shots inside and out at a small NoHo legit theatre where Sestero is appearing in a show. 

 James and Dave Franco in the lobby of the Crest Theatre. It's a shot from the sequence near the end of the film during the premiere of "The Room." 

James Franco heading down the aisle. 

A look into the house before the film begins. 

Introducing the director of "The Room" to the premiere audience.

James Franco as Wiseau coming onstage.

Another look to the back of the auditorium.

James Franco in front of the theatre's title curtain.

Thanks to Chris Willman for the tip about the Crest's appearance in the film. Thanks to Mike Hume for several of the screenshots. Visit Mike's Historic Theatre Photography site for thousands of great photos of the many theatres he's explored along with tech data and other historical information. 

See the pages about the Crest and the Music Box/Fonda on the Los Angeles Theatres site for information about those two theatres.

On IMDb: "The Disaster Artist"

"Dogtown"

The Stadium Theatre in Torrance is seen in George Hickenlooper's "Dogtown" (Stone Canyon Entertainment, 1997). The film, about a Hollywood actor who comes back to his small hometown, stars Trevor St. John, Mary Stuart Masterson, Rory Cochrane, Davis Shackelford and Karen Black.

When the theatre was last in business it was called the Pussycat. For the film, the vertical was changed to make it called the Terra. In the shot above that's Jon Favreau and Mary Stuart Masterson with the "Terra" in the distance.

Another shot from the film with the Stadium in the background.

See the page about the Stadium Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more information. The theatre opened in 1949 and was demolished in 2002.

On IMDb: "Dogtown"

"Roman J. Israel, Esq."

Denzel Washington is the eponymous lawyer in Dan Gilroy's "Roman J. Israel, Esq." (Columbia/Sony, 2017). Roman is a brilliant, idealistic guy who hasn't had to do much interacting with the world until his employer of 26 years dies. He makes a radical misstep and pays for it in a big way.

Near the end of the film we end up on Broadway. In this shot Colin Farrell, Denzel's new boss, is driving around downtown looking for him and spots him heading south just beyond the marquee of the Rialto Theatre/Urban Outfitters at 812 S. Broadway.

Colin taking a U-turn on Broadway with the Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway, in the background.  He's playing a smart, stylish, greedy lawyer who, influenced by Denzel's character, rediscovers a long-buried better part of himself.

We get a scene in the Broadway Bar just north of the Orpheum with Denzel, Colin, and our other lead Carmen Ejogo, a civil rights activist influenced both by Roman as well as by his former employer. Here Colin has just come out of the bar.

 

Colin and Denzel on the street. We get a mashup of shots on the 600, 700 and 800 blocks as the two walk and Denzel discusses turning himself in at a police station on 6th St.

 

At 7th and Broadway we get this murky view west. In the center of the shot is the dark marquee of the former Warner Downtown Theatre at 7th and Hill. On the left it's a bit of the building the State Theatre is in, on the right it's the former Bullock's store.

A look north on Broadway toward the Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway, as Denzel crosses the street. The film's cinematography was by Robert Elswit.

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Orpheum, Rialto, Warner Downtown and Los Angeles theatres for many photos along with a history of these vintage movie palaces.

On IMDb: "Roman J. Israel, Esq."

"Nightmare Cinema"

The Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena plays a big part in the horror anthology "Nightmare Cinema" (Cinelou Films, 2018). Mick Garris wrote his segments with the theatre in mind even before he knew he could shoot there. It was the last film shot at the Rialto before it was churched and redecorated, thus becoming unusable as a location. It's the theatre that ties the film together.

 

 

 

Mickey Rourke and Maurice Benard. A version of this image appeared with a November 2017 story in The Hollywood Reporter. Mickey ties the film's five segments together. The article noted that "the movie centers on a group of down-on-their-luck individuals who enter the decrepit Rialto Theatre. Their deepest and darkest fears are brought to life onscreen by The Projectionist (Rourke), a mysterious, ghostly figure who holds the nightmarish futures of all who attend — and cannot escape — his screenings." 

 

Mick Garris wrote and directed the "The Projectionist" with Mickey Rourke, Mark Grossman, Zarah Mahler, Sarah Elizabeth Withers, Faly Rakotohavana, Maurice Benard and Elizabeth Reaser. The cinematography was by Andrew Russo.

 

Mick's segment titled "Dead" features Faly Rakotohavana, Orson Chaplin, Annabeth Gush and Daryl C. Brown. The cinematography was by Andrew Russo.

 

Joe Dante directed "Mirari" with Zahra Mahler, Mark Grossman, Celesta Hodge, Reid Cox, Belinda Belaski, Chloe Moore, Amber Burdick and Richard Chamberlain. The cinematography was by Andrew Russo.

 

David Slade did "This Way to Egress" with Elizabeth Reaser, Lucas Barker and McIntyre Sweeney. The cinematography was by Joe Willems.

 

Ryuhei Kitamura contributed "Mashit" with Maurice Benard, Mariela Garriga, Jamie Lynn Concepcion and Stephanie Cood. The cinematography was by Matthias Schubert.

 

Alejandro Brugués directed "The Thing in the Woods." The segment features Sarah Elizabeth Withers, Kevin Fonteyne, Chris Warren, Eric Nelsen and Jared Gertner. The cinematography was by Matthias Schubert.

 

 

Mark Grossman and Zarah Mahler up in the balcony in "The Projectionist." Mark and Zarah are also both in "Mirari."

 

 

Another balcony shot with Zarah. 

 

 

A view to the main floor.

 

 

A shot announcing Ryuhei Kitamura's segment "Mashit."

 

 

"The Thing in the Woods" on the marquee.

 

Sarah Elizabeth Withers looking into the boxoffice. She's in both "The Projectionist" and "The Thing in the Woods" segments. This image as well as the seven previous ones all appear on IMDb.

 

 

The directors of "Nightmare Cinema" sitting for a portrait at the Rialto. In back from the left are  Mick Garris, Ryuhei Kitamura and Alejandro Brugués. In front are David Slade and Joe Dante. The photo was a post from Mr. Garris on Facebook. Thanks to Escott O. Norton for sharing it on the Friends of the Rialto Facebook page.

See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Rialto Theatre for lots of history and many photos. It's a 1925 design by Lewis A. Smith. Since late 2017 it has been used as a church.

On IMDb: "Nightmare Cinema"

"The Thing Called Love"

The Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena appears about nine minutes into Peter Bogdanovich's film "The Thing Called Love" (Paramount, 1993). Here the Rialto is standing in for a venue in Nashville with a line of young performers waiting to audition. 

The story about young hopefuls in the country music business features River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis, Sandra Bullock and Dermot Mulroney. It was mostly filmed in Nashville but many interiors were done in Los Angeles.

Samantha Mathis is one of the performers in the line that stretches out the house right exit and up the exit passageway north of the theatre.

See the Rialto Theatre pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building and many photos.

On IMDb: "The Thing Called Love"

"The Rocketeer"

Jennifer Connolly and Bill Campbell go to a movie at the Rialto in South Pasadena in "The Rocketeer" (Touchstone Pictures, 1991) directed by Joe Johnston.

A look to the rear of the house. Of course at the Rialto the booth isn't at the back of the main floor as this shot would have us believe. It's not a major scene and we don't get any exterior views. The film is set in Los Angeles in 1938. We're trying to keep a rocket pack out of the hands of the Nazis.

See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the Rialto Theatre for more about the building, a 1925 design by Lewis A. Smith.

On IMDb: "The Rocketeer" 

"A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master"

We see a lot of the Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena in Renny Harlin's "A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" (New Line Cinema, 1988). Thanks to Escott O. Norton of the advocacy group Friends of the Rialto for all of the screenshots appearing here.

See the Los Angeles Theatres pages about the Rialto Theatre for lots of history and many photos. It's a 1925 design by Lewis A. Smith. Since late 2017 it has been used as a church.

On IMDb: "A Nightmare on Elm St. 4: The Dream Master"

"The Player"

Tim Robbins finding a seat at South Pasadena's Rialto Theatre in Robert Altman's "The Player" (Fine Line, 1992). He's a Hollywood executive gone to look for a writer he thinks is at the theatre. He's been getting threats after a script rejection. But he doesn't know which writer is responsible.

Robbins leaving the auditorium.

A shot in front of the stairs.

An encounter in the lobby. Evidently not who he thinks he's looking for.

Vincent D'Onofrio coming out of the auditorium.

A look at Tim Robbins and Vincent D'Onofrio in the Rialto lobby. 

Robbins walking in front of the Rialto after the showing of "The Bicycle Thief."  The actual US title of the 1948 Vittorio De Sica film is "Bicycle Thieves."

Robbins at his car south of the theatre as D'Onofrio comes up from a main floor exit.

Robbins in the exit passageway north of the theatre.

Bad things happen in the parking lot north of the Rialto. Don't look in the puddle.

Thanks to Escott O. Norton of the advocacy group Friends of the Rialto for five of the screenshots appearing here. They're in a Rialto Theatre in the Movies album on the Friends Facebook page.

See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the Rialto Theatre for many photos of the 1925 film/vaudeville house designed by Lewis A. Smith.

On IMDb:"The Player"