"The Kentucky Fried Movie"

"The Kentucky Fried Movie" (United Film Distribution Co., 1977) is described as "A series of short, highly irreverent, and often tasteless skits." They are joined together very loosely with a fairly unbelievable and ridiculous narrative. It was directed by John Landis.

Joe Pinney comments: "'See You Next Wednesday' is a running gag in most of John Landis’ films, including the 'Thriller' video."

The Rialto at the time was operated by Parallax Theatre Systems, later known as Landmark Theatres. The partners were Kim Jorgensen, Gary Meyer and Steve Gilula. Roy H. Wagner, ASC, was the company's chief projectionist at a time he was struggling between cinematography jobs. He comments: "The reason 'Kentucky Fried Movie' was shot at the Rialto is because Kim was one of the funders. We ran teasers at the Nuart to garner investors."

The premise for the skit filmed at the Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena is the guy, our hero of the piece, who is going to see a movie at the Rialto "Feel-O-Rama" Movie Theatre where movies are presented in "Feel-Around."

Our hero approaches the marquee, buys his ticket at the ticket booth, then proceeds into the theatre where the ticket-taker tears his ticket and reminds him that the movie is being presented in "Feel-Around."

After buying a dollar's worth of popcorn at the concession stand he enters the auditorium.

As he walks down the aisle we see each audience member has an usher standing directly behind them - it’s not clear why. Our chap then takes his seat and an usher comes to stand behind him. Without seeing any action on the screen, but hearing the dialogue from it, "Feel-Around" is then revealed in all its glory: the usher enhances the audience member’s movie experience by using props appropriate to the action taking place in the movie.

It starts off fairly benign, with a cigarette being lit when one of the on-screen characters lights a cigarette and some perfume being sprayed for the heroine’s entrance. Then a drink is spilled in the movie, resulting in a glass of water being poured over our hero. Things progress with increasing comic effect until the on-screen action escalates into a threat with a kitchen knife, seeing our hero being held at knifepoint by the usher!

At this point - and as the movie ends, he decides to leave, with the announcer reminding patrons to return for next week’s screening of "Deep Throat."

Thanks to Mike Hume for the text and the screenshots. Visit his Historic Theatre Photography site for hundreds of great photos he's taken of theatres in the Los Angeles Area and elsewhere. He's also included lots of tech information and many floorplans. The site, of course, has a page he's done on the Rialto.

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

On IMDb: "Kentucky Fried Movie"