The band is in New York for this shot in Rob Reiner's "This is Spinal Tap" (Embassy Pictures, 1984) but the shot was done at 8th and Broadway in Los Angeles with the marquee of the Tower Theatre visible out the window and the Rialto down the block. At the Tower it was "Sorceress" and "The Sender." Bruno Kirby played the driver.
See the pages about the
Tower Theatre and the
Rialto Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site fr histories of the two venues and many photos. The Tower is now an Apple store and the Rialto an Urban Outfitters. The film features Reiner along with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Ed Begley, Jr. The cinematography was by Peter Smokler.
Although the Raymond Theatre at 129 N. Raymond Ave. in Pasadena was the venue for many of the film's concert scenes, we never get any good views of the theatre. Here's a shot looking off right from near the beginning of the film.
A bit of a look at the auditorium sidewall.
Another look house right with a glimpse at the murals.
A peek toward the rear of the house.
A better look at the booth at the rear of the main floor.
See the page about the
Raymond Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the 1921 vintage building. In its later years it was renamed the Crown Theatre and then as a concert venue it was rebranded as the Perkins Palace. Much of the decor remains inside but, sadly, the building has been condo-ized and is no longer a theatre.
James Blair notes that they also filmed at the
Variety Arts Theatre, where he was technical director in the 1980s. This is a shot from the Chrysalis number, one he remembers being filmed there.
Another scene at the Variety Arts was with the band lost in the basement and wandering various corridors as they try to find their way to the stage.
The Stonehenge concert scenes were also done at the Variety Arts. James notes: "I freaked out when I overheard the crew talking about flying in a Stonehenge set..." It was a piece that was supposed to be 18' high but, as we learn in the film, the drawing given to the woman who built it mistakenly showed the dimension as 18".
See the pages about the Variety Arts Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the 1924 vintage building. In addition to the 1,200 seat main theatre, there's a ballroom, library, several bars, and a smaller theatre space on the 3rd floor. It's at 940 S. Figueroa St, across from the Hotel Figueroa and just north of L.A. Live.
On IMDb: "This Is Spinal Tap"
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