"Showdown at the Grand"

The Warner Grand in San Pedro has a major part in Orson Oblowitz's film "Showdown at the Grand" (Shout! Studios, 2023). It's about a theatre owner trying to save his vintage movie palace from the hands of greedy developers. "Some folks they'll rob you with six-shooters, and others with a fountain pen."

The film stars Terrence Howard, Dolph Lundgren, Amanda Righetti, John Savage and Piper Curda. Christian de Gallegos was the producer. The cinematography was by Noah Rosenthal, filmed in obloVision. 

 

 

 

Piper Curda, the friendly ticket taker. As theatre owner Terrence Howard says: "Here at the Warner Grand we operate three hundred and sixty-five days a year. We got a little somethin' for everybody..."

 

 

Terrence up in the Warner's booth at one of the Norelcos. These are first-generation TODD-AO machines with two motors, one for 30 frames per second, one for 24. That's the 30 fps motor we see at the bottom of the image.  

 

 

Watching the film go through machine #1. Later in the film we get a fight scene in the booth. 

 

 

Terrence in the booth. Well, a booth anyway. That's not one of the Warner's Norelcos in this shot.

 

 

 

And we also get shots like this one of Terrence watching a film projected from a booth on the main floor, a set piece added for the film.

 

 

A personal appearance by Dolph Lundgren on the Warner's stage.

 

He's going to show the audience that he can still kick.

 

Terrence in the balcony lobby asking Dolph for help in defending the theatre: "You got real combat training, right?"

 

 

Terrence out in front. 

 

The developer's thugs casing the theatre.  

 

 

In the auditorium. 

 

Later mayhem in the balcony lobby. 

 

A shootout at the snackbar. 

 

 

A look toward the Warner's vertical. 

 

Terrence defending his property by any means necessary: "Stay away from my friends, my theater, and my neighborhood." Some of the images seen here are from the film's trailer. Others were furnished by the director. Thanks, Orson!

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

On IMDb: "Showdown at the Grand"   The trailer is on YouTube.