"Sleepwalkers"

A high school student played by Mädchen Amick has a job at a theatre in a small Indiana town in "Sleepwalkers" (Columbia, 1992). The theatre they used was the Aero at 1328 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica.  

"They feast on your fear - and it's dinner time." Stephen King wrote the story about a shape-shifting mother and son who feed on young girls. Also featured are Brian Krause, Alice Krige, Jim Haynie, Cindy Pickett, Ron Perlman and Lyman Ward. We get cameos by John Landis, Joe Dante, Tobe Hooper, Clive Barker, Mark Hamill and Stephen King. Mick Garris directed. The cinematography was by Rodney Charters. Thanks to Ivan R. Hahn for noting the theatre's appearance in the film. 

 

Panning down to the cashier getting ready to close for the night.  

 

A peek into the lobby. 

 

 

 

Mädchen at the bar with the carpet sweeper.

 

Enthusiastic cleaning while listening to her Walkman. 

 

 

 

Popcorn goes everywhere when she's surprised by the new boy in town, played by Brian Krause. He'll be very bad news. 

 

Another look at the marquee just before it's turned off for the night.  

 

 

Mädchen  gets picked up after work by her father, played by Lyman Ward. 

See the page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the Aero Theatre. 

On IMDb: "Sleepwalkers"

"10 to Midnight"

Buying tickets for "Butch Cassidy" at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica in J. Lee Thompson's "10 to Midnight" (Cannon Group, 1983). Charles Bronson stars as a cop on the trail of a psychopath who is targeting young women. The film also stars Lisa Eilbacher, Andrew Stevens and Gene Davis. Adam Greenberg did the cinematography. 

 

Thanks to Tommy Bernard for spotting the theatre in the film and getting the screenshots. See the page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the Aero Theatre. That guy over on the right, played by Gene Davis, had been harassing the girls. 

 

Much later in the film, after Bronson has been taken off the case, he's still convinced that the creep played  by Gene Davis is the guy they're after. He follows him to Hollywood Blvd. and we get this shot looking east toward the Pantages. Thanks to Brian Michael McCray for spotting this scene in the film.

The "A" that we see lit on the vertical is from added neon saying "LENA." the show "Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music" had opened for a seven week run Beginning November 17, 1982. See the pages about the Pantages Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres website for hundreds of photos and a history of this 1930 vintage showplace.  

 

 A look at the sleazy action in front of the Cave Adult Theatre, 6315 Hollywood Blvd. 

 

A look west to the Vine Theatre at 6321 Hollywood Blvd, just beyond the Cave. 

 

Another view of the Cave action.  

 

 Davis pulls up in his Volkswagen looking for a hooker. 

 

 

 

Bronson, on the right, getting closer in his car.  

 

 

Davis drives away with one of the girls.  

 

 

Bronson pulls up to find out where that girl usually takes her tricks. But it's all a decoy. Davis is really after Bronson's daughter.

See the page on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Vine Theatre for a history of this S. Charles Lee design dating from 1940. There's also a page about the Cave Theatre.

On IMDb: "10 to Midnight" 

"Get Shorty"

John Travolta and Rene Russo are at the Vista Theatre for a film in Barry Sonnenfeld's "Get Shorty" (MGM, 1995).  See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the Vista Theatre for more about the building.

Outside, we're using the Aero in Santa Monica as we see the duo strolling down the block after the film.  See the page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the Aero Theatre. 

On IMDb: "Get Shorty"

"Donnie Darko"

It's set in a Virginia town called Middlesex but Jake Gyllenhaal and Jena Malone go to the movies at the Aero Theatre on Montana Ave. in Santa Monica in "Donnie Darko" (Newmarket Films, 2001). 

Jake is a troubled teen who's encouraged to commit various crimes by a vision of a strange man in a rabbit suit. Richard Kelly directed the film which also features Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Patrick Swayze. The cinematography was by Steven Poster. 

 

A look at the titles as the camera pans down.

 

Jake and Jena approaching the boxoffice. 

 

While watching the film Jena will fall asleep.

 

The vision in the rabbit costume appears. 

 

A "portal" starts to develop in the image on the screen.

 

Sneaking out while Jena sleeps. 

 

Jake heads off to burn down a house.

See the page about the Aero Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building and many photos.

On IMDb: "Donnie Darko"