"Is That Black Enough For You?!?"

Black cinema of the 1970s is discussed in Elvis Mitchell's documentary "Is That Black Enough For You?!?" (Netflix, 2022). In this shot we're looking toward the Arcade Theatre, 534 S. Broadway. 

 

In addition to film clips and archival footage Elvis features interviews shot in various theatres. Here we're in the Los Angeles Theatre, 612 S. Broadway. 

Samuel Jackson doing an interview in the Cinerama Dome, 6360 Sunset Blvd. Thanks to Chris Utley for noting the film's use of the Dome.  

See the pages about the Arcade Theatre, the Los Angeles, and the Cinerama Dome on the Los Angeles Theatres site. 

 

Whoopi talking to Elvis in an unidentified theatre.   

On IMdb: "Is That Black Enough For You?!?" 

| alphabetical list by film title | list by theatre name or geographic area |

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"Elle"

Prep for a shoot at the Dome. Thanks to Corky Baines for sharing this shot and the one below in a May 2, 2025 Facebook post.  He notes that a grip friend sent them along. 

 

Ben Steinberg researched it and determined that the shoot was for the TV series "Elle" (MGM Amazon, 2026). The series is a prequel to "Legally Blonde," following Elle Woods through earlier adventures in her life. Reese Witherspoon's company Hello Sunshine is one of the producers. Lexi Mintree stars. Directors vary, depending on the episode.

 

Fixing up the display cases. The time is 1995. The poster on the left is for "Hackers." Todd Zaganiacz comments: "The other two are 'Get Shorty' and 'Fluke.' All MGM movies."

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Ben Steinberg for spotting this May 2 shot. He's the curator of the Save the Cinerama Dome Facebook page. Note the signage up for David Fincher's 1995 film "Seven." It didn't play the Dome. 

 

 

 

The next morning. Photo: Ben Steinberg

 

 

 

 

Boarded up again. Thanks to Ben Steinberg for sharing his May 3, 2025 photo. 

 

 

A shot from "Elle." In the phone conversation she's saying that she just saw "Seven" and is afraid to drive home. Thanks to Ben Steinberg for sharing a clip of the scene on his Save The Cinerama Dome Facebook page.  

See the pages about the Cinerama Dome on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It's been closed since the Covid shutdown of March 2020. 

On IMDb: "Elle"

"Cinerama Adventure"

The history of the Cinerama process gets a lively exploration in David Strohmaier's "Cinerama Adventure" (C.A. Productions, 2002). The film features clips from various productions as well as vintage footage of Lowell Thomas, Merian C. Cooper, Fred Waller, Michael Todd and others. There's rare behind the scenes production footage as well as views of many theatres. 

We also get more recent interviews with film historians, executives involved with the company, and descendants of many of the participants. Included are Rudy Behlmer, Leonard Maltin, Kevin Brownlow, A.C. Lyles, Michael Todd Jr., Greg Kimble, David Raksin, Arthur Manson, Saul Cooper and many more.

Here the film uses an L.A. Times photo to show "This is Cinerama" at the Warner, 6433 Hollywood Blvd. It opened with an invitational preview on April 29, 1953 and went on to have a 133 week run. 

 

  48th week at the Warner Hollywood in 1954. 

 

The premiere of "How The West Was Won" on February 20, 1963. It ran 93 weeks and was the last of the films in the three-strip process.

 

Another premiere view from footage included in "Cinerama Adventure."

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Warner Hollywood for a history of the theatre, opened in 1928.  

 

A shot from a film clip of the hoist used to deal with the big reels.  

 

Playing with a louvered Cinerama screen. 

 

A screen detail. 

 

Checking out the lenses in a booth somewhere for first film in the 70mm version of Cinerama, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." That's Stanley Kramer, the film's director, on the right. 

 

Cinerama Dome construction underway with a model of the theatre and the never-built office building/hotel in the foreground. 

 

A pan up from the previous shot revealing the construction progress. The theatre opened November 7, 1963 with "Mad World."  Visit the Cinerama Dome pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building and way too many photos.

On IMDb: "Cinerama Adventure"   

The film is on disc 3 of the various three-disc editions of "How the West Was Won" that was issued in 2008.

"Splice Here: A Projected Odyssey"

Australian director Rob Murphy tracks the decline of projection on film and interviews projectionists, archivists and historians who are helping keep the tradition alive in "Splice Here: A Projected Odyssey" (Picture Start, 2022).

Local interviewees of note include Quentin Tarantino, Leonard Maltin, Douglas Trumbull, Cinerama restorer Dave Strohmaier, former Cinematheque programmer Dennis Bartok and projectionists Paul Rayton, Mike Schleiger and Ben Tucker. The cinematography was by Joanne Donahoe-Beckwith. 

Among many other stops, the film visits Grauman's Chinese and the Warner Hollywood. We see a bit of the entrance and booth at the Egyptian and Rob explores the equipment by flashlight at the Cinerama Dome.

On IMDb: "Splice Here: A Projected Odyssey" 

 

Director Rob Murphy with a toppled Century projector and LP Associates lamphouse.

"The Big Picture"

In Christopher Guest's directorial debut "The Big Picture" (Columbia, 1989) Kevin Bacon goes to see the unlikely double bill of "Tess" and the Jerry Lewis film "Hardly Working" at  the Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Dr. The film also features Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael McKean, Emily Longstreth, J.T. Walsh, Teri Hatcher, Martin Short, Eddie Albert and June Lockhart. The cinematography was by Jeffrey Jur. 

 

 

 

A rather strange looking crowd exiting the theatre. Kevin plays an aspiring filmmaker who's having a hard time getting a deal for the film he envisions. All the execs he talks to love it... but... could he change this to... 

 

It turns out that Jennifer Jason Leigh, aspiring artist and friend of Kevin, was also at the screening. 

 

They walk east and talk about career problems. 

 

See the page about the Vista Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the building. It opened in 1923 as Bard's Hollywood.  

 

 

Ignored for his big picture, later in the film Kevin takes a gig shooting a music video for a band that Jennifer is involved with. In the background we see a lot of the Cinerama Dome, 6360 Sunset Blvd. 

 

 

The band's violist.  

 

Costumes by Jennifer's character. Yes, his head and body are supposed to look like a Pez dispenser. 

 

 

More "top of the dome" action with the band that Kevin's character has named the Pez People. Of course there's even an overhead Busby Berkeley-style shot looking down on a circular array of Pez humans.

 

 

One of the execs sees the video on TV and realizes that Kevin has something. Now they're worried that all the studios will be after him. Yes, he does get to make the film he wanted.  

 

Visit the Cinerama Dome pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building and way too many photos.

On IMDb: "The Big Picture" 

"The China Syndrome"

The Cinerama Dome, 6360 Sunset Blvd, is seen in this shot that appears during the opening credits of "The China Syndrome" (Columbia Pictures, 1979). We're looking south along Vine St. Thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting the theatre in the film and Eric Schaefer for the screenshot. 

Nope, we don't see it again. The back of the Pantages can also be seen to the left of the Capitol Records building. And, if you look closely, the Hollywood Playhouse/Avalon is across the street at 1735 Vine.

James Bridges directed the story about safety cover-ups at a nuclear power plant. Jack Lemmon, Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas star. The cinematography was by James Crabe.

See the pages about the Cinerama Dome, the Pantages and the Hollywood Playhouse on the Los Angeles Theatres site for many photos and a history of the theatres.

On IMDb: "The China Syndrome" 

"Hollywood High"

A fine view of the Cinerama Dome from "Hollywood High" (Peter Perry Pictures, 1976). Patrick Wright directed the film starring Suzanne Severeid, Sherry Hardin and Rae Sperling. The cinematography was by Jonathan Silveira.

Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatre in the film and getting the screenshot. He says: "Long live the Dome!"

See the page about the Cinerama Dome on the Los Angeles Theatres site for many photos and a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "Hollywood High"

"The State of Things"

We're in the parking lot behind the Cinerama Dome in Wim Wenders film "The State of Things" (Gray City, 1983). It's about a film company running out of money when shooting in Portugal. The director comes to L.A. in search of his missing producer. Patrick Bauchau, Allen Garfield, Samuel Fuller, Roger Corman, Isabelle Weingarten and J. Paul Getty III are among those featured. Henri Alekan was the cinematographer with Fred Murphy doing the L.A. portion. The film was released in Germany in 1982 with the title "Der Stand der Dinge."

 

 

 

A marquee change seen during a drive-by of the Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd.

 

 

Patrick Bauchau drives by the Warner Hollywood, 6433 Hollywood Blvd. At the time it was known as the Hollywood Pacific.

 Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatres in the film and getting the screenshots. See the pages about the Cinerama Dome, the Nuart Theatre and the Warner Hollywood on the Los Angeles Theatres site for many photos and a history of each theatre.

On IMDb: "The State of Things"

"Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" - Cinerama Dome

The pages about theatre locations used in "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood:
| Cinerama Dome - June 13, 2018 |  Vogue, Pussycat and Egyptian - July 13 to July 23 | Grauman's Chinese - July 26 | Excelsior High School, Norwalk - September | Bruin and Fox Westwood Village - October 14 - 15 | Pantages and Vine - October 22 | Van Nuys Drive-In - October 24 | Earl Carroll Theatre - November 2 |

Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" (Sony, 2019) stars Leo DiCaprio and his friend Brad Pitt as an actor and stuntman trying to get work in the changing film business of 1969. The Manson murder case also figures into the plot as the guys live next door to Sharon Tate, played by Margot Robbie.

Barbara Ling was the production designer. Set decoration was by Nancy Haigh. They both received Oscars for their work on February 9, 2020.  The production shot at the Cinerama Dome, 6360 Sunset Blvd., on June 13, 2018. The film had its U.S. premiere at the Dome on July 22, 2019. It had been screened at Cannes in May. 

See the page about the 2026 sequel "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth."

The Dome was used as a location with the theatre dressed as if it were running "Krakatoa, East of Java," a May 1969 release. Thanks to Alison Martino for her June 13, 2018 photo on Twitter.

Jack Sharf's June 13, 2018 Indiewire story noted the filming there: "According to a Cinerama employee who witnessed the shoot but requested anonymity, it was not a full-fledged production but more of a second-unit effort: 'They just wanted to get the sun going down and the lights coming on.'" Thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting the article.

A crew member and some extras at the Dome. Thanks to Preposterous180 for the photo on Instagram.

 

Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding this view for a post on the Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles.

A photo from Sony Pictures Entertainment that appears with the January 2020 Hollywood Reporter story "How 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Production Design Explored a Bygone Era" by Tyler Coates. Thanks to Joe Pinney for spotting the article. In the article Barbara Ling comments: 

"What's great is that they've never torn that building down. The biggest difference is there used to be parking lots on all sides. [Visual effects supervisor] John Dykstra took away some buildings, because it's so encased now within office buildings and parking garages. We wanted to have it standing on its own again. You still had, of course, that great shape, the marquee. The bigger problem with any marquee is that they're now LED, so you had to get it backlit, but it was fun just to get their colors back. They were very keen on helping: 'Oh no problem, we'll go back to just the red, white and blue.' They were excited. It's what's neat."

An evening shot June 13. Thanks to J.S. Lewis on Twitter for the photo. And thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting the tweet. Lewis was there to see "2001" but the screening got bumped to another theatre in the complex.

"Krakatoa" signage above the entrance. Photo: J.S. Lewis on Twitter  -  June 13, 2018

More 1969 vintage signage. Photo: J.S. Lewis on Twitter  -  June 13, 2018

The Dome in the film: 

We get a quick drive-by of the Dome with Leo and Brad in the Cadillac. The Arclight buildings behind the theatre were removed in post.

See the page about the Cinerama Dome on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the venue and many, many photos.


More photos and data:

On IMDb: "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood"

On YouTube from Sony: teaser trailer, 1:45 | | trailer #2, 2:34 | director and cast Q and A, 21 minutes |

On Facebook: "Once Upon.." page | trailer #2, 2:34 | Review: San Francisco Chronicle 

See the July 2019 American Cinematographer article "Back in Time: Making Once Upon a Time..in Hollywood."

Katie Rife's February 2020 article "Oscar-nominated production designer Barbara Ling on putting the Once..." for the site AV Club has a fine discussion with Barbara along with many superb photos. Thanks to Mike Hume for spotting the story. 

Robert Chitwood has a chat with DP Robert Richardson in his October 2018 Collider article "'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' is 'Spooky' and 'Playful' says DP Robert Richardson." 

Alison Martino discussed the shoot in "Hollywood Boulevard is Quentin Tarantino's 60s Playground," a July 25, 2018 article for Curbed L.A. Curbed also had a July 2019 story: "'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood': Mapping Tarantino's AA fairytale."

Discover Los Angeles had a July 2019 piece by Daniel Djang titled "The Ultimate Guide to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Locations."  

Olivia Ovenden's "See How Tarantino Time-Warped...," a July 24 article for Esquire, has shots of Pitt, DiCaprio and Tarantino during the July 23 shooting on Hollywood Blvd.

The January 2020 Hollywood Reporter story "How 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Production Design Explored a Bygone Era" by Tyler Coates has a fine discussion with Barbara Ling as well as many photos of the film's locations. Thanks to Joe Pinney for spotting the article.

Anne Thompson's May 2019 Indiewire article "Tarantino May Recut.." discusses the film and Tarantino's musings about maybe doing a longer cut than the initial release version.

Alex Cohen's July 27, 2018 article "Truth Squading Quentin Tarantino's Groovy Hollywood Blvd. Makeover" is on LAist. Tim Greiving's May 2019 LAist article "How 'Once Upon a Time In Hollywood' Brought Back 1969's Hollywood" goes for a ride looking at various Hollywood locations with the film's production designers Rick Schuler and Barbara Ling. 

Production designer Robert Schuler discusses the challenges of the location filming in "From the Cinerama Dome to the Valley...," a July 2019 story by Bob Strauss for the Los Angeles Daily News. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting it. 

Chris Nichols discussed the shoot in "Take a Peek at How Quentin Tarantino Time-Warped Hollywood Boulevard Back to the 1960s," his July 19, 2018 article for Los Angeles Magazine.

See Emily Zemler's April 2019 L.A. Times article "How 'Rocketman' and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' uniquely re-create a lost Los Angeles." The July 2019 Times article "Experience the L.A. captured..." also covers some of the locations.  

Brian Raftery's February 2020 N.Y. Times article "'Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood,' Many Times Over" discusses the resurgence of single screen art houses and, in particular, fans watching the film at the New Beverly.  

Stephen Russo's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Movie Set" album on Facebook includes about 60 photos of the shoot on Hollywood Blvd.  

Lindsey Romain discussed casting and attempted to piece together the plot in "Everything We Know..." an August 13, 2018 article on the site /Film.  Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting the article. 

Our heroes on the fence at Sunset and Highland. Photo: Bill Counter - March 2019

A billboard in the Pico-Robertson area got hacked. ABC-7 had the footage on Facebook on July 26. It was a project of the artist known as Sabo. The L.A. Times story "L.A. artist explains..." had the details.  

The map of Hollywood a la Tarantino. 

The "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" pages:
| back to top - Cinerama Dome | Vogue, Pussycat and Egyptian | Grauman's Chinese | Excelsior High School, Norwalk | Bruin and Fox Westwood Village | Pantages and Vine | Van Nuys Drive-In | Earl Carroll Theatre | 

| "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth" | alphabetical list by film title | list by theatre name or geographic area | Los Angeles Theatres | L.A. Theatres on Facebook |   

"Half Magic"

Heather Graham plays an aspiring screenwriter in "Half Magic," her debut film as a director (Momentum Pictures, 2018). She and her friends Angela Kinsey and Stephanie Beatriz share their tales of woe about work, sex and other issues in Hollywood. Over the end credits we see that Graham has got a film into the Cinerama Dome, 6360 Sunset Blvd.

The ladies in front of the east boxoffice windows.

A pan up to see the title of Ms. Graham's film. 

See the Cinerama Dome page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for many photos and a history of the theatre. It opened in 1963 and is now part of the 14 screen ArcLight Cinemas complex.

On IMDb: "Half Magic"