"Fast and Furious"

The recently opened Bard's Hollywood Theatre, soon to be renamed the Vista, is seen in "Fast and Furious" (Educational Film Exchanges, 1924). It's a two-reel "Mermaid Comedy" featuring Lige Conley, Otto Fries, Ruth Hiatt and John Rand. Norman Taurog directed. The cinematography was by Barney McGill.

Thanks to John Bengtson, the famed Silent Film Detective, for sending this data along. The film is one of three featured in his Silent Locations "Silent Location Encore Performances" post that discusses repeat use of various filming sites such as the Inglewood Train Station. It's seen in this film and also was used in Buster Keaton's "One Week" (1920). The other locations he covers are Alameda and Marchessault in "When Dawn Came" (1920) and Castle San Souci in "Chicken a la King" (1919).  

And special thanks to Zebra 3 for spotting the Vista. He watched "Fast and Furious" after seeing John's post and shared the news with John as well as putting it on IMDb.   

 

 

 

Lige runs toward the intersection of Sunset and Hillhurst and hops on the spare tire of a car about to leave, hoping to catch up with the men who have robbed the store where he works. Earlier he was demonstrating the store's flour and inadvertently made pancakes out of cement. Before the robbery we also get some dancing eggs and a rat spitting hard cider. 

 

Note the tire store at the right, located at 4459 Sunset Blvd. The building survives, now in use as a coffee bar after spells as an adult bookstore and restaurant. 

The car pulls away. 

 

 

A detail from the previous shot. Bard's was running an Adolphe Menjou feature and a Sennett Comedy. On the end panel it just says "Bard's." 

 

 

Investigating the "Non Skid" sign he sat on. 

 

See the pages about the Vista Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. A section at the bottom of the main page about the theatre has shots from the many films that have used it as a location.  

 

 

We cut to a shot of Lige on the run again in a residential neighborhood followed by some fine motorcycle and train scenes. The full 21 minute film is on YouTube, posted by Joseph Blough. The short scene at the theatre begins 13:37 into the film. 

On IMDb: "Fast and Furious"

"Silver Lake"

About thirty minutes into "Silver Lake" (Pace Pictures, 2018) troubled writer Nathan, played by Martin Starr, goes to the movies at the Vista Theatre with his friend Howard, played by Fred Melamed. The title "San Patricios" was an invention for the movie. 

Thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting the scene. He notes that the film can be viewed for free on Tubi. Also featured are Deborah Ann Woll, Melinda Dahl, Scarlett Fernandez, Juliet Donenfeld, Alex Boling, Robert Duscemi and Bailey Chase. Sean McGinly wrote and directed. The cinematography was by Thomas Scott Stanton. The film also makes good use of other area locations including the cafe across the street from the theatre.

 

 

Fred and Martin in line outside the theatre. Fred's character says: "Don't you wish we'd have gone to one of those big multi-plexes where you could order your tickets online first? Can't abide standing out here with the great unwashed."

 

 A lobby shot. "I don't get what you see in this neighborhood anyway. It's full of hipsters, vegetarians..."

 

 

 

At the bar. "And these mustaches. They're everywhere. Right from the 80s where that should have remained. Ladies and gentlemen, direct from San Juan Hill, Teddy Roosevelt."  

 

 

 

 

Getting settled. 

 

 

 

 

Approached by a couple who asks if they would mind moving over so they can sit together.

 

Fred replies: "Unlike you, I got here early and waited online for these seats. They're my seats. Don't think I'll be moving." 

See the page about the Vista Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the venue, now nicely restored and going strong as a first-run house. It's located at 7773 Sunset Drive, on the north side of the street, just east of Hillhurst. 

On IMDb: "Silver Lake" 

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"The True Story of Lynn Stewart"

We see the Vista Theatre in "The True Story of Lynn Stewart" (Columbia, 1958). Betsy Palmer is at Stan's Drive-In, across from the theatre. She'll be working as an undercover police operative to gather data on local narcotics deals. The action at Stan's starts about 20 minutes in.

The film, set largely in Orange County, also features Jack Lord, Barry Atwater, Barbara Aler, Linda Cherney, Lionel Ames and Claudia Bryar. Pat Brown, Attorney General at the time, does a prologue. Lewis Seiler directed. The cinematography was by Burnett Guffey. 

 

 

At Stan's again with the Vista in the background for a scene that's 49 minutes into the film. 

See the page about the Vista Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the venue, now nicely restored and going strong as a first-run house. It's located at 7773 Sunset Drive, on the north side of the street, just east of Hillhurst. Stan's was just west of Hillhurst on the south side of the street, at 4480 Sunset Blvd.

Thanks Ray Ottulich for noting the film's scenes at Stan's in a post for the World of Noir Facebook group. See a Noirsville blog post about the film. Elizabeth Pearce notes that the full film can be seen on YouTube. 

On IMDb: "The True Story of Lynn Stewart"

Stan's and the Vista also made an appearance in the 1955 film "The Crooked Web."

"Tales of Ordinary Madness"

A view east on Hollywood Blvd. toward the Century Theatre from "Tales of Ordinary Madness" (Fred Baker Films, 1983). Vermont Ave. is another seven blocks down the street. The Century was at 5115 Hollywood Blvd. 

A poet played by Ben Gazzara gets sober enough to hop a bus to Los Angeles where he descends into a swirl of drugs and sexual escapades. It's a film by Marco Ferreri that had the title "Storie di ordinaria follia" for its initial theatrical release in Italy in 1981. The writing is credited to Sergio Amidei, Charles Bukowski and Mr. Ferreri. Also featured in the cast are Ornella Muti, Susan Tyrell, Tanya Lopert, Roy Brocksmith and Katya Berger. The cinematography was by Tonino Delli Colli.

Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatre and getting the screenshot. 

See the page about the Century Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It had opened in 1922 as Hunley's Theatre. 

A review on IMDb from FertileCelluloid:

"Masterful vision of a man enslaved by sexual and alcoholic gluttony -- Spectacularly sleazy, beautiful, boisterous and sexy, this is the real Bukowski deal, a booze-fueled erotic odyssey by the adventurous Ferreri with the perfectly cast Ben Gazzara as Charles Serking (Bukowski).

"Ornella Muti, as Serking's sexual muse, is Venus incarnate and turns in a powerhouse performance as Cass, an emotionally damaged whore with a penchant for pain. The scenes of Gazzara swaggering in and out of LA's fleapit bars, apartments and hotel rooms convey a filthy, delirious ambiance that is vividly captured by Tonino Delli Colli's superb cinematography and Dante Ferretti's exquisitely oily production design. This is such an amazing looking film with a thick, steamy, anything-goes atmosphere of lust-ridden anarchy.

"Much grittier than the accomplished 'Barfly' and more watchable than 'Love Is A Dog From Hell,' the entire affair has an emotional, raw resonance that slavishly captures the Bukowski sensibility and remains consistently perverse in its singular vision of a man enslaved by alcoholic and sexual gluttony. Phillipe Sarde's score is moody and rich, as is Gazzara's breathy voice-over. A masterpiece."

On IMDb: "Tales of Ordinary Madness"

"Breaking Fast"

In the gay Muslim rom-com "Breaking Fast" (Vertical Entertainment, 2021) Michael Cassidy leads his new friend Hazz Slieman into a movie at the Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Dr. He doesn't want him to know what's playing until it hits the screen.

 

 

 

The film turns out to be Richard Donner's "Superman" and, of course, they both know all the dialogue. 

 

 

 

 Leaving the theatre.

 

As they leave the theatre they encounter Veronica Cartwright, playing the woman now married to the father's of Michael's character. 

The film, directed by Mike Mosallam, also features Amin El Gamal, Patrick Sabongui, Rula Gardenier, Aline Alasmar and Diane Sellers. The cinematography was by Anka Malatynska.  

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.

On IMDb: "Breaking Fast"

"Black Limousine"

At the beginning of "Black Limousine" (Cineville, 2010) David Arquette is watching a movie at the Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Dr. The film, directed by Carl Colpaert, also stars Bijou Phillips, Vivica A. Fox, Nic Bishop, Carla Ortiz, Lin Shaye, Patrick Fabian and Tom Bower. The cinematography was by Seo Mutarevic. 

 

We soon learn that David's character, a man with financial and alcohol problems, had been the composer for the film. His film, and also the original title of the movie we're watching, is "The Land of the Astronauts."

 

Exiting the theatre. He runs his hand over the credits on the poster before he leaves.  

 

The title on the Vista's marquee.

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.   

On IMDb: "Black Limousine"

"Bukowski: Born Into This"

Charles Bukowski goes for a walk from Carlton Way down Western Ave. to buy a newspaper in the documentary "Bukowski: Born Into This" (Magnolia Pictures, 2003). It's footage they use that had been shot for a 1976 German TV interview. After he's passed an adult bookstore we get this shot with a bit of the marquee of the Sunset Theatre, 1508 N. Western. 

 

Walking by the front of the theatre. John Dullaghan directed the film which, in addition to archival footage, also features Linda Lee Bukowski, Marina Bukowski, Bono, Taylor Hackford, Joyce Fante, John Bryan and many others.

A moment later. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the Sunset in the footage. 

After a discussion of Bukowski's wanderings around the country we get a bit of footage along with the comment that in the 1940s he returned to Los Angeles to stay. The clip is actually of Glendale. On the right, this side of the Famous department store, there's the vertical sign and marquee of the Glendale Theatre, 122 S. Brand Blvd. 

See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Sunset Theatre and the Glendale Theatre for more information about these two movie houses.

On IMDb: "Bukowski: Born Into This" 

"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" 

"True Romance"

In Tony Scott's "True Romance" (Warner Bros., 1993) Christian Slater visits the Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Dr. It's supposedly a Detroit theatre where he meets Patricia Arquette during a triple bill of "Street Fighter," "Return of the Street Fighter" and "Sister Street Fighter." Note the Skouras-style boxoffice that they brought in for the filming. The screenplay was by Quentin Tarantino. He now owns the place.

Avid film watcher Christian.

 

But he looks around to see who's coming in: it's Patricia. 

 

She wanders down the row behind him. A moment later she spills her popcorn on him. 

 

 

Patricia and Christian watching the show together. Thanks to the Vista for this shot. They included it in a "True Romance" post on the Vista Facebook page. Quentin hosted two screenings of the film on November 11, 2023 as a special pre-reopening event. 

 

 

 

Fooling around in front after the show. 

 

A wider shot showing more of the Skouras-style boxoffice. 

 

 

Walking away from the theatre at the end of the scene.

Thanks to Joe Pinney for the alert regarding the theatre's appearance in the film. A Noirish Los Angeles post by Tovangar2 has views of two other locations the film used.

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.  

On IMDb: "True Romance"

"Dear White People"

In "Dear White People" (Lionsgate, 2014) we get this shot of the marquee of the Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Dr. The story of four black students at an Ivy League college stars Tessa Thompson, Tyler James Williams, Kyle Gallner and Teyonah Parris. Justin Simien directed. 

The occasion for the Vista shot is a gathering of black students at their local theatre to protest the inanities of the latest Tyler Perry movie. But in the marquee footage the titles are blurred out and neither a shot of the students nor the cashier in the boxoffice were done at the Vista. Some shooting was done at UCLA but the majority of the filming happened in Minnesota.

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.  

On IMDb: "Dear White People"

"Summertime"

 

We get a quick drive by Grauman's Chinese in the first few moments of "Summertime" (Good Deed Entertainment, 2021). Carlos Lopez Estrada directed this delightful story of 27 young Angelenos and how their lives intersect on a hot summer day. Much of the material for the "spoken word poetry musical" was written by the young stars of the film. The cinematography is by John Schmidt. The film's impetus was the Get Lit classes and poetry workshops offered to high school students. 

 

 

Before a show at the United Artists/Theatre at Ace Hotel, 933 S. Broadway.  The performers they're waiting for are unlikely stars played by Bryce Bank and Austin Antoine. When we first meet them they're rapping on the sidewalk in Venice and getting no attention whatever.

 

 

In the line at the United Artists. 

 

 

Another pre-show view at the United Artists.

 

 

Maia Mayor across the street from the United Artists. Her boyfriend has just dumped her as being too needy and depressed. Later she meets Marquesha Babers on a bus who suggests "Maybe we're not depressed. Maybe we're just hungry?" Thanks to Conor Holt for locating this shot, one that appears on IMDb.

 

 

Looking north toward the Arcade Theatre, 534 S. Broadway. That's Tyris Winter, strolling the downtown streets reciting his poetry. The big quest in his wanderings around town is the hunt for a cheeseburger. He's finding a number of places places have changed their menus or have been transformed through gentrification.

 

Tyris hits the other side of the street and gives us a bit of poetry on his iPhone while under the marquee of the Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway. Some of the gang ends up at a burger joint where they're offered the use of a limo by the two newly-minted rap stars. 

 

The white limo wanders all over town. Here it's sailing past the Vista Theatre in Los Feliz, 4473 Sunset Dr. Of course they're running Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood." He didn't own the theatre at the time of the 2019 filming but he bought it in 2021.

On IMDb: "Summertime"    Website: gooddeedentertainment.com/summertime

 

 

 

A shot from a Get Lit youth poetry festival held at the Orpheum, 842 S. Broadway. It's from one of the "Making of Summertime" videos on the Good Deed Entertainment website.