"Licorice Pizza"

The exterior and lobby of North Hollywood's El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., make an appearance in the Paul Thomas Anderson's feature that was going by the title "Soggy Bottom" during production. They redecorated the Skouras-style boxoffice in 70s fashion but then hid it from prying eyes before the shoot. Photo: Bill Counter - October 31, 2020

 

A September 10, 2021 article on the site The Film Stage revealed that the chosen title was to be "Licorice Pizza." Thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting the story. MGM did a few engagements over Thanksgiving with a wider release at Christmas.

 

Prep for the scene at the El Portal started the last week of October, 2020. The shoot was November 2. The production also used Reseda High School for some auditorium shots. The film stars Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Bradley Cooper, Benny Safdie, Joseph Cross and Fatimah Hassan. It's a 70s San Fernando Valley tale of a high school student who is also working as an actor.

 

A closer look at the poster for "The Mechanic." Photo: Bill Counter - October 31

 

Posters on the south side of the ticket lobby. "Live and Let Die" and another for "The Mechanic." Photo: Bill Counter - October 31

 

 

 

A 70s snack bar installation for the film. Hot dogs! Hamburgers! Photo: Bill Counter - October 31

 

 

A view from the south. Note the neon in the storefront windows installed for the shoot. This storefront had been a jewelry store into the 60s and by the mid 70s had become Tony's Cleaners. These days it's normally an entrance into a small black box theatre space. For the film, the storefront farther to the left has become a tailor shop. Photo: Bill Counter - October 31

 

 

 

Putting traditional three dimensional letters on the marquee, instead of the flat ones currently used by the theatre. At this point it's the middle of the afternoon with the shoot scheduled for that evening. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2, 2020 

The boxoffice was shined up and drapes were added for the filming. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

 

Working on the display cases. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

 

A view from the south. The tailor shop decor on the left was created for the film. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2 

 

 

Across the street removing not-period-appropriate bollards. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

 Working on some readerboard issues. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

Revisiting the display case decisions. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

The posters were replaced with larger ones. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

Several of the 70s cars arrive. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

A "Matinee Today" banner going up, presumably to provide some interest on a very plain wall over the entrance doors. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

Director Paul Thomas Anderson, on the right, conferring with staff. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

 Ready for lights and camera. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

Female lead Alana Haim discussing a scene with Anderson. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

More discussion of the scene after several run throughs with an assistant director standing in for the not-yet-arrived leading man as well as Anderson demonstrating the scene's greeting, hug, and a run off. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

After a number of rehearsals, it's masks off for a take with Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim. During the scene the cashier's job is to smoke a cigarette and read a book. Between takes she tried to air out the boxoffice. The extras in the lobby were buying popcorn and asking where the ladies room was located. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

 

Still on the first setup of the night, about take 12. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2

See the El Portal Theatre page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about this venue, a 1926 design by L.A. Smith for West Coast Theatres. It got remodeled into a legit venue with a reopening in 2000. 

 

On IMDb: "Licorice Pizza"  

From the film:

A shot from the very brief scene we get in the film. This and the image below are from a clip used in a two-minute "We Love LA" montage made for the 2025 SAG awards, held at the Shrine Expo Hall on February 23. It's on Facebook as a post from Vintage Los Angeles. Alison Martino was involved in selecting the clips used. 

 

The El Portal clip also appears in the "We Love LA," the montage that began the 97th Academy Awards Ceremony on March 2, 2025. It's on You Tube. 

Jonathan Raines spotted "All the Los Angeles Movies in That Oscars Montage," a post by Sharon Knolle on The Wrap that listed the films used in the AMPAS montage. Her list, plus a few interpolations: 

"The Wizard of Oz" -- A shot of the ruby slippers with Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) saying, “There’s no place like home,” and then a shot of the Hollywood sign.

“F9” -- Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and crew look out over downtown Los Angeles.

“Mulholland Drive” -- Aspiring actress Betty Elms (Naomi Watts) arrives in Los Angeles via taxi in David Lynch’s film.

 

“The Long Goodbye” -- Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) at the beach in Robert Altman’s existential noir.

“Rocky III” -- Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) and Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) jog on the beach.

“White Men Can’t Jump” -- Wesley Snipes sinks a basket as Woody Harrelson watches.

“Barbie”: -- Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) rollerblade down Venice boardwalk.

“La Bamba” --  Ritchie Valens (Lou Diamond Phillips) carries his guitar past a bridge.

“Chinatown” --  Private eye J.J. “Jake” Gittes (Jack Nicholson) gets out of a vintage car.

“Iron Man 2” --  Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) eats fast food inside a giant donut sign.

“La La Land” --  Drivers dance on top of their cars in the film’s opening number.

“Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood” --  Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) drives down Sunset Blvd. as the Cinerama Dome lights up for "Krakatoa East of Java." 

"Licorice Pizza" - Meeting in front of the El Portal Theatre.

"The Aviator" -- the premiere of "Hells Angels" at the Chinese.

“Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood” --  Brad Pitt drives down Hollywood Blvd. past the Vine Theatre.

“The Big Lebowski” -- In a fantasy sequence, The Dude (Jeff Bridges) flies over L.A.

“L.A. Story” --  A freeway sign tells Steve Martin’s character “L.A. Wants 2 Help U.”

“Her” --  Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) looks out on the city from his downtown apartment in Spike Jonze’s rueful sci-fi dramedy.

“Straight Outta Compton” --  Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins) listens to music while wearing his L.A. Dodgers jersey and baseball cap.

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” -- Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) tells Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), “Of all the places I could be, I was always meant to be here with you.”

“La La Land” --  Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling ride Angels Flight and then end their spontaneous Griffith Park dance as they overlook Burbank.

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"The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood"

We get a look at Grauman's Chinese, 6129 Hollywood Blvd., in "The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood" (Cannon/Golan-Globus, 1980). Alan Roberts directed the comedy starring Martine Beswick, Chris Lemmon and Adam West.

It's all about the hooker of the title who perseveres in getting a film version made of her book "The Happy Hooker." Playing at the time of the filming at the Chinese was "The Last Married Couple in America," running at the theatre for three weeks beginning February 8, 1980.

The film used the La Reina Theatre, 14626 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, for scenes of the premiere of the film version of the book written by the leading character.

Another shot of the festivities at the La Reina. 

However, when we get closer it's apparent that we're no longer at the La Reina. The shots of the ticket lobby and in the lobby itself were done at the El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.

Another view looking toward the entrance doors at the El Portal.  

Inside the lobby at the premiers. It's a shot done at the El Portal.

Another street view of the premiere, once again using the La Reina. On the left that's a car that's crashed into the bleachers set up for the premiere within the film.

Thanks to Eitan Alexander for spotting the theatres in the film as well as providing the screenshots. See the pages about Grauman's Chinese, the La Reina Theatre and the El Portal Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about these movie palaces.

On IMDb: "The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood"  | The entire film can be viewed on You Tube.

"White Heat"

We get a view up Weddington St. in North Hollywood toward the back of the El Portal Theatre on Lankershim in Raoul Walsh's film "White Heat" (Warner Bros., 1949). The film stars James Cagney, Virginia Mayo and Edmond O'Brien. Margaret Wycherly, playing Cagney's Ma, is driving the car and trying to lose the cops who are on her tail.

Cagney, Mayo and Wycherly decide to duck in to the San Val Drive-In in Burbank to evade the cops on another chase later in the film. On the marquee it's "South of St. Louis" and "Siren of Atlantis."

Pulling up to the boxoffice. 

 

 

A nice view over the cashier's shoulder. Thanks to Joe Pinney for providing this shot.  

 

 

Pulling into a space. It's another shot Joe Pinney located.

Parked and watching the show. Cagney sneaks off leaving the two ladies to be picked up by the cops. Cinema Treasures contributor Oobleckboy notes that what we actually see on the San Val screen are shots from the 1949 film 'Task Force."

A shot of the filming at the San Val from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

For more about the theatres see the San Val Drive-In and El Portal Theatre pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site.

On IMDb: "White Heat"

"Hard"

Scenes in the gay torture porn film "Hard" (MPH/Jour de Fête Films, 1998) were filmed inside the El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood. John Huckert directed the sick tale about killings of young hustlers. Here we're heading down toward the front exit house right. The stage door is straight ahead.

 The auditorium after removal of the ceiling following earthquake damage. 

At the front exit house right. 

A look into the wet basement. 

The asbestos by flashlight. 

The basement dressing room corridor. 

One of the dressing rooms. 

A look at ornament at the front exit house right. 

A drop onstage.

The house right organ grille area. 

A peek into the house right organ chamber.

While the movie is interesting documentation of the condition of the theatre post-earthquake and pre-renovation, you won't want to watch it. See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the El Portal Theatre for a history of the 1926 vintage movie house, a design by Lewis A. Smith. It's now rebuilt as a small legit theatre. 

The film's trailer is on YouTube. Thanks to Terrence Butcher for the intel on this one.

On IMDb: "Hard"