"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 Brothers Rico"

Richard Conte is looking for his younger brother when he heads from Florida to the fictitious town of El Camino, California in "The Brothers Rico" (Columbia, 1957). We're actually in Glendale. He's staying at the California Hotel, in the film renamed the El Camino Hotel. The shot pans a bit to the left so we see the signage for the California Room. If it had gone a bit farther to the left we'd see the entrance to the California Theatre in the same building, with an address of 341 N. Brand Blvd.  

What we do see on the far right edge of the image is the Roxy Theatre, 417 N. Brand. Phil Karlson directed the film, based on a story by Georges Simenon, that also stars Diane Foster, Kathryn Grant and Larry Gates. 

On IMDb: "The Brothers Rico"

"God Bless America"

Joel Murray plays Frank, a man who, after losing his job and receiving a brain tumor diagnosis, gets a gun and embarks on a cross country killing spree in Bobcat Goldthwaite's film "God Bless America" (Darko Entertainment, 2012). He's trying to cull a few individuals who lack decency and are not nice to others. Or those who are just plain stupid. He's joined by Roxy, a 16 year old accomplice played by Tara Lynn Barr. The adventure begins in Syracuse. Somewhere in the middle of the country they go to the movies. The theatre used for the scene is the Showcase Theatre, a deco gem at 614 N. La Brea Ave.

Another stylish shot in the ticket lobby. 

Going in, we get a look at the carpet. 

On the screen is the admonition about no talking. Several people will be sorry they didn't heed that. 

Settling in for the feature they chose, "The Graves of My Lai." One guy in front and some teenagers behind them keep making noise and talking on their cell phones. Frank stands up and shoots them. Except for one girl who he praises for not talking or using her phone.  

If this were footage for a typical Alamo pre-show announcement they'd say:"You talk. You Text. We'll send Frank and Roxy after you."

See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the Showcase Theatre for more about the venue. It opened as the Gordon Theatre in 1938, a design of Clifford Balch.

Frank sends Roxy home after finding out on TV that she actually has loving parents and didn't suffer the abuse she had told him about. He continues west alone. Arriving in Los Angeles, we get a look at Grauman's Chinese during a cruise down Hollywood Blvd.

See the pages about Grauman's Chinese on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of this iconic movie palace.

One subject arousing Fran's ire (other than TV in general) is the talent show "American Superstarz" where the hosts had been making fun of a chubby young guy with no singing talent. The season finale is being staged at the Music Box Theatre, 6126 Hollywood Blvd.

Another shot of the Music Box, with a look at the Pantages vertical on the right. Rabid fans are greeting the arrivals for the show. Frank is discouraged from going in the front with his gun in a big case as the security guard spots him. He goes around to the stage door.

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Music Box and the Pantages Theatre for some history and many photos.

When we go inside it's not the Music Box at all but the Alex Theatre in Glendale.  

 

Frank scares off a security guard and walks backstage.

Frank onstage as the hosts cower behind the table in the auditorium.  He shoots the hosts. He shoots the untalented kid as well when he reveals that he tried to commit suicide not because they were making fun of him but because they weren't going to let hum back on the show.

Roxy rejoins him for the final shootout. 

Aiming for the police up in the balcony. It's all over soon.

Head to the pages about the Alex Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about this 1925 vintage film/vaudeville house.

On IMDb: "God Bless America"

"Lovelace"

The Alex Theatre gets a part in "Lovelace" (Radius-TWC, 2013), a biopic about porn star Linda Lovelace. In the film we go to the Alex for an invitational screening of "Deep Throat."

A photo of the "Deep Throat" screening in the film is by Dale Robinette that accompanied a February 10, 2012 New York Times article by Dave Itzkoff.  The other shots here are screenshots from the film itself.

A marquee detail from "Lovelace."

A crowd scene in the Alex forecourt in "Lovelace."

Amanda Seyfried (Linda Lovelace) and Hugh Hefner (James Franco) watch "Deep Throat" on the screen in "Lovelace." The way the film tells it, Hef is looking for some action. The film, directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, also stars Peter Saarsgard.

Head to the pages about the Alex Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about this 1925 vintage film/vaudeville house.

On IMDb: "Lovelace"

"Crime Wave"

The Glendale Theatre, 122 S. Brand Blvd., makes an appearance in Andre de Toth's "Crime Wave" (Warner Bros., 1954). The film stars Sterling Hayden, Gene Nelson and Phyllis Kirk in an adventure about a bank heist that ends up involving a young reformed parolee and his wife in the caper when one of the robbers seeks a place to hide. In this shot we've got Sterling Hayden coming out of the bank on the corner of Brand and Broadway after the heist. He's the cop on the case.

It's a screenshot from the fine Tropico Station blog post about the film. See the post for many more Glendale views from "Crime Wave," with nicely done modern versions as well.

 Another look at the Glendale from the scene.

Yet another look at the Glendale Theatre moments later. In the distance note the large bulk of the Temple Building, once home to the Temple Theatre, 234 S. Brand Blvd.

A closer view of the Temple Building as we continue driving south on Brand.

The film also has a scene over on Maryland Ave., one block east of Brand, and we get this shot looking north. Note the the south side of the Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., with the roof sign on the stagehouse -- "Alex - The Place To Go."

As the scene continues, we get a rare look at the Hide Away Theatre, 102 S. Maryland Ave. in this shot looking south. That's the signage just above the roof of the car in the foreground. This is another screenshot from Tropico Station. Thanks to Deanna Bayless for spotting the theatre in the shot.

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Glendale Theatre, the Alex Theatre, the Hide Away Theatre and the Temple Theatre for a history of these four Glendale showplaces.

At the end of the film after the robbers are captured we go downtown. On the right is the closed Roosevelt Theatre, 212 N. Main St.

A closer look at the Roosevelt. 

Parolee Steve Lacey (Gene Nelson) thinks Sterling Hayden is taking him to jail but good cop Detective Sims (Sterling Hayden) gives him a break and lets the young couple out on the street. Also in the shot is Lacey's wife (Phyllis Kirk).

See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Roosevelt Theatre. It had opened around 1911 and was demolished for an eastward extension of Temple St.

On IMDb:  "Crime Wave"