"The Clock"

 

The clock Harold Lloyd is hanging onto says 2:42 and that's the time that this clip from "Safety Last!" (Hal Roach Studios, 1923) will be on the screen whenever a venue plays Christian Marclay's "The Clock" (2010). The film is 24 hours long, a delicious montage of film clips exploring time in the movies. 

 

This view north on Broadway includes the Majestic Theatre, 845 S. Broadway, and Tally's Broadway Theatre, 833 S. Broadway. Beyond the theatres is the Hamburger Department Store building, later the May Co. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post about "Safety Last."

 

 

 

The clock in the boxoffice at the Mayan Theatre says 4:33 and that's the time that this "Save the Tiger" clip will be on the screen in "The Clock."

 

LACMA booked the film for a July 22 to August 23 run in 2026, including two 24 hour screenings beginning at 7pm July 25 and also August 22. Otherwise you can only see the sections timed to regular museum hours. They commented: 

"Returning to Los Angeles for the first time since 2015, Christian Marclay’s 'The Clock' is a 24-hour single-channel montage constructed from thousands of moments of cinema and television history depicting the passage of time, excerpted and edited together to create a functioning timepiece synchronized to local time wherever it is shown. The result marks the exact time for the viewer for 24 consecutive hours, weaving together Marclay’s interests in collage and found visual and aural artifacts with his roots in live performance."

The venue at LACMA is on the main floor of the Broad Pavilion and uses twenty sofas for seating. See the LACMA page about the booking. It's free for LACMA members.

See the pages about the Mayan Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. Also see our Theatres in Movies post about "Save the Tiger."

 

There's a page about the film on Wikipedia. The Tate Modern has a page about their 2018 booking of "The Clock" and a trailer on YouTube.  

 

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"Death Warrant"

There's a brief prologue just north of the Mayan Theatre in "Death Warrant" (MGM, 1990). In the foreground it's a rare view of a building that was soon to be demolished. The site was then a parking lot for several decades. Thanks to Yoon Ahn for spotting the theatre in the film. 

A look up to the theatre's wall signage and vertical. 

 

 

Several local punks accost Jean-Claude Van Damme while he's trying to work.  

 

The results of their threats.  He calls his superior and says "I'm going in." Unfortunately for us he means the building on the left and not the theatre. 

We soon learn that Jean-Claude is a Los Angeles cop whose next assignment is going into a corrupt jail to investigate murders happening inside. Also featured are Robert Guillaume, Cynthia Gibb, Art LaFleur and Patrick Kilpatrick. Deran Sarafian directed. The cinematography was by Russell Carpenter. Curtis Schnell did the production design. Thanks, Yoon! 

Check out the pages about the Mayan Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It opened in 1927 as a venue devoted to musical comedies.

 On IMDb: "Death Warrant" 

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"Unlawful Entry"

Kurt Russel and his attorney checking out the closed Mayan. He plans to reopen it again as a nightclub in "Unlawful Entry" (20th Century Fox, 1992). Thanks to Marko Tudich for noting the appearance of the theatre in the film. The theatre HAD reopened as a nightclub in 1990.  

 

The film features Madeline Stowe, Ray Liotta, Roger E. Mosley, Ken Lerner, Deborah Offner, Carmen Argenziano and Andy Romano. Jonathan Kaplan directed. The cinematography was by Jamie Anderson.  

 

Kurt poking his head inside. They're showing it to a potential backer.  

 

 

Heading onto the stage. 

 

A wider view revealing a nice drop and a car back near the loading door. The seats were brought in for the film.

 

 

A chat onstage.  

 

Time for a party for influencers and potential backers.  

 

 

 

A model of the cleaned up theatre for Kurt to show potential investors. 

 

Action at the party.  

 

Madeline Stowe, playing Kurt's wife, at the bar with her friend Penny, played by Deborah Offner. It's cute cop Ray Liotta appearing unexpectedly in the doorway. Madeline is trying to get him interested in her friend but Ray only has eyes for Madeline. He had met the couple when he responded to a call about a a possible intruder at their house.

 

   

Ray planning his moves. He had been pretending to be nice as he forcefully inserted himself into the life of the couple.  

 

Kurt talking to him at the bar, telling him to get out of the theatre and leave them alone. It escalates. 

 

 

Ray leaves. But he's not done with Madeline.  

 

 

Mulling over his next actions to destroy Kurt's life and torpedo the Mayan project.  

 

A look back in as Kurt and Madeline talk to investors in the lobby. Ray starts by getting Kurt's credit cards cancelled and calling up investors with questions designed to plant doubts.  

Check out the pages about the Mayan Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It opened in 1927 as a venue devoted to musical comedies.

 On IMDb: "Unlawful Entry" 

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"Marilyn and the Senator"

We get some views of the second floor office areas of the Mayan Theatre, 1038 S. Hill St., in "Marilyn and the Senator" (Hollywood International Pictures, 1975)." It was directed and shot by Carlos Tobalina, who owned the Mayan. The film features Nina Fause, William Margold and Heather Leigh. 

Thanks to Shawn D. Langrick for noting the appearance of the Mayan in the film. He provided this information: 

"The adult film producer/director Carlos Tobalina, whose family still owns the theater I believe, used it at least once that I'm aware of for a film shoot: 1975's 'Marilyn and the Senator,' where we find that the second floor rooms stand in for the Senator's DC offices. 

 

"If you stand on Hill Street and face the front of the building, the first entry office where Queep (William Kirschner) lurked is the small window and the first full size window on the right, and the Senator's (Bill Margold) office is the small window and first full size window on the left.

 

Thanks Shawn! For a couple minutes of G-rated clips shot in the Mayan office space he suggests  heading to "Inside the Mayan Theatre." It's on YouTube from Capri Show World. The four images below are from that compilation. 

 

 

 Queep in the office.

 

 

  

A wider view with the Senator and Marilyn at the right.  

 

 

Another office view. 

 

 

A look at the area to the left of the previous shot.   

See the pages about the Mayan Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a discussion of the theatre's history and many photos. 

On IMDb: "Marilyn and the Senator"   The Vinegar Syndrome re-release of the film is available on Amazon and Melusine.   

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"The Falcon's Alibi"

We get a look at the Olympic Theatre, on 8th just west of Broadway, when we go "uptown" in "The Falcon's Alibi" (RKO, 1946). The treat in this film is getting to see Jane Greer do two numbers as a nightclub songstress. But her ending isn't a happy one after she's discovered two-timing her boyfriend Elisha Cook, Jr.

This film, one of sixteen in the Falcon series, stars Tom Conway as an amateur detective trying to solve a society jewelry robbery and multiple murders. Also featured are Paula Corday, Vince Barnett, Emory Parnell, Esther Howard, Jean Brooks and Jason Robards Sr. Ray McCarey directed. The cinematography was by Frank Redman. Thanks to anonymous tipster about the Olympic's appearance in the film. There's a similar shot in the 1945 Columbia film "Boston Blackie's Rendezvous."

 

 

 Another look at the Olympic. This time we're looking west from Hill St.

See the pages about the Olympic Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building along with many photos.   

 

 

In this murky view north on Hill St. it's the Warner Downtown on the left, at the corner of 7th.

See the pages about the Warner Downtown on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building as well as several hundred photos. The theatre, now used for selling jewelry, opened as the Pantages in 1920. 

On IMDb: "The Falcon's Alibi" 

A comment on the site notes that one of the songs in this film advertises the "new picture 'The Bamboo Blonde,'" also from RKO. It featured Jane Greer and Jean Brooks and was released three months after "The Falcon's Alibi."  

A poster for the film appearing on IMDb.

"I'm Gonna Git You Sucka"

 

Keenan Ivory Wayans goes to the Black Revolutionary Headquarters when he's looking for help taking back the neighborhood in the blaxploitation spoof "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" (United Artists, 1988). 

 

We're looking at a storefront just east of the entrance to the Ebony Showcase Theatre, 4720 W. Washington Blvd. The building was identified by Kurt Crucial in his fine twenty minute "80s Life" piece on YouTube about the film's locations. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating it.  

 

The film also features Bernie Casey, Isaac Hayes, Jim Brown, Antonio Fargas, Dawnn Lewis, Ja'net Dubois, Damon Wayans and Clu Galagher. Keenan Ivory Wayans directed. The cinematography was by Tom Richmond. 

 

The plan of action is targeting the businesses owned by Mr. Big, the local crime lord played by John Vernon. Here one of the guys is throwing a bomb into the entrance of the Belasco Theatre, 1050 S. Hill St. The curse of the neighborhood is too many gold chains so Mr. Big's Chains 'R' Us and Jewelry Salon stores are targets.

 

 

A bomb into another storefront. Note all the chains in the window.

 

A wider view as the guys drive away. The theatre entrance is on the left, with milk glass letters saying "1050 South Hill." On the right it's the entrance to the second floor ballroom. 

 

 

The blast at the Chains 'R' Us store in the Belasco building. 

 

A moment later.  

 

 

As the guys drive away we get a look north toward the marquee of the Mayan Theatre, 1038 S. Hill.

Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the Hill St. action in the film. See the pages about the Belasco and Mayan theatres on the Los Angeles Theatres site for historic data and many photos of each building. 

On IMDb: "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka"

"Cage of Evil"

Ronald Foster and Patricia Blair take a drive east on 7th St. and we see the Warner Downtown at 7th and Hill in a process shot in "Cage of Evil" (United Artists, 1960). 

It's a tale of a detective trying to solve a jewel robbery. He falls for both the thief's girlfriend and the stolen diamonds. The film, directed by Edward L. Cahn, also features Harp McGuire, John Maxwell, Robert Shayne and Helen Kleeb. The cinematography was by Maury Gertsman. 

 

 

A moment later. Thanks to Eitan Alexander for spotting the theatre in the film and getting the screenshots. He comments that in the background film the Warner was running Hitchcock's "I Confess," a February 1953 release starring Montgomery Clift and Anne Baxter.

Eitan notes that the full film can be seen on YouTube and adds: "The Warner scene starts at about 14:30. Can't say that I'd recommend watching the whole thing though." 

 

 

As they cross Broadway we get signage on the left for the jewelry store in the Loew's State building. The Warner's vertical is in the distance and a bit of the vertical on the Bullock's store at 7th and Broadway is on the right. 

See the pages about the Warner Downtown on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building as well as several hundred photos. The theatre, now used for selling jewelry, opened as the Pantages in 1920. 

On IMDb: "Cage of Evil"

A poster for the film that appears on IMDb.

"Flesh and Bullets"

At the end of Carlos Tobalina's "Flesh and Bullets" (Hollywood International Film Corp., 1985) we see lots of the Mayan Theatre, 1038 S. Hill St. Well, he owned the theatre so it was an easy location for him. This guy approaching the theatre is heading to a fire escape gunfight. Although he's going into the north exit passage, the scenes of the fight are shot in the south passage, between the Mayan and the Belasco Theatre.  

It's about two guys who meet in a bar and decide to do something about ex-wives they can't support. Things go wrong when they each fall for the wife of the other. The film features Glenn McKay, Gail Sterling and Mic Morrow. And, yes, we also get cameos by Yvonne DeCarlo, Cesar Romero, Cornel Wilde and Aldo Ray. It's also known as "Wife Contract." The cinematography was by Carlos, billing himself as E. Tobalina. It's very soft-core compared to other Tobalina films.

A customer at the boxoffice. 

 

In the south exit passage with one guy coming out a balcony exit door. The black railing in the foreground is on the stairs at the Belasco Theatre.  

 

Looking up toward balcony exits from street level. 

 

At the left it's the doors from the front exit house right. Through the doors straight ahead and you're onto the Mayan's stage.

 

One wounded. But not seriously. 

 

A shot of the clock in the lobby. 

 

A potential customer on the street. 

 

Although the fight was in the other exit passage, the guys exit together from the north passage.

See the pages about the Mayan Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It opened in 1927 as a legit theatre specializing in musical comedies. For the last few decades it's been a nightclub.

On IMDb: "Flesh and Bullets"

"No Man's Land"

A look north toward the Arcade Theatre, 534 S. Broadway, from "No Man's Land" (Orion Pictures, 1987). Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatre and getting the shot of Randy Quaid. This film about a rookie cop and a car theft ring was directed by Peter Werner and also stars Charlie Sheen, D.B. Sweeney, Lara Harris and M. Emmet Walsh. The cinematography was by Hiro Narita.  

Head to the Los Angeles Theatres site for the pages about the Arcade Theatre where you'll find many photos both vintage and recent. 

 

Later Charlie and D.B. make the rounds of various clubs looking for a guy and end up at the Mayan Theatre, 1038 S. Hill St. 

 

They're pretending it's a basement club. After the shot outside we see the guys coming down a flight of stairs to the balcony lobby level.  

 

A shot deeper into the space. Charlie tells D.B. the guy's not here and that he should check out the bar downstairs. But he actually sees him and heads over to him. 

 

Charlie shoots the guy and he grabs a Mayan warrior as he falls.

See the pages about the Mayan Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It opened in 1927 as a legit theatre specializing in musical comedies. For the last few decades it's been a nightclub.

On IMDb: "No Man's Land"