"Red Nights"

The X Theatre at 5959 Hollywood Blvd. is in the background of this shot from "Red Nights" (Trans World Entertainment, 1988). It's another young-man-goes-to-Hollywood story. He thinks he's going to become an actor but sinks into the violent shadows. Izhak Hanooka directed. The cast includes Christopher Louis Parker, Brian Matthews, Tom Badall and Patty Bauer. The cinematography was by Jacob Eleasari. It was a direct-to-VHS release. 

Thanks to Rio Dylan Hernandez for spotting all the theatre coverage in the film and getting the screenshots. She comments: 

"Sometimes when I can’t sleep I’ll peruse grindhouse exploitation movies on Amazon and came across a doozy last night that is truly an LA treasure trove. It seems like there is a movie theater in every other shot as it’s about an idealistic young dreamer, aspiring actor - broken by DIRTY L.A. - and it truly captures the city as I remember it - especially the Hollywood Blvd. area where most of it was shot. I did the best I could do with the screenshots but this should give you a flavor and really some rare treasures here I think!"

 

 At the Warner/Hollywood Pacific, 6433 Hollywood Blvd. 

 

 

 

The Fox was playing "Robocop," It's at 6508 Hollywood Blvd.  

 

 

The Vogue Theatre, at 6675 Hollywood Blvd., playing "The Lost Boys," a July 1987 release. Michael Coate notes that this engagement was in 70mm.

 

 

The Pussycat, formerly the New-View, was at 6656 Hollywood Blvd., just west of Cherokee.

 

 

Another look at the Pussycat.  

 

 

 

A look at the Egyptian, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., during the run of "Masters of the Universe." 

 

 

The Chinese with Clint Eastwood in "Heartbreak Ridge." Kurt Wahlner notes that the film played the big house for one week from December 5 to 11, 1986. 

 

 

A shot done later, during the run of "The Living Daylights." It played the Chinese from July 31 to August 27, 1987. 

 

 

 

A view of the west side of the Chinese.  

 

 

 

Looking north on Las Palmas toward Hollywood Blvd. That's the Las Palmas Theatre on the right.  

 

 

A chase shot with the cars heading into the alley just north of the Las Palmas.  

 

Looks like the filmmakers actually paid for this location for a "Gala Premier." Or was it a "Premiere"? The Los Feliz, now a triplex, is located at 1822 N. Vermont Ave. 

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the X Theatre, the Warner/Hollywood Pacific, the Fox, the Vogue, the New-View/Pussycat,  Grauman's Chinese, the Las Palmas Theatre and the Los Feliz. 

Thanks Rio!  

On IMDb: "Red Nights"

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

| Los Angeles Theatres | L.A. Theatres on Facebook |  

"Surrender"

Sally Field and Michael Caine leave a screening of "Otello" at the Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave., in "Surrender" (Warner Bros., 1987). It's a comedy directed by Jerry Belson about a writer who's pretending to be poor so he'll know any women he meets aren't just after his money. The cinematography was by Juan Ruiz Anchía.

Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatre in the film and getting the screenshot. Head to the Los Feliz Theatre page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for information about this 1935 vintage house, a design by Clifford A. Balch.

On IMDb: "Surrender"

"The Slams"

We get this fine look at the Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave., in "The Slams" (MGM, 1973).  Jim Brown, Judy Pace and Roland Bob Harris star in this crime drama about a quest for money stashed before Brown was sent to prison. Jonathan Kaplan directed.

Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatre in the film and getting the screenshot. The film also spends some time at the Lincoln Heights jail, in the LaCienega oil fields and at Pacific Ocean Park.

Head to the Los Feliz Theatre page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for information about this 1935 vintage house, a design by Clifford A. Balch.

On IMDb: "The Slams"

"Hot Rod Gang"

 

The Monica Theatre, 7734 Santa Monica Blvd., is seen in "Hot Rod Gang" (American International, 1958). In fact we go by it several times in the first few minutes of the film as we race up and down Santa Monica Blvd. Thanks to Bret Mannon for spotting the theatre. 

 

The film, directed by Lew Landers, is about a kid who joins a rock band to earn money to support his drag racing habit. It stars John Ashley, Jody Fair and Gene Vincent. The cinematography was by Floyd Crosby.

 

We quickly meet up with another couple of guys and race on opposite sides of the street with one set of wheels on the curb. In this view north on Virgil toward Sunset Blvd. we get a bit of the Vista Theatre over on the right. 

 

Another shot a moment later with more showing of the Vista, 4473 Sunset Dr. 

 

Back on Santa Monica Blvd. with another view of the Monica. 

 

About 27 minutes in John Ashley and Jody Fair take a hurried drive up Vermont Ave. giving us a glimpse of the marquee of the Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave. 

 

That's about all we get of the Los Feliz as the film cuts to a dissolve into a party scene but the marquee and the vertical sign are seen over on on the right.

For more data and photos of these movie houses head to the pages about the Monica/Pussycat/Studs Theatre, the Vista Theatre and the Los Feliz Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site.

On IMDb: "Hot Rod Gang."  The full film can be seen on YouTube: version 1 | version 2 - a bit sharper |

A poster that appears with the film's listing on IMDb. 

"Dean"

Dimitri Martin and Gillian Jacobs, a prospective girlfriend, wander in front of the Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave., in "Dean" (CBS Films, 2017).

Martin also wrote, directed and illustrated the film, a tale about a misfit cartoonist and his curious adventures with various friends and  lovers. The film also stars Kevin Kline as the dad and Mary Steenburgen as a real estate agent he falls for.

See the page about the Los Feliz Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the building. The theatre is a Clifford Balch design from 1934 that's now a triplex.

On IMDb: "Dean"

"The Dangerous Stranger"

We get some shots of the exterior of the Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave., in the ten minute public service film "The Dangerous Stranger" (Sidney Davis Productions, 1950). Thanks to Bobster1985 for the screenshots. They're a contribution from him on the Cinema Treasures page about the Los Feliz.

The film warns us not to accept rides or gifts from strangers and offers tales of several kids who did -- and didn't come back. The policeman in the film warns "...their mothers and fathers never saw them again. I know you wouldn't want to do that to your folks."

Approaching the theatre.

A look at the Los Feliz boxoffice.

Buying a ticket.

This is the guy to watch out for. Looks harmless enough. But he smiled at her. During the film he sits next to her and puts his arm around her. We're warned "Never let a stranger put his arm around you. Get the usher!"   

 The film is on YouTube from Ziptrivia. There's also a post of it from A/V Geeks. It's also on Internet Archive.

See the page about the Los Feliz Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the building. It's now a triplex operated by Vintage Cinemas.

On IMDb: "The Dangerous Stranger"

"Orgazmo"

A Mormon missionary gets talked into becoming a porno film star in Trey Parker's "Orgazmo" (October Films, 1998). When his film, also called "Orgazmo," becomes a big hit we get a montage of VHS tapes spilling off the assembly line and lines forming at adult theatres like this unidentified one. 

 

Trey Parker stars. Also featured are Dian Bachar, Robyn Lynne Raab, Michael Dean Jacobs and Ron Jeremy. Trey Parker and Matt Stone wrote this epic. Parker directed. The cinematography was by Kenny Gioseffi. 

 

It becomes a big crossover hit, taking in almost as much as "E.T." When it starts playing mainstream theatres we see it going up on the marquee at the Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Shoeshoe14 for spotting the theatre in the movie.  

See the page about the Los Feliz Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the building. It's now operated by Vintage Cinemas.

On IMDb: "Orgazmo"  The top image is one appearing on that site.