"Coming Attractions" aka "Loose Shoes"

The marquee of the Rivoli Theatre in Long Beach was one of many used for the opening credits of "Coming Attractions" (Cinema Finance Associates, 1978). Thanks to Deanna Bayless for the screenshot. The theatre was at 525 N. Long Beach Blvd, just south of 6th St. It was demolished for construction of the less-than-successful Long Beach Mall. See the page about the Rivoli Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more information.

 

Ira Miller directed this comedy, structured as a series of skits and trailers. Featured are Bill Murray, Buddy Hackett, Howard Hesseman, Royce D. Applegate, Lewis Arquette, Tom Baker and Dorothy Van.

 

The film got a 1980 reissue by National American Films. Atlantic Releasing gave it a 1982 release, retitling it "Loose Shoes." Marc Edward Heuck reports that no prints have surfaced other than the 1982 version so we don't know what theatre marquee they used for the original title credit. They didn't bother to use a marquee for the title card of the "Loose Shoes" reissue -- it's just lettering on a plain background.

 

 

The Whittier Theatre, once at 11612 Whittier Blvd. in Whittier, gets the screenplay credit.  

 

 

The Wiltern Theatre, 3790 Wilshire Blvd, is seen here with an interesting "Pacific's" red neon overlay on top of the "Warner" above the center readerboard. 

 

 

A wider Wiltern view for DP Jack Beckett. 

 

 

The Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway, gets the music credit. 

 

 

Editor Alan Balsam gets the marquee at some unknown theatre.

 

 

We're at the Palace Theatre, 630 S. Broadway, for the credit for producer Joel Chernoff. 

 

 

Director Ira Miller puts himself on the marquee of the La Reina Theatre, 14626 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks.

 

 

The Gilmore Drive-In is seen at the end the film. Thanks to Michael Kilgore for the screenshot, a post on Cinema Treasures. He comments: 

"The poorly-received 1978 comedy... ends with a lengthy shot of the Gilmore. It starts with the final frame of the final skit projected on the Gilmore’s screen, then a helicopter view sweeps around the darkened drive-in, ending on the front sign lettered with 'The End'..."

Check out the page about the Gilmore Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site. 

On IMDB: "Coming Attractions"   The full film can be seen as "Loose Shoes" on YouTube.

"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"

We get several partial views of Long Beach's Rivoli Theatre, 525 Long Beach Blvd., in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (United Artists, 1963). Here it's over a bit to the right of center with part of the marquee and vertical visible. They used a YMCA that's out of the frame to the left as the police station for the fictional town of Santa Rosita. This gleeful guy has just run over Spencer Tracy's hat that was tossed out a window when he missed the hat rack. We're looking south on Long Beach Blvd. 

 

 

A detail from the shot. Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for all the screenshots appearing here.  

Much later in the film we get this view of the side of the Rivoli over on the left beyond the car dealership as Tracy leaves the station to go find the loot everyone's been looking for. Stanley Kramer directed the film that also stars Jonathan Winters, Jimmy Durante, Ethel Merman, and seemingly hundreds of others. The cinematography was by Ernest Laszlo. The format is Ultra Panavision, a 70mm process using a 1.25 anamorphic lens resulting in an aspect ratio of 2.76 to 1. 

 

 

A detail from the shot. 

 

A view west on Ocean Blvd. in Long Beach with the signage of the Roxy Theatre, 127 W. Ocean Blvd., over on the far right. It's a shot from the final chase sequence just before Tracy and the the two cabs following him head out onto the Rainbow Pier. 

 

A detail from the right side of the Roxy shot.

 

"Cape Fear" is on the marquee at the State Theatre, 104 E. Ocean Blvd., as the three vehicles head out around the Rainbow Pier. Bruce Kimmel comments: 

"Well, now we know approximately when this was shot - this double bill of 'Cape Fear' and 'Six Black Horses' opened on May 16th, 1962. To put that in perspective, the film did not open until November of 1963. That's over a year of editing. Yikes. And I believe they were editing until just a few weeks before the premiere."

 

 

A detail taken from the State Theatre shot. 

Tracy, carrying the satchel with all the loot, is trying to elude his pursuers on foot when he ends up on the roof of a condemned hotel. The back of the West Coast Theatre, 333 E. Ocean Blvd., is over on the right. 

 

 

A closer look at the West Coast.  

 

 

A moment later the Arena and the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium come into view. Thanks for the screenshots, Kurt!  

See the pages about the Rivoli Theatre, the Roxy Theatre, the State Theatre. the West Coast and the Municipal Auditorium on the Los Angeles Theatres site for information about these five Long Beach theatres. They've all been demolished. 

On IMDb: "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"

 

Searchlights are in the sky over Hollywood for the opening of the Cinerama Dome. "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" was the inaugural attraction, opening November 7, 1963 in a 70mm reserved seat engagement billed as being "in Cinerama." It had a 67 week run.

It's a Hollywood Citizen - News photo by Peter Banks. Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality spotted it on eBay and has all the data on his Noirish post #7127.

 

The Dome in 1963 with its opening attraction on the marquee. Thanks to Alison Martino for sharing the photo on her Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles where it generated lots of comments.  

 

A panoramic shot taken from the house right side of the wrap-around projection booth by Edward M. Pio Roda graces Stuart Elliot's 2013 N.Y. Times article "TCM Moves to Lure Film Buffs Out of Their Living Rooms." On the Dome's screen is the 70mm presentation of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," as part of the 2013 TCM Festival in Hollywood. In this image the screen doesn't look very big but it's actually 32' x 86' when the full size is used. 

See the pages about the Cinerama Dome on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the theatre.  The main page has some photos of the opening. See the exterior views page for additional shots taken during the "Mad World" engagement. 

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