"The Glass House"

Leelee Sobieski is at the movies with her friends near the beginning of "The Glass House" (Columbia Pictures, 2001). The theatre is the General Cinema 3-4-5-6-7, a venue later known as Pacific's Sherman Oaks 5. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor MrWolf98 for spotting it in the film. 

 

After her parents die in what her character later discovers was an arranged crash, Leelee and her brother go to live with Diane Lane and Stellan Skarsgård in a Malibu house that gives the film its title. Also featured are Bruce Dern, Kathy Baker, Trevor Morgan, Chris Noth and Michael O'Keefe. Daniel Sackheim directed. The cinematography was by Alar Kivilo. 

 

 

 

It's a slasher film called "Prom Nightmare."

 

A bit of the marquee as we pan down the facade. 

 

 

 

 

Leelee and her friends coming out.  

 

 

Discussing plans as they walk across the street.

See the page about the Sherman Oaks 5 on the Los Angeles Theatres site. The theatre was built by General Cinema, later operated by AMC and Pacific. The location is 14424 Milbank St., just east of Van Nuys Blvd. 

 

 

 

Joyriding on Ventura Blvd. with her friends after getting out of the movies. We're looking west. The brightly lit facade on the left just beyond the intersection is what's left of the La Reina Theatre.

The page about the La Reina Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site includes many photos as well as shots from a few other films it has appeared in. The building is at 14626 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks. 

On IMDb: "The Glass House"   

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"Commando"

 

We get a look at the Pacific 4 Theatres in the Sherman Oaks Galleria in a brawl scene in Mark Lester's film "Commando" (20th Century Fox, 1985). 

 

The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rae Dawn Chong. Also featured are Dan Hedaya, Vernon Wells, Alyssa Milano, David Patrick Kelly, James Olson and Sharon Wyatt. The cinematography was by Matthew F. Leonetti. This was familiar terrain for Leonetti as he had shot "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" here in 1981. 

 

 

Heading to get Arnold, who's going to throw a telephone booth at them.

See the page about the Pacific 4 Theatres on the Los Angeles Theatres site. There's also information on the replacement 16 screen complex that opened in the mall in 2001. It was later rebranded as an ArcLight and in 2021 became the Regal Sherman Oaks Galleria. 

There's a two-and-a-half minute clip of the mall brawl scene on YouTube. Thanks to Whiteberry for sharing it as part of his great post on Blu-ray.com that gives a rundown of the mall's appearances in various movies and TV shows.  

On IMDb: "Commando" 

"Fast Times at Ridgemont High"

During the opening credits of Amy Heckerling's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (Universal, 1982) we see ticket taker Mark 'Rat' Ratner, played by Brian Backer, at the Pacific 4 Theatres in the Sherman Oaks Galleria.

The film also features Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Ray Walston, Kelli Maroney, Eric Stoltz and Forest Whitaker. Cameron Crowe did the screenplay based on his book. The cinematography was by Matthew F. Leonetti. Marty Glassman comments: 

"I was in there watching 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' with a friend, when they showed the scene of the inside of the mall. Everyone started laughing in the theater, and then they showed the kid taking tickets in the theater that we were watching the movie, and then we really started laughing."

 

"Smoking is upstairs and to your left." 

 

Local scalper Mike Damone, played by Robert Romanus, comes by for a chat.

 

 The kids want Van Halen tickets. They're not happy but they pay $20 for the $12 tickets. 

 

 

 

Stacey, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, works at Perry's Pizza. Rat gets brave and asks for her number. 

 

 

 

A look across from Perry's. On the theatre's readerboard: "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas." Thanks to Whiteberry for this screenshot he shared in a great post on Blu-ray.com that gives a rundown of the mall's appearances in various movies and TV shows.

 

 

 

At the end of the film we see Rat closing doors after a show. A new year has begun.

 

Stacy and her co-worker, Phoebe Cates, are on duty at Perry's Pizza. Stacy waves.  

 

 

Rat waves back. Stacy beckons him over and they kiss. The end credits advise that they're in a passionate romatic relationship but they haven't yet gone all the way.

See the page about the Pacific 4 Theatres on the Los Angeles Theatres site. There's also information on the replacement 16 screen complex that opened in the mall in 2001. It was later rebranded as an ArcLight and in 2021 became the Regal Sherman Oaks Galleria.  

Todd Tarpley analyzes the mall layout and has a number of shots from the film in a post on his site The Tarp Report. The mall exterior we see in the opening credits was shot at Santa Monica Place. The school they used was located in Van Nuys. 

On IMDb: "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" 

A production shot of Brian Backer at the theatre entrance. Thanks to Whiteberry for sharing this image in his superb 2021 post about the mall's movie appearances on Blu-ray.com.

"The Outside Man"

We get a fine tour of Los Angeles in Jacques Deray's "The Outside Man" (United Artists, 1973). Jean-Louis Trintignant (coming from France) and Roy Scheider (in from Detroit) are hit men who soon find out they're working for the same guy, a Los Angeles mobster who wants them both dead. Ann-Margret is the former owner of a sleazy bar who gets caught in the middle.

Here we're in West Hollywood looking east on Sunset with Trintignant across the street from the Cinematheque 16, 8818 Sunset Blvd. Note the marquee in the upper right corner.

Trintignant's character is supposed to go back to Paris but feels he won't be safe even there. So he goes hunting for those who set him up. And finds Scheider constantly on his tail. He's trying to get downtown and a bunch of bikers give him an escort, point him west on Hollywood Blvd., and tell him downtown is straight ahead.

Here he's just west of Vine St. stopping to pick up a hitchhiker. In the distance we get the scintillating marquee of the Music Box Theatre, 6126 Hollywood Blvd. At the time of the shooting it was called the Pix. It's now a music venue called the Fonda Theatre.

A shot back a bit gives us part of the marquee for the Vine Theatre, running "Nicholas and Alexandra." The hitchhiker, who turns out to be a Jesus freak, tells him to do a U-turn. The guy doesn't do well. Scheider, aiming at Truntignant, shoots him.

The film gives us some fine aerial views of the city and shots of downtown, Bunker Hill, and Venice. In addition, we're treated to many views, such as this one, of Scheider and Trintignant trying to elude each other on the pier of Pacific Ocean Park as the remaining buildings are in the middle of demolition.

 

We even make it out to Sherman Oaks. Thanks to Sean Ault for getting the screenshot of this view with the La Reina Theatre in the background. It was an S. Charles Lee design at 14626 Ventura Blvd. that opened in 1938.

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Cinematheque 16, the Music Box, the Vine Theatre and the La Reina Theatre for history of each of these filmhouses and many, many photos.

On IMDb: "The Outside Man"  If you can't find a copy of the film note that Cinefile Video in West L.A. has it in their collection. Glen Norman advises that the film is available in two versions, one of them X-rated.

"Valley Girl"

We get a shot of the Sherman Oaks Galleria in the opening credits of Martha Coolidge's "Valley Girl" (Atlantic Releasing, 1983). We do get some scenes inside a mall but they were shot at the Del Amo in Torrance. The film doesn't take us to the movies here either, but there are two visits to the nearby Sherman Theatre. And, of course we go cruising over the hill in Hollywood.

The film, starring Nicolas Cage and Deborah Foreman, is a story of the punk from the city meeting the girl from the other side of the hills. Also featured are Cameron Dye, Heidi Holicker, Elizabeth Daily, Michael Bowen, Michelle Meyrink, Colleen Camp and Frederic Forrest. The cinematography was by Frederick Elmes.

Half an hour into the film Deborah, Nic, Cameron and Heidi go over the hill to cruise Hollywood. 

 

 

 

"Heidi's Song" was playing at the Chinese, 6925 Hollywood Blvd. It had a big run of five days beginning November 19, 1982. 

 

"An Officer and a Gentleman" was playing at the Mann Chinese Twin. 

 

Disney's "Tex" was on the other side of the Twin. 

Visit the Grauman's Chinese pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site for hundreds of views of the theatre inside and out. There's also a separate page for the Mann Chinese Twin. 

 

 

"The Empire Strikes Back" was playing at the Paramount Theatre, 6838 Hollywood Blvd.

 

The theatre was called the Paramount on and off between 1942 and 1989. It's now back to its original name. See the pages about the El Capitan on the Los Angeles Theatres site for the history of this Hollywood legit and film house along with hundreds of photos.

 

 

 "Eight to Four" and "Please, Mr. Postman" playing at the Pussycat Theatre, 6656 Hollywood Blvd. 

 

 

Panning up to the Pussycat oval at the top of the facade. See the page on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Pussycat/Ritz Theatre.

 

 

The Hollywood Blvd. footage is intercut with some shots on Sunset. Here we're driving east by the Tiffany Theatre, 8535 Sunset Blvd. They were running the 1925 version of "The Wizard of Oz" with Dorothy Dwan, Charles Murray and Oliver Hardy along with Sabu in "The Jungle Book," a film from 1942.

 

 

A look at the entrance. In the display case: "Rediscovering The American Cinema." Playing midnights on Fridays and Saturdays: "Rocky Horror  Picture Show" 

Check out the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Tiffany Theatre for more information about the venue. It opened in 1966. 

 

 

On the left we get some of the Vogue in this view east across the Las Palmas intersection. No, they don't drive that next block to see what's playing at either the Vogue or the Egyptian.   

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Vogue Theatre, a 1935 design by S. Charles Lee. It's been through many remodels and different uses including a nightclub, a movie memorabilia auction display room and a museum. In 2023 it got repurposed again as a church.

An hour and nineteen minutes into the film Nic and Deborah go to the movies at the Sherman Theatre, 15052 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks.

 

What's playing? Well, of course.

Back at the Sherman again later in the film as Deborah heads to a movie with her friends. She's caved into pressure from the friends, dumped Nic, and gone back to her Valley boyfriend. But Nic been trying all sorts of tricks to woo her back, popping up in her life at unexpected moments. 

 

 

Deborah getting her ticket torn by the strange guy at the door wearing 3-D glasses. 

 

Yes, it's Nic again.

 

See the page about the Sherman Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the house. The theatre opened in 1949 and has been demolished.

 

 

After a melee at the prom the end credits roll with Nic and Deborah in a limo on the 405. We get a look across at the signage for the Sherman Oaks Galleria.  

 

See the page about the Galleria's Pacific 4 Theatres on the Los Angeles Theatres site. There's also information on the replacement 16 screen complex that opened in the mall in 2001. It was later rebranded as an ArcLight and in 2021 became the Regal Sherman Oaks Galleria.  

On IMDb: "Valley Girl"

Check out the page about "Valley Girl" on Chas Demster's site Filming Locations of Chicago and Los Angeles for information about many other locations seen in the film. The San Fernando Blog article "Filming Locations: Valley Girl" does a fine job covering the film's Valley locations. Also see a Fast-Rewind article "Valley Girl Behind the Scenes."