"XXXL: The John Holmes Story"

We get a look at the Sunset Theatre, 1508 N. Western Ave., in "XXXL: The John Holmes Story" (2004). Thanks to Scott Michaels for providing the shot. He notes that it's from a short stock footage clip of L.A. porno theatres that was used for the film. Glenn Barden and Dave Hills directed. Scott did the sound. 

See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Sunset for more about this now-vanished theatre. It had opened in 1925. 

 On IMDB: "XXXL: The John Holmes Story"

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"The Choirboys"

A fine view north on Broadway from "The Choirboys" (Universal, 1977), Robert Aldrich's drama about after-hours police debauchery. On the left we get the unlit vertical of the United Artists, 933 S. Broadway. On the right it's the Rialto at 812 S. Broadway, the Tower at 802, the Globe at 744. The shot was taken on the roof of the Los Angeles Railway Co. Building at 11th and Broadway. It's now the Proper Hotel.

Thanks to Tommy Bernard for spotting all the theatres in the film and getting these screenshots. 

 

The film is based on the novel by Joseph Wambaugh and stars Charles Durning, Lou Gossett Jr., Perry King, Clyde Kusatsu, Tim McIntire, Randy Quaid and James Woods. The cinematography was by Joseph Biroc.  

 

Heading north toward 8th with the May Co., Rialto and Tower in view. 

 

 

 

Looking back as the car passes the Rialto. 

 

Crossing 8th St. with a view of the Tower's marquee.

 

 

 

A view north toward the State Theatre at 7th & Broadway. 

 

Another Broadway trip. This time heading south near the Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway. 

 

Out on the westside. We're looking north toward the Cinema Theatre, 1122 N. Western Ave. It was a 1939 design by S. Charles Lee.

See the pages about the United Artists, the State Theatre, the Los Angeles Theatre, the Globe Theatre, the Tower Theatre, the Rialto Theatre and the Cinema Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for historic information about the buildings and many photos. 

On IMDb: "The Choirboys"

"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" 

"52 Pick-Up"

We get a look at the Cinema Theatre, 1122 N. Western Ave., in John Frankenheimer's "52 Pick-Up" (Cannon / Golan-Globus, 1986). Thanks to Yuri G. for spotting the scene and including the screenshot above on his Movie Tourist page about the film. He also has many more photos of other locations that were used.

The film, based on an Elmore Leonard novel, stars Roy Scheider as an L.A. businessman who gets hit with some blackmail just as his wife (Ann-Margret) is running for city council. Going to the police is out of the question so he tries to deal with the issue quietly -- but problems arise as he doesn't really want to pay.  Kelly Preston plays Scheider's mistress.

Scheider's done some investigating and found out that one of the extortion ring has a day job as manager / projectionist at the Cinema Theatre, thus his unannounced visit.

The cashier tells him the manager is up in the booth.

Scheider peeks into the booth. It will be quite a surprise to John Glover, who plays the manager.

Another booth view. Glover pretends to do a changeover. And also pretends he doesn't know Scheider. It won't go well for the gang of extortionists -- Roy is smarter and more devious than they could have anticipated.

The poor Cinema Theatre went from being a cute foreign film venue when it opened in 1939 to become the porno venue we see in the film. Now, even worse, it's a church. See the Cinema Theatre page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more photos.

On IMDb: "52 Pick-Up"

"The Hard Road"

We get look at the Tiffany Theatre, 8534 Sunset Blvd., in "The Hard Road" (Four Star Excelsior, 1970). It's a cautionary teen-themed drama set mostly in Sherman Oaks. We're warned about the evils of drugs and sex, helped along by animation explaining sex and pictures of diseased body parts. It was directed, photographed and edited by Gary Graver, who later worked with Orson Welles.

The theatre is seen here when the satirical revue "The Committee" was playing. It was a prime first run venue when it opened in 1966, later had a few live bookings and and then became a revival house. Following its film days it had a spell as a twin Equity Waiver legit venue before going dark. It's been demolished. Check out the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Tiffany Theatre for more information.

 

Another shot a moment later with both the theatre and its reflection.  The young lady is wandering around town after taking some drugs. 

 

 

Later we get this murky view of the Sunset Theatre, 1508 N. Western Ave. They were running "Overexposed," a 1968 independent film by Willian Rotsler. 

See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Sunset Theatre for more information. The 1929 vintage theatre has been demolished.

On IMDb: "The Hard Road" 

Bruce Kimmel notes that the full film can be seen on Internet Archive.