All But Toast
Westwood’s famous Village and Bruin theaters are being taken over by Regency as of 4.1, and Mann, their former owner/operator/whatever, is retreating like General Lee’s army. It’s clearly the end of an era for a once-dominant Southern California exhibition chain.
Not so long ago Mann had ten screens in Westwood — the Village, Bruin, Festival, Plaza, Regent, National, and a 4-plex. First the 4-plex went (it’s a Whole Foods now), and then the Regent was taken over by Landmark, and then Mann bailed on the Plaza and National (both have since been demolished), and then the Festival, which is now sitting vacant, collecting dust.
It’s also no secret that Mann has been slowly selling its theaters or closing them and yes, even Grauman’s (i.e., Mann’s) Chinese is up for sale.
Depressed about this. Love the Chinese, love Mann Theatres in general.
I have nothing but anecdotal experience to prove this, but I’ve ALWAYS had better luck at Mann Theatres with audiences, hassle-free viewings, and a general friendly vibe than I do at AMCs and Pacifics, both of which are overrun with teens and casual viewers who decide at the last minute to see a movie. From the Westwood to the Hollywood to the Glendale rooms, they always seem to be nice, clean, standalone (as in not in a shopping mall) theaters where the crowds are smaller but people are ACTUALLY GOING THERE TO SEE A MOVIE.
Unfortunately for the chain, the theaters are often undersold to mostly empty. FORTUNATELY FOR ME… they’re often mostly empty, which means I’m not sitting elbow to elbow with two huge cliques of teens or Yenta mall zombies; The Pacific chain in particular (Grove, Pasadena, Americana) seems especially lax about keeping theater hoppers from running amok, so even though their places are usually handsomely designed, they get a LOT of riffraff and skulkers.
Again maybe it’s just been my good luck, and it’s probably why they’re losing business, Manns seem to attract a slightly more intensive moviegoer and fewer true idiots.
A sad, sad state of affairs.
I’ve seen more “movies” in Westwood – especially the Village — than in any other part of Los Angeles in my 20+ years of living here.
Il loved that old movie palace feel. Nothing played better at the Village than a popcorn movie, and a packed house, on a Saturday night.
RIP
The Bruin is a barn and horrible place to see movies, but the Fox Village is my favorite theater on the westside. It’s also the very last first run one with a balcony.
Is the AVCO still up and running?
The Village theater has great sound and projection. Excellent theater. I hope it stays open.
Sad…
Yes, the AVCO is still open; the condition is rather decrepit, though.
Nowadays, I usually go to the AMC Century City to the east or the Landmark complex to the south.
I used to love seeing every movie in Westwood, as a small town east coaster, these massive theaters are quite an experience and really make you feel like you are in a time warp. However as tickets continued to rise and AMC had their incredible 6dollar weekend AM screenings; I headed to Century City as well and usually Landmark it for smaller indies. The tiny theaters upstairs at landmark are like being in your living room with a 250 inch tv. The bigger theaters are still fun for summer blockbusters but thats it. I agree with LexG, the audience tends to IQ over 100 and weigh under 300.
LexG – too bad the AVCO Westwood is in such bad shape. Back in 1974 when Mel Brooks had a midnight sneak preview there of something called BLAZING SADDLES the rowdy UCLA students in the audience blew the roof off the place… Movie history was made that night.
The Avco has been a shithole for quite some time.
Ironically, many of the seats from the Mann Festival were used to reseat the New Beverly. They are indeed much more comfortable, and with the projection and sound upgrades, you would be well-served to make another visit after all this time.
FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Forgive the initially visceral reaction.
I’ve been sweatin’ bullets over the Chinese for a while now. They’re showing all the signs of a theater circling the drain. Shitty movies staying there for way too long.
T’would be sad if the upcoming TCM Classic Film Festival ended up being its swan song.
A bit ago I decided, (in the middle of a bad movie), to sneak behind the screen and wander the bowels of the old barn. Went down a ladder into some big room with junk everywhere. Chills.
I saw “Jurassic Park” opening night at the Avco Westwood. Probably haven’t been there since. Went into the toilet years ago.
The Village is one of the best screens in the city. I even enjoyed the terrible experience of watching Transformers 2 on it and not minding so much. I hope Regency doesn’t do anything stupid with it.
The only movie I saw at the Avco was the press screening for Doom. I oddly love and hate that place.
Travis: The Chinese became another place bettin’ too much on tourists at the expense of Angelenos. And you know that, because they screened the most mediocre shit around-Bad Lieutenant “Re-imagined” being the exception to the rule.
Anyway, speaking of mediocre, I just came back from Alice. It’s not bad as a Rose of Versailles/Time Bandits/NIMH/Dark Crystal/Neverending Story/Desperately Seeking Susan/Baron Munchausen/Willow/Secret of Mana/YuGiOh/Berserk/Victorian Romance Emma/Claymore slash fic, but it’s a pretty underwhelming adaptation of its name-sake. It’s basically got everything about Speed Racer which annoyed the hell out of me, like the unnecessary back-stories and the pointless in-movie business deals. But the Hot Topic/Girl Power contingent guarantees it’ll avoid the same fate as Speed Racer.
So where was I?
Douglas must really like hanging out with and mentoring curly-haired teens.
Another pretentious and NSFW Room in Rome trailer @ Dark Horizons.
Hayter and Pink get into some hairy situations.
So would they be called ID5 and ID6?
Samberg and Quinto are fine with being numbers.
More Salt, Shrek 4, Iron Man 2, and Losers pics @ Dark Horizons.
Also via Dark Horizons, Dark Crystal 2?
I guess the QT/Smurf thing was semi-true.
Inception film specs.
Anyone want a new D.H. Lawrence adaptation?
Smallville creatos ask for big compensation.
Insert Lex love and Jeff’s rants against the eloi here.
Funny that Joe only now cares about his kid’s well-being.
Did True Blood jump the shark?
DZ just came back from Alice. He thinks it’s not bad as a Rose of Versailles/Time Bandits/NIMH/Dark Crystal/Neverending Story/Desperately Seeking Susan/Baron Munchausen/Willow/Secret of Mana/YuGiOh/Berserk/Victorian Romance Emma/Claymore slash fic, but it’s a pretty underwhelming adaptation of its name-sake. Of course.
So where was he?
That last sentence was a tad more existential than I intended.
I’ve not been in the AVCO since I saw THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH so I’m a little sad it’s fallen to pieces.
They should restore the BIG auditorium (it was halved in 1993). A lot can be done with that theater with the right sort of plans and resources.
I hope Regency can make a go of the Village and Bruin. Good luck!
Oops, I meant fan-fic.
Not as BAD as Time Bandits!? Are you out of your mind!?
TIme Bandits is a CLASSIC. Dee. A CLASSIC!
Plus, it’s got Connery. And he makes me all swoony!
Vinessa: I meant that it’s not bad as a movie which rifs on some of the material in Time Bandits. But I guess the joke didn’t seep in… Speaking of Gilliam, though, this is just another movie which is going to not be remembered as well as Parnassus.
Okay. Deez. I was bit concerned there for a sec.
Unfortunately, I think Gilliam has become a sort of characterization of himself, very much like Burton. Except Burtons films still tend to make a lot of coin, so moviegoers will have to continue to endure his brand for some time to come.
In my opinion, Gilliam peaked many many years ago with the much undderated, La Jette-inspired, Twelve Monkeys.
There’s never been a director who’s work I didn’t like more based on how much I wanted to like it than Gilliam.
(Does that make sense)
“Jaborwocky” was the first let down. And no, “Time Bandits” is not that good of a film. Shit. None of his films are that good. I HATED “Baron Munchuasen” (sp).
Even the films of his I did like, “12 Monkeys”, “Fisher King” and “Fear and Loathing”, were flawed by his insistent excess.
I was a ground floor Pythonite from when I was a wee lad watching the Circus on TV with my parents. I’ve wanted to like him.
Someone should force him to make a film for seven million bucks with no shreddy costumes, no grandiose sets and NO CGI.
Let’s see what you got, Terry,
Travis: I thought that movie was Tideland.
the Fox Village is my favorite theater on the westside
Travis, I notice you avoided BRAZIL, which I would submit in his fully desired form is a masterpiece.
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