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In recognition of the holiday weekend, we feature the first Mann Theatres Thanksgiving print advertisement. Fresh off the purchase of National General, the newly rebranded chain was still reflective of its’ National/Fox/Fox West Coast past at the time; dominated by aging single/twin screens and lacking the modern multiplexes that would soon become the company’s hallmark. […]

Back in the 1960’s Los Angeles saw a surge in “Adults Only” theatres hitting the landscape. Initially featuring more exploitation and European “art” titles, than true explicit content, the burgeoning “adults only” business model proved to be a windfall for aging and displaced cinemas. In short order, theatres which had been left behind by mainstream […]

Today’s picture is from a late 1990’s policy trailer for AMC’s MovieWatcher. For those who don’t remember MovieWatcher, the program was similar to present day rewards programs (AMC Stubs, Regal Crown Club, etc), but much more streamlined/basic than modern day equivalents. Back in the 90’s and early 00’s, patrons submitted a form with their contact […]

In July of 1931, a theatre opened on Hollywood Boulevard with the bold prediction that it would “flame a revolution in film presentation.” Financially backed by business tycoon Howard Hughes, designed by renowned architect S. Charles Lee, and utilizing operations concepts which were decades ahead of their time, the theatre was among the first to […]

Grauman’s Chinese Theatre celebrated its’ 93rd birthday in silence on Monday (5/18). Hopefully, we will see ” The World’s Most Glorious Temple of the Cinema” celebrate 94 in a more appropriate fashion; full of adoring fans. On an interesting side note, 93 years ago the public had a chance to buy into the Chinese Theatre, […]

“Forgotten” would seem to be an unlikely moniker for a cinema directly associated with the most famous movie theatre in the world. However, that proved to be the fate of Mann’s Chinese 2 & 3 (aka Mann’s Chinese Twin). Envisioned as a moviegoing mecca, built as a modern take on a classic, and falling victim […]

Amid the trivia and legends surrounding Grauman’s Chinese one often comes across mentions of a secret underground tunnel which once linked the theatre to either the Hollywood Masonic Temple or Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (the tunnel mate tends to vary by the age of the story’s source). Secretly constructed by Hollywood powerbroker Charles E. Toberman, operated […]

Fifty years ago, this week, the grand single screen era began its’ swan song with the opening of the National Theatre in Westwood. Opened on 3/26/70, with an invitational premiere of “The Boys in the Band”, National General’s 1,112 seat modern palace was among the last grand single screen builds, as the industry had already […]

This evening we witnessed an unprecedented event in the history of movie going, as every movie theatre in the United States (likely most of the world) closed indefinitely. On hearing the news that the last few holdouts had fallen in line with national guidelines, I attempted to find a point of comparison, some similar period […]

As the 92nd Academy Awards wrap up a 3 1/2 hour worldwide broadcast and transition into endless recaps, reviews, and followup commentary, we take a quick look at a very different ceremony that took place for the 1st Academy Awards. Back on May 16, 1929, two hundred seventy people paid $5 a piece to attend […]