Cinemas Westwood

does anyone know of any pics online of the old downstairs auditorium before it was split in ‘93?

I liked the old number three room (now it’s number 4). I haven’t been there since AMC took over. It is a standard style auditorium.

After Szabo at the Avco, there was Pete Bobella and then Clarence Walker. During the late 50’s to 60’s Szabo worked for UA chain at the UA Pasadena Theatre.

Hi john I hope you remember me from san francisco. you had the theater in chestnut street by the marina and palace of fine arts. I got a great tour of the film room upstairs. I hope this is the same john dolmage. we had great fun. my email is and would love to get together and remember old times. are you still working for movies theaters? hugs, joseph

Here is a June 2008 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/58j24s

This year the L.A. Film Festival will utilize a screen at the AVCO in addition to Mann Festival, Landmark Regent, Majestic Crest, Landmark 12 and June 19 premiere of Wanted @ Mann Village.

The event is June 19-29.

I saw a preview screening of Spiderman 2 at the Avco, and the line was way around the block. Same when Moulin Rouge opened here exclusively.

Despite the fact that this theatre was once really amazing, the presentation today still isn’t all that bad. I saw the latest Bourne movie here, as well as The Bank Job, and was pretty surprised by how crowded it was and how good it looked. If you compare it to the Village— yeah, huge difference. But compare it to a place like The Landmark— I’d much rather see a film at the Avco.

I also really like that there’s no hassle, it’s easy to get to, you’ll get a good seat. Versus the Amc 15, which don’t get me wrong— it’s great— but it takes more effort which is sometimes not worth it.

Something that comes up on these messageboards constantly is the fact that going to the movies isn’t like how it used to be. The fact that the avco was once a real DESTINATION to see a movie, and now it’s 2nd rate. My question is this— what can be done to change that? When I saw Paris Je T'aime at the National before it closed, it was crowded and I felt that energy when you can see a crowd discovering something simultaneously, and in such a great place for presentation.

Part of me wonders what would happen if you took any of the huge summer blockbusters, and release them like they did back in the day. What if Indiana Jones 4 was released on 1 screen and after it finished there, they toured with it? It’s not feasible, but would create an even heightened sense of anticipation.

I heard a story that when Francis Ford Coppola was shooting Apocalypse Now that he was planning on having the film screen only at 1 theatre, somewhere in Iowa or Ohio or something like that. He would create a tourist destination based on the fact that the film would only be available there, and nowhere else. There’s something kind of rad about that.

I hear the Vine will be showing it exclusively in projected analog RCA Spectravision. They put a rush on getting the discs made now. Casings for the discs have been purchased out of the bargain bin Amoeba. They will have to remove the old “Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Extended Edition” discs first. An old curved RCA projection TV screen has been removed from the now closed Shakey’s Pizza on Hollywood Blvd. and is being installed at the Vine. Steven Spielberg and Janusz Kamiski are working furiously on a 4:3 pan & scan version for the venue. OK I’ll stop now…

Paramount has been splitting the Paramount titles between MANN and the AVCO since the National’s demise. Warner seems to be the main MANN exclusive studio in Westwood. My guess is that SPEED RACER will play at the Village until May 22 when INDIANA JONES will open. I really cannot imagine INDIANA JONES opening at the AVCO.

‘Speed Racer’ opens May 9 at the Village.

well look at it this way, might be the 1st time in 20 years there’s actually a line outside the Avco, what a strange nostalgic sight. Not that I ever go by there anymore so i wouldn’t know.
In fact the only time I go into westwood these days (on a rare blue moon) is for a Falafel at Falafel King

“Iron Man” here? Yuk!!! Another nail in the coffin for the icon formerly known as Westwood Village.

“Iron Man” opens this Friday at the Avco; too bad it is not the Avco from the 70’s and 80’s with the giant screen. The demise of Westwood makes me sad.