Regency Village Theatre
961 Broxton Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
961 Broxton Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
84 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 478 comments
This theatre had the World premiere of the Oliver Stone movie “JFK”.
Here is a clickable link for “Preview Harvey” by Bruce Kimmel.
Stumbley - I think you’ll get a kick out of the book - sorry the link isn’t clickable but just cut and paste it into your browser or search the title on Amazon in “Books” - and yes, the character of Preview Harvey is inspired by Preview Henry. I was a preview nut and saw him at all the previews and chatted with him many times. The studios adopted him - he was their good luck charm :) I just tried to imagine what his life might have been, but that part’s pure fiction as I didn’t know him beyond the previews. But the Village is as big a player in the book as the character - as are all the other Westwood theaters and other theaters around LA.
To Haineshisway:
We always called that fellow “Preview Henry” and I’m sure I know the guy you’re talking about. And yes, I remember Fred Astaire being at the theater for “The Godfather.” You almost certainly saw me at the door taking tickets. Among the ushers at that time was Zach Horowitz, later the president of Universal Records. Lots of interesting people, both as customers and workers. I’ll have to read your book!
To Stumbley: I saw The Godfather on opening day. Right in front of me in line was - Fred Astaire. Yes, those were the days, but I began going to the Village in 1954 when they’d installed their Cinemascope screen. Saw so many movies there over the years, not to mention a ton of major studio previews. In fact, the Village plays a leading role in a book I DID write that came out a couple of months ago - which is all about a guy obsessed with major studio previews. The book is fiction, but it’s based on a real guy you’d probably remember if you worked any of the previews. I call him Preview Harvey in the book. My favorite sneak previews I saw at the Village were High Time, Experiment in Terror (it was Blake Edwards' favorite place to preview), Goldfinger several weeks before it opened and the greatest reaction I ever heard at a preview), The Party, Cabaret, Capricorn One - so many. Of course, the Village adorns the cover of Preview Harvey. https://www.amazon.com/Preview-Harvey-Bruce-Kimmel/dp/B0C4ZQL2QK/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_2?pd_rd_w=Pcttl&content-id=amzn1.sym.0250fb24-4363-44d0-b635-ac15f859c3b5&pf_rd_p=0250fb24-4363-44d0-b635-ac15f859c3b5&pf_rd_r=KS0JD309766CWTVENGMX&pd_rd_wg=uCzlo&pd_rd_r=06279317-0059-4386-9cd1-133cf5474568&pd_rd_i=B0C4ZQL2QK
“vindanpar on April 3, 2022 at 6:01 pm WSS had its world premiere in NY’s Rivoli theater then had its Hollywood premiere at Grauman’s. When did it get to this theater? Even in LA I would think Grauman’s would have it exclusively first run.”
Grauman’s did have West Side Story exclusively first run for over a year. It never played the Village during its wide release, which began on February 6, 1963. During that release, it played the Picwood in Westwood (the Village was playing The Lion, which I saw there). In March, it moved from the Picwood to the Bruin, where it ran several weeks. It finally came to the Village for the 1968 reissue in September of that year. I saw it there then, too, after having seen it about fourteen times at the Chinese.
There’s debate on that over on the “Save Arclight” social medias. Regency claims that just because. it’s up for sale it is not closing down. Then some think that the 70mm screening of Oppenheimer could be final showing. Article from Daily Bruin… https://dailybruin.com/2023/07/07/the-historically-iconic-westwood-fox-village-theater-is-listed-for-sale
closing? It’s up for sale at Loopnet. Screenshot posted.
James Cameron’s Oscar-winning 1997 historical epic “Titanic” opened at the Mann Village in 70mm 25 years ago this weekend (Dec. 19, 1997).
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, the film opened at number one on over 2,600 screens and held the top spot for the next 14 weeks, increasing its theater count every seven days during that period while averaging an astonishing $30 million a week.
It would finish its juggernaut initial 41-week run in October of ‘98 with a domestic gross just shy of $601 million to become the then-highest-grossing film of all time. It also became the first film to gross over $1 billion worldwide.
“Titanic” garnered 14 Oscar nominations and went on to win 11, including Best Picture and Best Director for Cameron.
I saw “Titanic” at the Village opening weekend with a full crowd and remember waiting in a line that snaked around Westwood. I sat in the balcony and marveled at the theater before me. Sadly I haven’t returned since.
I stumbled on this website not long ago, and was intrigued by all the comments on the Village.
I was Assistant Manager for about 3 ½ years in the early 70’s, when Westwood was considered the “hot” film place. We had a number of premiere events, and the theater was very busy.
I was among the first in Los Angeles (outside of the studio) to see “The Godfather” prior to its debut at the Village. Al Ruddy (one of the producers) brought the film to the theater one afternoon before the premiere to check out how the film would play at the Village. Ruddy, the projectionist, and I were the only people in the theater at the time. After seeing the movie, I knew we’d be VERY busy for a long time.
At the premiere, about halfway through the presentation, Mario Puzo emerged from the theater into the lobby with about a foot-long, inch diameter cigar, and lit up. We had an interesting conversation about the film, the book, and how he was doing since the book’s popularity. He shook his head sadly, and admitted that he “had gambled away everything I made on the book and the film” and that he was compelled to “write the crap screenplay for ‘Earthquake’” in order to pay off his debts. I asked whether he had been worried about offending organized crime with his depiction of “the Mob,” and he replied that “no, I had a lot of help from that corner.”
Some other tidbits:
Walter Matthau and his son PAID to see Matthau in “Plaza Suite” when it played at the Village.
We often had lines round the block for popular movies. At one point, Groucho Marx came by with his companion, Erin Fleming, and requested to be let in before the line. He said “You wouldn’t deny admission to a living legend, would you?”
We had the premiere of “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” at the Village, for which Neil Diamond wrote the soundtrack. The film was so poorly received that one night, for the prime-time showing, no one had purchased a ticket by the time the show was supposed to start. The projectionist ran the film through the projector without firing up the carbon arc, to save carbon (the rods would actually burn up and had to be periodically replaced). Neil Diamond arrived at the theater about 15 minutes into the show, and we quickly informed the projectionist to start the arc, just in time for Diamond to enter the theater. He came out about 5 minutes later and asked “Am I the only person in the show?” When I answered “Yes” he shook his head and started to walk away. I told him that I thought the music was really good, but the film was crap, and he agreed. He said “I wish I’d never been involved in this junk.”
Finally, one of the commenters down thread had asked “What became of the former manager Jim Peters?” I can answer that question. He was let go after it was revealed that he had been faking refunds and pocketing the money. One of the cashiers and I had informed the District Manager that he was raking in about $20-$30 per night doing this. Small potatoes per day, but it added up. Peters claimed that he was using the money to renovate the Manager’s office, but the District Manager didn’t necessarily believe that story. However, Peters wasn’t actually fired, just moved to a smaller, less important theater. The cashier and I had to work with Peters for about 2 weeks after informing on him (before he was transferred) and I can tell you, it was NOT FUN. But since he had basically forced the cashier to participate (she had to sign the refund forms) she would have been complicit in the crime, and I didn’t want her to be implicated.
Many more stories about Westwood and the theaters there at that time; it was a “happening place”. I often contemplated writing a book!
WSS had its world premiere in NY’s Rivoli theater then had its Hollywood premiere at Grauman’s. When did it get to this theater? Even in LA I would think Grauman’s would have it exclusively first run.
Regency Village and Bruin Theatres - Westwood, CA is feeling excited. November 12 at 12:00 AM · Our 90th anniversary continues November 26th at the Village with the EXCLUSIVE Engagement of the new Paul Thomas Anderson film, Licorice Pizza featured in 70mm Film! Being a master filmmaker, his films are inherently amazing so put on your best threads and boogie over now…and don’t stop and smell the magnolias. There will be Red Vines!
On Regency’s Facebook Page
70mm is coming back to Westwood! We can’t say more right now but exciting things are coming together!
70mm #film
Reopened on October 18th, 1951
Village Theatre in Westwood reopening Thu, Oct 18, 1951 – 32 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · Newspapers.com
The exterior was used in Once upon a Time in Hollywood.
August 11th, 1931 grand opening ad in the photo section.
Came her Sunday 5.12 for the 11.30am showing of Endgame. The theater now boasts it as a THX Ultimate Theater. The changes are not that noticeable, but welcomed.
Sound: The sound is much more discreet, and not so much in your face. I always thought this theater had the best sound in LA (I know I am in the minority on that opinion=), and whatever they did for this upgrade improved an already impressive system. Real nice THX Ultimate trailer showed before the film.
They still use Dolby Atmos and show the trailer before the movie.
Picture: The picture is light years better then what it was. First off, the screen is bigger. Its maybe just a few feet wider, but there is no more room for the screen to get any larger. It appears they pulled it as wide as they could. The manager confirmed with me that the screen was replaced with a slightly larger screen.
The new laser projection was amazing.I previously saw this movie at a Dolby Cinema, and this was just as good if not better.
For $10.50 for a matinee, this theater is the best deal in town.
https://www.thx.com/blog/thx-launches-worlds-first-thx-ultimate-cinema-at-regency-westwood-village-theater/ this is great news!!!
Regency just announced that Dunkirk will play here in 70mm! I cannot remember the last time they played that format here, perhaps it was Titanic.
The Village was among just eleven theaters in the United States that installed the then-new Dolby Digital sound system for their engagement of “Batman Returns” which opened twenty-five years ago today. And here’s the link to a retrospective article that commemorates the occasion.
According to George Perry’s 2005 book “James Dean”, Dean and actress Ursula Andress attended a sneak preview screening of the final cut of “Rebel Without A Cause” at the Village Theatre in Westwood on Saturday September 17, 1955, less than two weeks before he was killed in an auto accident.
Saw the 115pm show of “Deadpool” here today. Regency sunk some money here again. The THX and Atmos rocked as usual. Hands down the best cinema around.
Just came from the 1250pm showing of Star Wars here. @giles, this is THE Dolby Atmos cinema in Los Angeles. Light years ahead of the El Capitan.
Regency website shows the Hobbit opening Tuesday evening and Bruin has Exodus though Tuesday. Since Hobbit is a Wednesday release it probably means the theaters are still sorting out their schedules and have not gotten the showtimes out there yet.
Looks like this cinema and the Bruin are closing. No show times for both either on Flixter or Regency’s app after today