Edwards Westbrook Twin
10141 Westminster Boulevard,
Garden Grove,
CA
92844
10141 Westminster Boulevard,
Garden Grove,
CA
92844
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Edwards Cinemas
Functions: Office Space
Previous Names: Thu Do Cinema
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The Westbrook Twin opened on July 3, 1973, with typical 1970’s California shopping center architecture with a tile roof and all. It was built right next to the street with only a wide sidewalk and a grassy landscaped area separating it from the traffic. All parking was to the side and the rear.
This cinema attempt could be described as Edwards' sparest venues, perhaps built as a defensive move to keep other chains from encroaching on Edwards' territory. It looked like it was designed and built so it could be converted to stores later, if desired.
With the rise of multiplexes, mostly Edwards, It eventually became an outdated money loser and was showing $1.50 movies when Edwards closed it on October 25, 1990.
The Orange County Register said in May of 1991, that it was to be taken over by two Vietnamese entrepreneurs, who renamed it the Thu Do (Capital) Cinema and will begin to present French, Vietnamese and Chinese films.
The theatre was expected to succeed because of its proximity to Little Saigon, and also that many Vietnamese would not have to drive to Los Angeles' Chinatown for movies.
One of the highlights of the Thu Do Cinema years was when it had one of the first showings of “The Scent of Green Papayas”, on January 21, 1994. This was the first Vietnamese film ever submitted for Oscar consideration. Attending the benefit presentation was the Director, Tran Anh Hung, and its star, Tran Nu Yen-Khe.
Sometime around 1996, with Steve Tran still the original owner, it dropped out of the news and listings. It is not known when it closed but the building has been used for various commercial enterprises since then.
Contributed by
Ron Pierce
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
The building is being used for offices-doctors, real estate and so on.
Here is a list of some of the films I remember seeing here. The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings Car Wash Outlaw Josey Wales, with the old man. MacArthur, with the old man Skateboard The Movie Tom Horn, with the old man A re-release of Star Wars Ice Castles, it was with my sister so shut up. The Gates of Hell Waxwork, I actually drove myself to that one when I finally got a car. I believe that was the last film I saw there, that would have been 1988.
Did this theater have Dolby stereo capability?
I don’t believe it had Dolby as it was pretty small. I saw a re-release of Star Wars, I mean this where Fulci movies would play. It had two screens with the concession stand dividing the two so you couldn’t jump theatres. You would buy your ticket outside and the box office was connected to the concession stand, so you would have to go to the left or right depending on what auditorium to get in. My first time there was probably ‘76 and it was kind of run down. The Island was another one I saw there.