Mann Festival Theater

When did 70mm projection get installed here? Was 70mm in place from Day One, or was it installed years later?

“youtube UA Theater Westwood Animal Crackers” typed into a goggle search brought the May 23, 1974 Animal Crackers re premiere video up. There is no sound and Marx is wearing a pith helmet and smoking a cigar.

“Groucho Marx and companion Erin Fleming arrive at the May 23, 1974 repremiere of ANIMAL CRACKERS at the U.A. Westwood Theater. The campaign to get ANIMAL CRACKERS back in theaters after it was tied up in litigation for decades was spearheaded by UCLA student Steve Stoliar, who later became Groucho’s secretary. Also shown are ANIMAL CRACKERS director Victor Heerman, Groucho’s longtime publicist Bill Feeder, and rocker Alice Cooper. At the end is footage of the news story on a TV set. (This silent, Super 8 footage was taken by Michael W. Johnson.)”

Animal Crackers Re Premiere

Ran inside the Mann Festival briefly while the doors were open for a routine air out. Seats gone but Mammoth screen and decor still intact! Looked so grand…even in the dark! Hopefully this theatre will see the light of a projector again.

This is the the former location of the UA Westwood. The Rocky Horror Picture Show made it’s US debut at this theater on September 26, 1975. The very first rumblings of the Rocky Horror audience participation phenomena started in this theater with audience members returning for multiple repeat viewings. On October 30, 2015, the City Of Los Angeles proclaimed the date as “Rocky Horror Picture Show Day”. A ceremony was held here to commemorate the film’s US debut 40 years earlier. Tim Curry, Lou Adler, and Rocky Horror Fan Club President Sal Piro attended, along with a large crowd of fans. A memorial plaque was dedicated and will soon be mounted on the structure. Don’t Dream It. Be It. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1h3oPTaNKE

Anybody know EXACTLY what’s gong on with the Mann Festival now. It seems to be just sitting there…

The first row of the balcony was perfect. Back when it was the UA Westwood was when the theatre was the best. It along with the Regent and Plaza where were many indie and now Cult films opened with big, big crowds. I still remember seeing Robert Altman’s 3 Women there and coming out thinking WTF??? :–) I was 14 years only and just did not get it.

This theatre and the National being gone hurt more than the loss of the Avco in my opinion. Sadly this will never see the light of day again as a movie theatre.

Did the theater have a balcony?

I remember it as the UA, and I loved the Bratskeller, the restaurant at the corner of the block in the 1970s.

Could explain why nobody took over the lease. I almost thought someone would. It seems we have seen the last of the Festival (UA Westwood) as a movie theatre. Will become either a restuarant or retail someday.

FYI, Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly Cinema replaced their seats with ones from the Festival. You can still see the Mann logo on the armrests.
I attend movies about five nights a week at about 20 different venues; however, the Beverly is a throwback to that time when revival theaters were all the rage and is a favorite.

I looked at a pdf brochure about the place, it looks like the seats were removed. Assuming the projector is gone too, how much would it cost to get the place running again, not counting the lease?

http://www.westwoodblvd.com/Content/leasing.htm

It does not say.

I found the leasing information, but they do not advertise a price. It is being listed as Theatre/Retail.

A theatre owner friend of mine looked up the grosses for the Village and Bruin Theatres. They were not that great, if you think about how they once were. The Festival was never a money maker. Look at how the people over at the National Theatre did. Great theatre but a lossing game.