National Theatre

10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles, CA 90024

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Showing 476 - 500 of 755 comments

mistertopps
mistertopps on July 13, 2007 at 6:54 pm

while i love the bruin and want to support more 1-screen theatres, if you had to choose between either— go to the dome. that’s where i saw it and it looked and sounded awesome.

atoplitsky72
atoplitsky72 on July 13, 2007 at 6:45 pm

Oh, ok Mister Topps I just saw your post thank you. So you recommend both the National and Bruin, the Cinerama Dome and the Gruman’s Chinese.

atoplitsky72
atoplitsky72 on July 13, 2007 at 6:41 pm

Actually let me re-phrase the question since I just noticed Transformers is now playing at the Mann Bruin. Which theater has a better soundsystem, the Mann Bruin or the Arclight Cinerama Dome? Which additional theaters in LA have really good sound systems?

mistertopps
mistertopps on July 13, 2007 at 6:36 pm

re: the midnight shows, does anyone know if this is effective immediately? a bunch of friends and i were planning on seeing Goodfellas tonight!

re: the best sound system. my vote goes for the westwood village/national/bruin (NOT the mann festival), grauman’s chinese, or the arclight cinerama dome.

atoplitsky72
atoplitsky72 on July 13, 2007 at 6:30 pm

I’m new to this site and just moved to southern California. I plan on seeing Transformers but not sure which theater would be better? Keep in mind quality audio is what I care about! I’m very picky about it! So my question is, which theater has a better sound system, The National Theater in Westwood or the Acrlight Cinerama Dome in Hollywood?

Out of ALL the theaters in LA, which one has the best sound system?

r0wr
r0wr on July 13, 2007 at 8:46 am

Midnight shows are being canceled.

markinthedark
markinthedark on July 13, 2007 at 5:45 am

Can’t the National get a website going? Even a simple one? You can use my pictures that are on Cinematour…

Damon Packard
Damon Packard on July 13, 2007 at 4:09 am

this board is still the only place i know of (online) to get the list of upcoming midnight shows, is it advertised anywhere else? I don’t even see it in the LA Weekly

exit
exit on July 6, 2007 at 6:32 am

Not enough info yet to draw a firm conclusion, but we’re working on it.

BradE41
BradE41 on July 2, 2007 at 9:18 pm

Is it yes or no that the National only has six more months left? There seems to be conflicting reports.

AlanSanborn
AlanSanborn on June 30, 2007 at 6:29 pm

It’s tricky to get major blockbusters when all of your competitors have huge chains of theaters that they can use to negotiate better deals with the studios. I think Sicko is potentially quite a catch although I do see your point that, visually, it isn’t the sort of film that NEEDS a big screen like that National.

I think the real problem is still a lack of awareness that the National is open and running films and also not a lot of promotion out there. It was gratifying to see The National listed first in the Sicko ad in the Times but when I asked at the box office if people could order tickets over the phone, I was told by the cashier that he didn’t think so. In today’s market, this is a major handicap.

I’ll bet The Transformers looked great when they screened it there for the L.A. Film Festival!

Best wishes,

Alan

Damon Packard
Damon Packard on June 30, 2007 at 2:20 pm

Sicko’s great, and I fully support and hope for lots of business (on anything) the National should get might get..but, shouldn’t they (the National) be opening with stuff like Die Hard 4 or Transformers, or Harry Potter..Sicko is more of a Regent or Festival theatre type engagement. Of course i understand the reasons those films won’t open there (they stopped opening first run bloackbusters at the National years ago) but they really should make use of that theatre in a suitable way and allow the large crowds to re-discover it. It’s the only way I can possible see it surviving.

r0wr
r0wr on June 30, 2007 at 9:22 am

What’s going on with the Midnight showings? Is anybody going? We’ve been requesting it yet only a few have shown support and gone to them. LONG LIVE THE NATIONAL!

AlanSanborn
AlanSanborn on June 30, 2007 at 9:18 am

I saw Sicko tonight and it was just as riveting as the first time. I was truly surprised to find only a couple of hundred people there but I hope that will grow as word gets out both on how good Sicko is and that the National’s reopened for business.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Armand tonight who was still reeling over serving Dianne Keaton! Keep up the great work, Armand!

Best wishes,

Alan Sanborn

markinthedark
markinthedark on June 30, 2007 at 7:06 am

Too bad Sicko is also playing at the new Landmark, 2 miles away. I encourage everyone to see it at the National. And tell your friends. I converted a couple of coworkers (who had never been there) to check out the National. I sold them with with my pictures posted on Cinematour of the the National’s closing night under Mann’s operation:

http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=2134

They were wowed by the fact that it is a perfectly preserved relic of widescreen cinema construction from the 60’s and 70’s. Too bad that it is not old enough, or “ornate” enough, to be historically registered and preserved. It seems that Los Angeles will tear down and destroy anything that is not old enough. Where theatres like the Village and Bruin in Westwood will survive because of their location, age, neon, and classic design, superior theatres like the National willl fall. Unless we do something, all of the theatres and architecture from this era, unprotected as they are, will one day be gone.

r0wr
r0wr on June 30, 2007 at 7:00 am

WHY ARE YOU GOING TO THE VILLAGE!??!?! GO TO THE NATIONAL!

Coate
Coate on June 30, 2007 at 6:58 am

When I was last in Westwood Village (about two weeks ago), there was a “public notice of planned demolition” posted in one of the NATIONAL’s windows.

exit
exit on June 30, 2007 at 6:05 am

PS: Supporting the National with your frequent patronage in the next few months is a very good idea. I’m going over to see SICKO. Hope it’s crowded.

exit
exit on June 30, 2007 at 6:02 am

Okay guys, there has been an answer to the National rumors over on Cinema Sightlines. They report that the announcement at the screening had no basis in fact, and there are no plans to demolish the National in the near future. They have some more details and are working on getting some definitive statements from the parties directly involved. Wouldn’t you love to find whoever made that announcement and ask them where they got their information from?

Further info at: http://cinemasightlines.com/trailers_events.php

r0wr
r0wr on June 26, 2007 at 5:19 am

LONG LIVE NATIONAL THEATRE! Lets support the theatre guys, who knows how much longer it’ll be here for.

Damon Packard
Damon Packard on June 26, 2007 at 3:41 am

wow Rita’s at the Chinese, haven’t seen her in a long time. She was such a spritely character, i worked with her in 1990 at the Village, she used to do a great imitation of Larry Parker the attorney (from his commercials) I wonder if Enre' is still working Box office at the Village, you may recall he is probably the most perennial figure of Mann figures, having worked with them since the mid 70’s, at the Village box for over 30 years.
Remember when Nicolas Cage and Mathew Modine used to walk around westwood in the mid 80’s acting crazy and freaking people out, and Nic Cage used to tease this girl Michelle Morgan (co-worker) when she was in the box. Yea doesn’t surprise me their tearing it down for a Banana Republic that won’t last long, this will soon be a banana republic country, it’s over.

exit
exit on June 26, 2007 at 2:19 am

Thanks for the heads-up, Armand. Looking forward to having the record set straight. Now I’m very curious how a 26 year old ended up running the National. Can’t wait to read the story. Here come the jokes about being twice your age and having stationery older than you… However all that really mattters is how well it’s done, so best of luck and let’s all buy plenty of tickets!

William
William on June 26, 2007 at 1:33 am

The last time I heard Barton still lived near the Village. I remember you from the Village.

BradE41
BradE41 on June 26, 2007 at 1:27 am

Hey, I know Barton. I worked with him at the Village for 2 years. Used to see him all the time around Westwood. Does he still live in Westwood? I’ve been once to the National so far with the new Management, I saw “Paris, Je T’aime” opening Saturday night. My apartment is in walking distance to Sunset 5 (where it was playing) and I drove to patronize the National.