National Theatre
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
10925 Lindbrook Drive,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
64 people
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Showing 651 - 675 of 755 comments
Was this a Mann theatre when it first opened?
You bring an old question to my mind with your above comment. I used to work for the Mann circuit out of the district office in Wichita, Kansas, my question is; How exactly did Ted Mann come to purchase National General? That question has been debated for decades around ths part of the country. If anyone has an opinions or knows the history of the transaction, I for one would be interested in reading your opinions.
Thank you.
Mann theatres has lost its importance as a movie chain with the exception of a few select industry theatres. Like the old M-G-M its been reduced to a shadow of its former self. Ted Mann purchased the National General(Fox West Coast)chain back in the 1970’s which was a dominant player in LA until he sold the chain to Warner Bros/Paramount and its been downhill ever since. With the exception of the Chinese in Hollywood and Village in Westwood very little has been done to improve the circuit. Im surprised it hasn’t been sold to another theatre chain. Westwood has suffered the same decline as Mann theatres which was the dominant force in Westwood for years. Landmark is opening a state of the art multiplex at the Westside Pavillion which will not have a positive effect on Westwood Village.I just hope the Fox Village is saved at all costs.brucec
Too bad they didn’t keep it and book Spider Man 3 there, staggering showtimes with The Village.
I am going to guess that Mann is NOT, repeat NOT, reopening the theater. If it is going to reopen soon under a different operator, the newspaper ad is probably simply wrong. Often, the studios that place the ads mistakenly use the former name until they realize otherwise.
Perhaps “Simms Entertainment” is going to lease the theatre, with Mann acting as a booking agent, and retaining the MANN name. Maybe MANN found a partner for the costs of running the theatre. Whatever the case, it is great it is coming back. There is plenty of film product coming this Summer, and the National should be ‘well booked’.
Michael: By all accounts, go forward with the article.
JSA
Not to sound like an ingrate here, but we were kinda hoping the new owner would fix the place up… keep an eye on Mann’s (and other chain’s) website for Friday’s listings. So far the National is not on Mann’s website. PS Michael. of COURSE we’re all anxious to read what you’ve been working on.
I was in Westwood today and walked by the theatre. A sign on display in the boxoffice window suggests the theatere indeed will re-open on Friday the 11th. Whether it’s being re-opened by Mann Theatres or another outfit, I couldn’t tell you at this time.
That’s great that the place will be re-opening, but it does create a problem of sorts since for the past couple of weeks Bill Kallay and I have been chipping away at a special tribute article. I guess now we’ll just have to hit the “delete” button! Kidding. I suppose we can still run the article if there’s any interest out there.
There is an ad in today’s L.A. Times for “The Ex” that lists “Mann National” as one of the theatres it is opening in on Friday. Is this a misprint? Does this mean that Mann has gotten another extension on the lease, or is now sub-leasing it from “Simms Entertainment.” WTF!?!
Adam has posted my closing night shots of the national on Cinematour.
http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/2134.html
I worked at the National in ‘84-85 during engagements like Temple of Doom and Beverly Hills Cop, and saw many films there in the early 80’s (Brainstorm, Krull, Star Trek II, etc) it’s always been my favorite theatre of Westwood but this was the last heyday of Westwood, when movies were still an exciting and inspiring event. We’ve witnissed the death of single house cinema’s over the last 10-15 years and it’s been an inevitable slow death. At that time the manager was a young guy named Mac Carter, long time figure Harry Francis was at the Bruin (“paying customers aren’t complaining sir”) Famous LAPD cop Marc Fuhrman patrolled Westwood on foot and the theatres were rife with embezzlment I saw entire staff’s fired at several chains, ahh but that was the chaotic fun of the times and we had so much fun.
I spent a lot of time hanging out in the projection booth with the projectionist (Burt) admiring Doug Trumball’s 70mm showscan equipment, which they left there for years. Of course seeing anything in 70mm at the National was always a treat, at some point in the 90’s they basically wrote that theater off diverting first run movies to the Village or Bruin and sending dumb comedies or substandard fare to the National.
I don’t agree the theatre needed renovation, i personally liked the orange interior and curtains, what they needed were better movies, not a newly remodeled interior. And as for Spielberg saving the place, it’s a romantic notion but it’ll never happen. The true movie scene is dead, plain and simple, We don’t even have projectionsists left fer’ christ sakes! It can and never will be what it was, these are the last days, it’s over.
DP www.reflectionsofevil.com
Thats great news if it’s true. But if Mann couldn’t make it work…
The National Theatre will re open on 11 May 2007. Unknown operator and feature.
Jordan C – the Majestic Crest (as it’s now called) was renovated with Joeseph Musil’s design talent (similar to his work on the El Capitan) years before it was sold to Robert Bucksbaum, who has said it took his entire life savings to purchase the theatre. Mr. Bucksbaum’s passion for a small classic theatre did save the Crest, (which we all thank him for) but it it highly unlikely his pockets are deep enough to acquire and renovate the National.
I agree that parking is an obvious issue with running the National. That has apparently been the case for decades, for I met Patty Duke (Astin) in the summer of ‘74, when she and her family had a home in the area, and she said that after THE EXORCIST opened at the National, it was impossible to park anywhere in Westwood. I would imagine that solving the parking issue, perhaps in some kind of co-op deal with surrounding merchants, would be a key factor in the National’s future success. But I believe that, like challenge of running the theatre itself, the parking issue is not insurmountable.
Michael, have you checked any further? We’ve seen print articles, (referenced here, i think) wherein Mann reps said that increased rent was the deciding issue for their exit, which indicates that the building is not theirs to sell. However, the rest of your report sure sounded promising…
I was only ten years old, but I could sware that the original “THX” promo during the opening weekend of “Empire of the Sun” at the National was the loudest I’ve ever heard. I also have fond memories of having a birthday party watching Crocodile Dundee II at the National with my friends, as well as seeing Misery, Beetlejuice, Species, Christmas Vacation and many others. It will be missed.
I still live in Westwood and work out at LA Fitness (about a block from the National) several times a week. I’ll keep an eye out and post any noticable changes to the theater on this site.
A couple random thoughts:
-Wasn’t the Crest purchased and restored by some passionate independant investor a while back? Perhaps this person be looking at assuming the National as well?
-The corner that the National sits on is relativly quiet and parking is sparce. The Circuit City accross the street went out of business a few years back after Best Buy came to town, and the huge DSW shoe store that opened recently in it’s place always seems empty. I can’t see the National being converted into some big-box retail store and being too successful. Quite honestly, I can envision that space sitting vacant for years unless someone reopens it as a theater.
Sad to say I saw only one movie there – an advance screening of Just Cause in ‘95. Let’s just say I was more impressed with the theater than the film. Wish I had made it back before the closure. I did see Zodiac and thought it looked familiar.
The National really did not need much renovation. But I really think new seats were in order. Also something needed to be done to the dirty ceiling, a fresh outside paint job, and a new sign.
As far as an extensive renovation, I do not think a big overhaul was needed. Back in 2002 they were planning to do a major overhaul, but they changed their minds. Probably because what they had planned was too expensive, and I think the asbestos had to be removed and was costly.
Many of the older properties that Mann Theatres held where leased like the Village and Bruin. Some of the properties the company leased were owned by the Skouras family.
As much as the National is in need of an upgrade comfort-wise, there is a part of me that likes it the way it is. It is a perfectly preserved represtation of its era for design etc. As I look through my photos I took, the ones of the front row seats make me think that at some time some fan sat in that chair to see the latest Indiana Jones in 70mm. I know that it is probably not viable to preserve the theatre as is, but it has character and a real sense of time. The kind of place that many of us growing up in the 70’s and 80’s learned to love (and want to work in) movies.
I think Mann theatres owned the National back when Ted Mann owned the chain. Simms Entertainment? I hope it is true that it stays open as a movie theatre. Maybe they could put some money into getting new seats. It would be weird it not being a “Mann” theatre, but I am all for it being utilized as a working movie theatre.
But I thought it wasn’t Mann’s to sell. Were they not leasing it?
So it appears the National isn’t gone yet. Mann sold it to a company called Simms Entertainment(sp?. I called them up. They don’t plan to demolish it but instead lease it out to someone to show films in. They wouldn’t tell me what company but said they hope to get first run movies in there. We’ll see what happens.
It’s funny that a posting here mentioned that perhaps Steven Spielberg could save the theater. I was mentioning this to a friend of mine with the same idea this morning. Many of his films played at the National. He’s a huge movie buff. It would seem that he’d want to save this theater. There are very few around like it anymore. It far surpasses almost any other theatre out there for size and presentation quality.
It’s a wonderful idea to bring back the original Indiana Jones trilogy and have it play there. How about a Spielberg festival? Of course, first run movies would have to play there for the theatre to be viable (and not the dreary second hand titles the National’s been getting lately). This theatre has a glorious past and it’s a shame that it’s been pushed aside.
It’s not that Spielberg or anyone else is obligated to save the theatre. But it seems like the right thing to do. In fact, he wouldn’t even have to invest in it. He’s got enough clout to ask Paramount to revive the theater. It’s not in too bad of shape and it’s in great location. Talk about it being a premiere house again!
El Capitan in Hollywood is a single screen and does excellent business, and yet no one complains that it’s a relic and can’t compete with the megaplexes. And that theatre is much older than the National. So make the National an “in” spot to see movies again.
Too many classy and classic theatres have been lost since the mid-90s. We don’t need anymore megaplexes. Nearly every megaplex I’ve gone to looks like every other megaplex I’ve gone to. At least the National had its own magnificence. It’ll be missed unless someone takes it over.