Comments about Regency Bruin Theatre in Los Angeles, CA

mistertopps on June 12, 2007 at 10:02 pm

One of the best screenings I’ve ever been to was at the Bruin. For the Thursday sneak of Snakes on a Plane, someone brought two huge trash bags full of rubber snakes, and would throw them throughout the audience at the appropriate times during the movie. There was constant hissing as well. And when Sam finally exclaimed his classic line (“I want these mf snakes of this mf plane”), there was literally a standing ovation. You couldn’t even hear him finish his line because everyone was cheering at the top of their lungs. Cinematic experiences like that are truly priceless.

Oh— and Heather Graham was there too. How random!

haineshisway on May 25, 2007 at 2:47 pm

I attended many movies at the Bruin, all throughout the mid-50s to the present. If you’d like to see classic shots of the exterior and interior from days of old, it’s featured in John Frankenheimer’s first film, The Young Stranger, with great exterior shots and lobby shots (as well as street shots of then Westwood – it’s available on a region 2 DVD), and, from the earlly 60s, Hall Bartlett’s The Caretakers, where we get great exterior shots of Polly Bergen walking up to the theater and buying a ticket, then great lobby shots as she enters the theater, and best of all, great auditorium shots when she goes beserk and runs up in front of the screen.

Amusingly, I saw a sneak preview of The Caretakers AT the Bruin – it was quite odd to be sitting in the auditorium watching Miss Bergen go berserk in the same auditorium!

MovieDude on October 27, 2006 at 8:28 pm

(Sorry, Gang…there appears to have been a glitch in the Matrix.)

MovieDude on October 27, 2006 at 6:19 pm

Thanks, William! I have a call into Carl. Another projectionist recommended I do the same in contacting him.

I’ve done the platter projectionist thing back in Ohio for what was $3.50/hr, I think. Tragic. That was over ten years ago. I still think there are niches of opportunity out here, I just imagine they’re not to the multitude of Hollywood’s former glory.

Thanks, again!

MovieDude on October 27, 2006 at 6:18 pm

Thanks, William! I have a call into Carl. Another projectionist recommended I do the same in contacting him.

I’ve done the platter projectionist thing back in Ohio for what was $3.50/hr, I think. Tragic. That was over ten years ago. I still think there are niches of opportunity out here, I just imagine they’re not to the multitude of Hollywood’s former glory.

Thanks, again!

MovieDude on October 27, 2006 at 6:00 pm

Thanks, William! I have a call into Carl. Another projectionist recommended I do the same in contacting him.

I’ve done the platter projectionist thing back in Ohio for what was $3.50/hr, I think. Tragic. That was over ten years ago. I still think there are niches of opportunity out here, I just imagine they’re not to the multitude of Hollywood’s former glory.

Thanks, again!

MovieDude on October 27, 2006 at 5:59 pm

Thanks, William! I have a call into Carl. Another projectionist recommended I do the same in contacting him.

I’ve done the platter projectionist thing back in Ohio for what was $3.50/hr, I think. Tragic. That was over ten years ago. I still think there are niches of opportunity out here, I just imagine they’re not to the multitude of Hollywood’s former glory.

Thanks, again!

William on October 26, 2006 at 7:50 pm

Try calling Local-150 and talk to Carl the Business Agent about work in the Los Angeles area. Because theatre projection does not pay the good rates as it once did. Because most of the staffing is done by the managers & assistants or the ushers types nowadays. Your about 10 years late on making fair money at this trade in Los Angeles. I use to work the Bel-Air circuit in Beverly Hills, Bel-Air and Malibu and the studio stuff, when I was based in Los Angeles. There was so much work and theatres to work at that time. Other then working in management or as a usher/projectionist, you might give Carl a call.

MovieDude on October 26, 2006 at 5:48 pm

MESSAGE FOR THOMAS L. and OTHER PROJECTIONISTS!

Hey Gang! My name is Todd and I learned the trade on carbon-arc projectors in college back in 1988. I currently freelance as a projectionist in Los Angeles in people’s private homes, at talent agencies, etc. I also work the Palm Springs Int'l Film Festival in January.

I’m wondering if any esteemed and tenured fellow projectionists know of any full or part-time work at your own wonderful venues or in the L.A. area in general. I simply love this work…and have the greatest respect for it!

Thanks in advance for any help!

William on June 30, 2006 at 1:57 pm

The theatre had these nice side wall lights at one time, but they removed them during one of the later remodels.

JodarMovieFan on May 6, 2006 at 9:12 am

Thanks, William. The interior doesn’t look as nice or ornate as my memory of the Westwood, but more like a studio screening room.

William on May 5, 2006 at 11:43 pm

Forgot a dot.

View link

William on May 5, 2006 at 11:40 pm

Here a few shots from the Mann Theatres site.

View link

JodarMovieFan on May 5, 2006 at 11:04 pm

How about some interior shots? I’ve been to the Westwood, across the street, in ‘01 and saw Planet of the Apes there. They have a killer sound system (THX certified) but the screen is a bit small. It can’t be much larger/smaller than Baltimore’s Senator.

MarkNYLA on December 4, 2005 at 5:04 pm

Nighttime shot

kencmcintyre on December 4, 2005 at 4:44 pm

Here is a photo of the foyer, circa 1937, from UCLA collection:

http://sclee.library.ucla.edu/001/17/i0011702.jpg

Joe Vogel on December 1, 2005 at 12:59 am

If you refer to the concave wall with giant fluting above the marquee, that was a common feature of many buildings, whether theatres or retail shops, all around Los Angeles during the Art Moderne period. Another theatre with a similar feature was the Arden in Lynwood, a few miles southeast of downtown. If you refer to that splendid round marquee, that was a feature of several theatres that occupied corner locations, including the RKO Hillstreet, the Warner Downtown, and the Wiltern.

[Deleted] on December 1, 2005 at 12:09 am

The facade looks similar to the Trylon Theater’s facade in Queens, N.Y. Did other theaters have this feature?

UKuser on November 2, 2005 at 8:46 am

CALLING ALL THEATRE / MOVIE ENTHUSIASTS!!!

T'he Los Angeles Theatre' on South Broadway, LA is playing host to the UK television show ‘Dead Famous LIVE’. We are currently looking for people who would like to come along as part of the studio audience.

‘Dead Famous LIVE’ is a studio entertainment show all about Hollywood History and the paranormal. We will be welcoming celebrity guests on to the show and investigating famous locations around Hollywood which are rumoured to be haunted including the Los Angeles Theatre itself.

This is an invaluable chance to get access to the Los Angeles Theatre, the place where Charlie Chaplin’s ‘City Lights’ premiered in 1931 and to have a thoroughly great day out! (And its free!!)

We’re transmitting ‘Live’ back to the United Kingdom so expect it to be exciting and fun!

We will be filming on three days from 11th – 13th November between 11.30am – 4pm. If you are interested in coming on one or all of these days then email me for tickets!

.uk

I look forward to your responses!

suller on September 14, 2005 at 11:59 pm

I am currently the union projectionist/engineer for The Mann Bruin, Westwood, and other Mann theatres in the Westwood area. I have been here since april 2003. The Bruin is still a first run theatre, and is often used as â€œoverflow houseâ€ for the big premieres across the street at The Village. It is also still host of its own premieres. The last one was Dreamworksâ€™ Red Eye in August 2005. I am very interested in any pictures or film shot at The Bruin over the years. Please let me knowâ€¦.

webfox on May 20, 2005 at 1:48 am

I worked as projectionist at the Bruin from 1975 until 1997. I ran some great films there, lots of premiers.“All the President’s Men” was the first premier I worked. Quite often, I would meet celebs there. Biggies I remember were “Terms of Endearment” played there exclusive for several months.As William (above)wrote, The Bruin installed 70mm in 1978. I was working there at the time and worked on the installation of the Norelco AAII Projectors. As he said “Capricorn One” was the 1st of many 70mm pix to play there.Some of the HUGE Boxoffice pix in 70mm were “Road Warrior” Blade Runner"
I have pictures of many of the marquees, as well as pix of the projection installation. I also made a short comedy film called “Walk-In' at the Bruin and used theatre staff to play customers. People still laugh when I run this film. Soon hope to make this available on DVD. Anyone interested?

Ken Roe on March 22, 2005 at 1:39 pm

The photo posted by J.F. Lundy above has “Boy Meets Girl” playing on the marquee which dates it at 1938, a year after the Bruin opened.

scooty on August 6, 2004 at 6:37 am

Like Westwood itself, the Bruin is in need of a makeover inside.

jflundy on July 19, 2004 at 12:10 am

Here is an opening year photo at this link:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater3/00015714.jpg

genordell on July 13, 2004 at 11:07 pm

Mann altered their website, official webpage / showtimes now at
View link

Regency Bruin Theatre

948 Broxton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024

948 Broxton Avenue,
Los Angeles, CA 90024