Streaming—and a pandemic—have radically transformed cinema consumption, but there is a growing number of mostly younger people contributing to a renaissance of LA’s independent theater scene. The city’s enduring, if diminished, role as a mecca of the film industry still shapes its residents and their entertainment preferences, often with renewed appreciation after the pandemic.
Part of what makes the city unique is its abundance of historic theaters, salvaged amid looming closures or resurrected in recent years by those with ties to the film industry. Experts see a pattern of success for a certain kind of theater experience in Los Angeles.
Kate Markham, the managing director at Art House Convergence, a coalition of independent cinema exhibitors, said a key factor is the people who run these theaters. “They know their audiences or their potential audiences, and they are curating programs and an environment for them to have an exceptional experience,” she wrote in an email.
American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino pioneered the trend when he purchased the New Beverly in 2007. After Netflix bought and restored the nearby Egyptian Theater, which first opened in 1922 as a silent movie house, the company reopened it to the public in November in partnership with the nonprofit American Cinematheque. It’s now a bustling hub, regularly welcoming A-list celebrities premiering their projects as well as film buffs willing to stick around for hours-long marathons, like a recent screening of four Paul Thomas Anderson movies.
What draws people to independent theaters can vary, from older programming to elevated food-and-drink offerings to lower prices. But many agree, above all, there is a communal aspect chains can’t match.
“The bigger places obviously have premium formats and stuff like that. But I think there’s a lot less communal connection,” said Dr. Michael Hook, who attended a matinee of “Seven Samurai” at Vidiots with a Children’s Hospital Los Angeles co-worker. “You’re not just milling around with people who also have selected to go to a three-hour-long 1950s Japanese movie.”
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Discussion A
- A growing number of mostly younger people is contributing to a renaissance of LA’s independent theater scene. What do you think draws young people to independent theaters? How do you think independent theaters would be different from big chain cinemas? Discuss.
- Many people agree that there is a communal aspect in independent theaters that chains can’t match. How important do you think the social or communal aspect is when watching a movie in a theater? Have you ever felt more connected to others while watching a movie in a theater? Why or why not? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Independent cinema owners know their audiences, and they are curating programs and an environment for them to have an exceptional experience. How do you think having a unique theater experience makes a difference in how you enjoy a movie? What kind of experience do you expect to have whenever you see a movie (ex. the communal experience of watching it, being the first one to watch it)? Discuss.
- Why do you think some people enjoy curated film programs more than just picking random movies to watch? Would you be interested in attending a theater with curated themes, like Hollywood classics or specific directors? Why or why not? What curated themes or films do you think you’d enjoy (ex. best horror films of all time, old local movies)? Discuss.
