WISH ME AWAY co-directors Bobbie Birleffi and Beverly Kopf will participate in Q&A’s following the 5PM the 7:20PM screenings at the Music Hall 3 on Friday, June 15.
Iconic Royal Theatre marquee to be demolished this summer as part of three-screen conversion
One of the most iconic signs of West Los Angeles has for more than 40 years heralded the best in art and foreign cinema to the continuous flow of traffic along Santa Monica Boulevard. But Laemmle Theaters’ Royal marquee, with its distinctive 17-foot-wide panels, will soon dim forever. It is slated for removal late this summer when we will temporarily close the theater for an expansion project. The new three-screen complex will feature a more modern marquee.
Since the Laemmles took over the theater in 1972, the marquee has advertised such art-house hits as RAN, HOWARD’S END, SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT, THE QUEEN and WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN. Said Laemmle Theatres President Greg Laemmle: “Financially, it is just too difficult to make a go of it with a single screen theatre. But in addition to this, having three screens instead of just one will give us more flexibility in opening and extending runs on the more “artistic” films which Los Angeles audiences have come to expect at the Royal. As for the marquee, the old marquee is great, and we’re proud to see it graced with Paul Davis’ GRAND ILLUSION images. But the cost of creating custom marquee panels is prohibitive, especially for some of the small, independent distributors whose films we regularly show here. Distributors often end up spending more on the marquee panels than they do on display advertising. That just doesn’t make sense. And from an architectural standpoint, we have photos of the theatre from the 40’s (and before) which show the theatre (then named the Tivoli) with a smaller, square marquee with a vertical blade sign. We believe that something like this will be more in keeping with the theatre’s original Neo-Classic architecture.”
For the theater’s current attraction, a new restoration of Jean Renoir’s masterpiece, GRAND ILLUSION, distributor Rialto Pictures wanted to give the marquee a farewell gift; a full-color broadside created by acclaimed artist Paul Davis, who gave Joe Papp’s Public Theater its signature art and ad look, as well as creating numerous other theater and film posters. Among Davis’s most famous works on Papp’s posters for Three Penny Opera and For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. He recently created the poster for the San Francisco Silent Film Festival’s special presentation of Abel Gance’s Napoleon.
Q&A with reps from the Breast Cancer Action Network on Friday in Santa Monica
Representatives from the Breast Cancer Action Network will participate in a Q&A after the 7:20 PM screening of PINK RIBBONS, INC. at the Monicas on Friday, June 1.
Q&A’s with Jesse Baget and Olga Segura of CELLMATES Friday at NoHo
BILL W. Q&A’s May 27th – May 30th
In 1999, Bill Wilson was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Heroes and Icons of the 20th Century for his role as co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Through interviews, recreations, and rare archival material, BILL W. traces Wilson’s life through his 17 years of devastating alcoholism, the crucial years of A.A.’s founding and growth, his battle with depression, his experimentation with LSD, and his struggle with celebrity status in an anonymous society.
BILL W. co-director Dan Carracino will participate in Q&A’s on the following schedule:
- Sunday, May 27th at the Music Hall 3 after 2:50 PM screening.
- Sunday, May 27th and Wednesday, May 30th at the Playhouse 7 after 7:40 PM screenings.
- Monday, May 28th at the Monicas after 11:10 AM screening.
Q&A’s with FIRST POSITION filmmaker Bess Kargman
FIRST POSITION director Bess Kargman will participate in Q&A’s after the 5:10 and 7:40 screenings on Saturday, May 26 and after the 2:40 screening on Memorial Day at the Music Hall 3 and after the 1:40 and 4:20 screenings at the Monicas on Sunday, May 27.
BILL W. Q&A’s this weekend at various theatres
In 1999, Bill Wilson was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Heroes and Icons of the 20th Century for his role as co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Through interviews, recreations, and rare archival material, BILL W. traces Wilson’s life through his 17 years of devastating alcoholism, the crucial years of A.A.’s founding and growth, his battle with depression, his experimentation with LSD, and his struggle with celebrity status in an anonymous society. There are no doubts about it, Bill Wilson was a monumental figure with regards to raising awareness of alcoholism and the importance of seeking out treatment for addiciton and substance abuse issues. It is because of his work that getting help for alcohol addiction is much easier these days. Although overcoming alcoholism is not going to happen overnight, it is important for people battling any kind of addiction to know that help is always out there. For example, the Eugene drug and alcohol rehab center helps a significant number of people to confront substance abuse issues related to drug and alcohol dependence every single year. Correspondingly, you can find more information about the upcoming Q&A sessions below.
- May 18 at the NoHo 7 after the 4:30 and before the7:20 screenings with A.A. historians Jay S. and Bill C.
- May 18 at the Playhouse 7 after the 7:20 and before the 10 PM screenings with A.A. historians Jay S. and Bill C.
- May 19 at the Monicas after the 11 AM screening with director Dan Carracino.
- May 19 at the Music Hall 3 after the 2:30 PM screening with director Dan Carracino.
- May 19 at the NoHo 7 after the 4:30 PM screening with director Dan Carracino.
- May 19 at the Playhouse 7 after the 7:20 and before the 10 PM screenings with director Dan Carracino.
- May 20 at the Claremont 5 after the 11 AM screening with longtime A.A. member and student of A.A. history Bill C.
- May 20 at the Music Hall 3 after the 8 PM screening with longtime A.A. member and student of A.A. history Bill C.
- May 21 at the Playhouse 7 after the 7:20 and before the 10 PM screenings with director Dan Carracino.
- May 22 at the Music Hall 3 before the 8 PM screenings with director Dan Carracino.
- May 22 at the NoHo 7 after the 7:20 and before the 10 PM with director Dan Carracino.
- May 24 at the Playhouse 7 after the 7:20 and before the 10 PM with longtime AA member and student of AA history Bill C.
Q&A’s with the director of FIRST POSITION this Sunday at the Monicas
FIRST POSITION director Bess Kargman will participate in Q&A’s after the 1:40 and 4:20 screenings at the Monicas on Sunday, May 20.