As I established in my first article, on Hollywood Forever Cemetery, I have a penchant for movies and things from the past. For this piece, the Warner Grand Theater, in San Pedro fits that bill.
The Warner Grand Theater was built in 1931 and is on the national registry for historic buildings. The theater went through a period of several decades of neglect but in recent years has been lovingly restored.
After hearing about this theater for some time, I finally went to see a film there this Saturday night. Waiting in the mist of the evening’s rain for the theater to open, I was reminded of the film, The Majestic. This movie starred Jim Carry as a returned WWII veteran who helps bring back a dilapidated movie theater to its former glory.
When I walked into the lobby, the intense smell of buttered popcorn filled the air, as I admired the art deco lighting fixtures. However this admiration was nothing compared to what I felt when I walked into the actual theater. Awe struck was more like it. It was like traveling back in time to an era of elegance.
The interior is filled with incredibly ornate wood-carved embellishments, which adorn everything from the ceiling to the stage. There is also intricate painting on the ceiling as well. This decor sets this theater apart from any other restored movie venue that I’ve seen.
Because the smell of the popcorn was so delicious my friends and I couldn’t resist. A small popcorn and soda set us back only five dollars, which is much more reasonable than our modern cineplexes. You can also purchase beer and wine if you choose.
The price of the ticket though, was about the same, being ten dollars. However, as this film was the first in a series of four with the entire series being purchased for twenty dollars, the ticket for the evening would have only been five. The ticket seller was also our hostess for the evening, who introduced the series and informed us if we still wanted to purchase it, we could do so after the film.
As we had done some advanced reconnaissance, we found the balcony to be an ideal place to view our movie. With popcorn and sodas in hand we found our perfectly situated seats. The only problem was the lack of cup holders but the beauty of the theater’s interior mitigated this small inconvenience.
The movie we saw was The Red Violin, and the films chosen for the series were films based on the power of music. Having seen it before only on DVD it was much more impressive on the big screen. They did have some difficulty with the sound at one point but it was quickly rectified.
Other than foreign films and classics they have screenings aimed for a younger audience. These movies are on various Sundays at 2:00 pm, all for the inexpensive price of two dollars for children, five for adults. Coming up in February is Spirited Away and in May, Disney’s Mary Poppins in a sing-a-long version.
Other than films, they have live performances of music and plays such as The Backbeats, a tribute to the Beatles, The Relevant Stage Group, and the Golden State Orchestra. In April, they will host the LA Harbor Film Festival.
As this theater is a wonderful example of another era or of a small town movie house, it is often used in television shows and movies such as Pearl Harbor, 7th Heaven and Party of Five. The coffee house next door, Sacred Grounds, was also used in the film Pearl Harbor. We enjoyed a cup of coffee there after the screening.
The theater is located in the downtown section of San Pedro. Despite a revitalization of this area, it’s still a mix of gritty streets with aging buildings amid newer lofts and shops. However, there is good parking, with a reasonable price of 25 cents an hour and it’s free after 6:00 pm and on Sundays.
If you’re a student of architecture, an avid movie buff or would just like a convenient way to time travel go to The Warner Grand Theater for an incredible experience!
Check out their website for more info!
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1 San Pedro Headlands | LA CityZine.com - Los Angeles // Feb 4, 2008 at 7:01 am
[...] last article was on The Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro. This piece will take you from the urban side of the town to the more rural bluffs [...]
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