Throughout much of the pandemic, Californian cinephiles waited patiently for the day that they’d be able to see a movie on the big screen again. In April, an announcement came that was devastating to many of them: ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres would be closing down, resulting in the end of over 300 theaters across the state. At a moment when film distribution models seem to be in flux, this was a new and unpleasant addition to the mix. Netflix took over the lease of New York’s Paris Theatre in 2019, saving the space. That was a welcome maneuver, but the likelihood of a streaming service taking over hundreds of theaters seems a lot less likely.
That doesn’t mean there hasn’t been encouraging news for Los Angeles-based moviegoers, however. A new report from Mark Olsen at the Los Angeles Times brings with it the news that Quentin Tarantino has purchased the Vista Theatre on Sunset Boulevard. The article notes that the Vista had not reopened after closing temporarily during the pandemic.
Tarantino shared the news in an interview on the podcast Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard.
The Vista is one of two Los Angeles theaters that Tarantino now owns, the New Beverly Cinema being the other. In the interview, Tarantino stressed that the two theaters would have distinct identities. “It’s not gonna be like the New Beverly,” he said. “The New Beverly has its own vibe.”
He shared one additional detail about what viewers could expect from the Vista going forwards: film prints only. His comments suggest that the theater will show a blend of new and old films — with one caveat for the latter. “We’ll show older films, but they will be like older films that can hold a four-night engagement,” said Tarantino.
The article notes that the theater is set to open “around Christmas.”
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