The TCL Chinese Theatre, with its ornate Chinese design and towering pagoda, embodies the eccentricity and glamour of Old Hollywood. Open since 1927, it has been the site of countless film premieres and red-carpet events. While it’s been updated to appeal to the modern-day movie-goer with a massive IMAX screen and plush seating, many visit simply to see the hand- and footprints that almost 200 celebrities have pressed into cement outside the theater (the tradition started when silent film actress Norma Talmadge accidentally stepped in wet cement touring the still-under-construction cinema). A veritable timeline of Hollywood history, it includes prints by everyone from Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, Shirley Temple, and Clark Gable to Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, and Robert De Niro, to name a few.
L.A. has a thriving independent cinema scene, but the historic New Beverly Cinema, owned by Quentin Tarantino, is a local favorite. Described as “like Cheers for movie lovers” by the Los Angeles Times, the movie palace (formerly a candy factory, a beer parlor, a Jewish Community Center, a nightclub, and a porn theater) shows mostly classic and cult films, as well as foreign gems, many from Tarantino’s private collection. Uniquely, it shows films exclusively in 35mm and 16mm prints, making it a beloved spot for those who appreciate the art and nostalgia of movies projected the old-fashioned way. These rare prints often feature extra-rich colors and sounds, and can have a graininess that true movie buffs love. Plus, going the extra mile by having a real-life projectionist show films this way makes every screening one-of-a-kind. “I want the New Beverly to be a bastion for 35mm films. I want it to stand for something,” Tarantino once said. “As long as I’m alive, and as long as I’m rich, the New Bev will be showing double features in 35mm.”
Fashionista film aficionados, this one’s for you: While primarily a fashion museum, being at home in L.A. means plenty of overlap with the film industry. The ASU FIDM Museum, which is part of the ASU FIDM fashion school, highlights how fashion is integral to cinematic storytelling, and how colors, fabrics, and small details can speak volumes. For example, during the most recent awards season, the ASU FIDM Museum celebrated with an Academy Awards Season Costume Design Speaker Series that featured conversations with Oscar-winning and nominated designers. It also hosts rotating exhibits that showcase original costumes from the year’s most acclaimed films—A Complete Unknown was recently featured. An upcoming event we’re “totally buggin’ about” is a screening of Clueless after a Q&A with its costume designer about the movie’s iconic looks and the lasting influence of Cher Horowitz’s envy-inducing closet. Note that the museum is only open when exhibitions take place throughout the school year, so make sure to check the schedule here.
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