Listen up, recruits. We are occupying a 300 seat cinema that serves as a sanctuary for 35mm film junkies. Do not let the clean perimeter fool you because the history of this objective is messier than a trench in a swamp. Located at 7165 Beverly Boulevard, this site launched in 1929 as a candy store before pivoting to a variety stage for heavy hitters like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. It eventually took a detour into the nightlife scene as Slapsy Maxie's, a club named after a boxer and actor.
The theater shifted to cinema operations in the late 1950s and rotated through several identities including the New Yorker Theater, the Europa, and eventually the Eros. The Eros era from 1970 to 1977 focused on pornographic films which was clearly not the local population's preferred objective. The residents were so relieved when that operation ceased that they actually wrote letters of congratulations to the command.
The New Beverly Cinema officially debuted its double feature format in 1978 and it remains the last continuous repertory revival house in Los Angeles. The site survived a redevelopment threat in 2007 because Quentin Tarantino stepped in to secure the perimeter. Tarantino coordinated a renovation to replace outdated fixtures and seats while installing a digital projector for occasional tactical use.
Since 2014 Tarantino has personally taken command of the programming. The theater strictly enforces a 35mm or 16mm mandate while pulling selections from his private collection. It has hosted extended runs for his own projects including the extended cut of the Bounty Law segment in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Kyle McLonely
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