By Dexter Gauntlett
Daily Bruin Staff
Eleanor Hedge drove for 20 minutes Wednesday, passing up
Hollywood’s mainstream films in favor of a film set in a
quaint Indian village. She arrived in Westwood just in time to see
“Monsoon Wedding,” a foreign subtitled film at the new
art- house theater on Broxton Ave.
“This theater is the only one in Los Angeles that’s
showing this movie,” said Hedge.
The March 1 premiere of the acclaimed Indian film marked the
return of art-house cinema to Westwood after two decades of
mainstream domination in the Village. The opening has led some to
believe that the new theater will lend a hand to the slumping
Westwood economy.
Hedge is the owner of Marketplace Productions, the company that
organizes the antique show every first Sunday of the month on
Broxton Ave.
“(The theater) will bring in new people who want to see
movies that aren’t playing anywhere else,” she
said.
Landmark Theatres is the nation’s largest art-house chain
and has earned its success from a grassroots marketing style. The
theater chain was founded in 1974, when it acquired the Nuart
Theatre on Santa Monica Boulevard.
Director of publicity for Landmark Theatres, Marina Bailey, said
the company prides itself on specialized films made outside of
major studio systems, including foreign language, independent and
classic films.
Landmark Theatres has shown indie hits such as
“Memento,” “The Blair Witch Project,”
“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Run Lola
Run,” and more controversial films such as the “Last
Temptation of Christ” and “Romance.”
Many local storeowners consider the new theater a positive step
toward the rejuvenation of the “dinner and a movie”
Westwood economy.
Carlo Matar, manager of the neighboring Westwood Bistro
considered the opening of the new theater to be perfect timing,
having already noticed a business-friendly trend prior to the
opening of the theater.
“I’ve noticed a big change in the past month ““
there are more people on the streets at night during the week, and
more seem to be on a date rather than just getting a
hamburger,” he said.
“This theater will improve a lot of the business around,
especially on Broxton because it’s almost like an
alley,” he added.
As for the existing Mann theaters, employees said they
hadn’t noticed any loss of business since the opening of the
Landmark Theatre, but also said they hadn’t seen any of the
actual figures.
Marc Mercury, the chief of staff for the Landmark Theatre and a
UCLA graphic design student, said Landmark doesn’t see
themselves as competition since the Mann theaters primarily show
Hollywood mainstream movies.
“We really don’t have any competition and
that’s a large reason why we jumped on the opportunity in
Westwood,” Mercury said.
“It’s an excellent fit into the landscape … the
Village exists for the sake of UCLA at this point, and students
want independent and foreign films. Not to mention students at the
UCLA film school who must get tired of mainstream films all the
time.”
Adult prices are $9 and although the theater currently does not
offer any student discount, a five-show coupon can be purchased for
$30.