Aero Theatre
 | |
| Full name | Max Palevsky Aero Theatre |
|---|---|
| Address | 1328 Montana Avenue |
| Location | Santa Monica, California, United States |
| Owner | J.S. Rosenfield & Co. |
| Operator | American Cinematheque |
| Type | Movie theater |
| Genre(s) | Film |
| Capacity | 425[1] |
| Construction | |
| Built | June 19, 1939 |
| Opened | May 15, 1940 |
| Website | |
| americancinematheque | |
The Aero Theatre is a single-screen movie theater in Santa Monica, California, built in 1939 and opened in 1940.[2][3][4]
History
[edit]Named in tribute to the aerospace industry,[3] the Aero Theatre was built by aviation pioneer Donald W. Douglas of the Douglas Aircraft Company, serving as a 24-hour movie house for his employees that worked at a nearby plant.[5] The French Normandy-style theater, designed by P.M. Woolpert, cost $45,000 to build, and originally seated 678 people.[6]
By the late 1980s, the Aero was one of Los Angeles' last repertory theaters, regularly programming double features.[7][8] However, by the end of the 1990s, the theater, then owned by Chris Allen, had fallen on hard times and decreased attendance.[9] Robert Redford, who spent time at the Aero growing up, had attempted to buy the theater for Sundance Cinemas in 2001, but the deal never came to fruition[10] and the theater closed in April 2003.[9]
In January 2005, the theater reopened (now technically named the Max Palevsky Aero Theatre), after renovations were made by the nonprofit organization American Cinematheque.[9] The $1 million renovation of the Aero included the installation of a new screen (44 feet wide by 17 feet high), larger and more comfortable seats (reducing the theater's capacity to 427) and a new concession stand.[5] The Cinematheque had previously overseen a $12.8 million renovation of Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood in 1998, and the organization schedules programming for both theaters.[11]
The Aero underwent renovation again in 2019 and 2021, including improvements for projection, sound and general facility upgrades.[1]
In popular culture
[edit]The Aero Theatre has made appearances in a variety of feature films throughout the years, including 10 to Midnight (1983),[12][13] Masquerade (1988),[14] Sleepwalkers (1992),[15] Get Shorty (1995)[16] and Donnie Darko (2001).[17]
Alternative rock band Weezer referenced the Aero in their song "Aloo Gobi", the second track on their 2021 album OK Human. Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo resides in Santa Monica and wrote the song in 2017 about a typical date he would go on with his wife Kyoko.[18]
Horrorthon
[edit]Since 2006, the Aero Theatre has been home to the annual "Dusk-to-Dawn Horrorthon", a popular event held every October, featuring an all-night marathon of six to seven horror films (usually projected in 35 mm), as well as free food, candy and giveaways for patrons.[2] Grant Moninger, the festival's organizer, describes the Horrorthon as "going into some kind of absurd church of horror films."[19] The event has spawned a number of original characters, including Corn Gorn (a variation of the Gorn creature from Star Trek), the unofficial mascot of the festival, as well as his family, friends and nemeses. Some patrons have gone so far as to vote for Corn Gorn in national elections.[20]
In 2020, in light of the temporary closure of movie theaters due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a "home edition" of Horrorthon was offered, where patrons chose their own six-film lineups and were provided with a personalized video introduction, as well as interstitial intro videos for each film and an official Horrorthon t-shirt.[21]
In 2023, for the first time ever, the lineup of films was not announced ahead of time and was revealed throughout the course of the event.[22]
Films screened
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Aero Theatre - American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ a b King, Susan (January 17, 2015). "Classic Hollywood: Santa Monica's Aero Theatre regulars believe in the joy of movies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ a b "Aero Theater (sic) 75th Anniversary Exhibit 2015". Santa Monica History Museum. 8 September 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ Axe, Jason; Martinez, Ray. "Aero Theatre". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ a b LaPorte, Nicole (January 5, 2015). "After waiting game, Aero takes flight". Variety. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "26 Mar 2003, Page 37". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-10-14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "23 Feb 1987, 22". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-10-14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "6 May 1990, Page 613". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-10-14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Aero Theatre". Los Angeles Conservancy. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "26 Mar 2003, Page 37". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-10-14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ McNary, Dave (April 9, 2019). "Netflix in Talks to Buy Hollywood's Egyptian Theatre From American Cinematheque". Variety. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ Blankenship, Phil (August 6, 2016). "10 to Midnight". New Beverly Cinema. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ Patterson, Robert (March 11, 2019). "10 to Midnight (1983)". Set-Jetter. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ @PeterAPeel (September 3, 2020). "Just to point out that MASQUERADE is mostly set in the Hamptons, looks to have been shot there but at one point a few characters go see a movie at the Aero in Santa Monica" (Tweet). Retrieved September 28, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Sleepwalkers (1992) Film Locations". Global Film Locations. July 16, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "Get Shorty 1995". The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "DONNIE DARKO / THE EVIL DEAD | American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ Perry, Kevin EG (26 January 2021). "Weezer: 'This album is about feeling isolated, alienated and secluded – it's perfect for now'". NME. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Beebe, Lisa (26 October 2017). "The Aero's All Night Horrorthon Is as Weird as It Is Scary". LA Mag. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ^ Bowman, Parker. "Don't Blame Me I Voted For Corn Gorn". Visalia Times Delta. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ^ "AERO HORRORTHON 2020 HOME EDITION!". Eventbrite. 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ "18th Annual Horrorthon". American Cinematheque. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "The Blood Is The Life - Vampires On Film And Dusk-To-Dawn Horrorthon!". American Cinematheque. 2006. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "Halloween Horror & the Annual Halloween Horror-thon". American Cinematheque. 2007. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "Halloween Horrorthon & Horror-Comedy". Grauman's Egyptian Theatre. 2008. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "Halloween Week Events". American Cinematheque. 2009. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "Halloween Horror". American Cinematheque. 2010. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "6th Annual Dusk-To-Dawn Horrorthon | American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "7th Annual Dusk-To-Dawn Horrorthon | American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "8th Annual Dusk-To-Dawn Horrothon | American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "9th Annual Dusk-To-Dawn Horrorthon! | American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "10th Annual Dusk-To-Dawn Horrothon | American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "All Night Horrorthon | American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "All Night Horrorthon | American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "All Night Horrorthon | American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "All Night Horrorthon | American Cinematheque". American Cinematheque. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "16TH ANNUAL AERO HORRORTHON". American Cinematheque. 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ "17TH ANNUAL HORRORTHON". American Cinematheque. 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ "18th Annual Horrorthon". American Cinematheque. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
- ^ "19th Annual Horrorthon". American Cinematheque. Retrieved November 2, 2024.