Top Gun, Some Like It Hot, Double Indemnity and More: LA Conservancy Picks Classics for Its 30th Last Remaining Seats

Our favorite event of the year is back! The Los Angeles Conservancy has announced the movie roster for this year's 30th Last Remaining Seats -- and to celebrate the anniversary, this year's movie roster contains several classic faves from years past!

The Last Remaining Seats, which takes place from June 4 – 25, 2016, celebrates downtown's historic Broadway movie palaces by showcasing classic movies, bringing those wonderful stages back to life. And as more of Broadway gets revitalized, there's even more reason to celebrate.

Tickets for the 2016 season of Last Remaining Seats go on sale March 30 to Conservancy members and April 13 to the general public. Tickets are $18 for L.A. Conservancy members and $22 for the general public. (Go to the LA Conservancy website for more info.) Read all of our posts about Last Remaining Seats here.

Meanwhile, here's what you've been waiting for, the list of this year's screenings:

2016 Schedule

Top Gun (1986)
Saturday, June 4, 2pm & 8pm
Los Angeles Theatre

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Wednesday, June 8, 8 pm
Million Dollar Theatre

Some Like It Hot (1959)
Saturday, June 11, 8pm
Los Angeles Theatre

Dos tipos de cuidado (Mexico, 1953)
Wednesday, June 15, 8 pm
Palace Theatre
Co-presented with Latin American Cinemateca of Los Angeles

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Saturday, June 18, 2pm & 8pm
The Theatre at Ace Hotel

Double Indemnity (1944)
Wednesday, June 22, 8pm
The Theatre at Ace Hotel

Safety Last! (1923)
Saturday, June 25, 8 pm
Orpheum Theatre

"Psycho," "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and More: The 2015 Last Remaining Seats Schedule Is Here

Our favorite event of the year is back! The Los Angeles Conservancy has announced the movie roster for this year's 29th Last Remaining Seats -- and it's the most diverse mix of movies I've seen on the roster that I can remember!

The Last Remaining Seats, which takes place from June 10 – 27, 2014, celebrates downtown's historic Broadway movie palaces by showcasing classic movies, bringing those wonderful stages back to life. And as more of Broadway gets revitalized (see the recent Night on Broadway event), there's even more reason to celebrate.

Tickets for the 2015 season of Last Remaining Seats go on sale March 25 to Conservancy members and April 8 to the general public. Tickets are $16 for L.A. Conservancy members and $20 for the general public. (Go to the LA Conservancy website for more info.) Read all of our posts about Last Remaining Seats here.

Meanwhile, here's what you've been waiting for, the list of this year's screenings:

Psycho (1960)
Wednesday, June 10, 8pm
Million Dollar Theatre

City Lights (1931)
Saturday, June 13, 8pm
Los Angeles Theatre

Dios se lo pague/God Bless You (1948)
Wednesday, June 17, 8pm
Palace Theatre

How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)
Saturday, June 20, 8pm
The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)
Wednesday, June 24, 8pm
Orpheum Theatre

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Saturday, June 27, 2pm & 8pm
The Theatre at Ace Hotel

Bar Visit: Upstairs Bar at the Ace Hotel (Downtown)

Downtown's new Ace Hotel has become one of neighborhood's new hot spots -- and that's even before the Big Gay Ice Cream shop opens. The upstairs bar at the Ace offers fantastic views and a big drink menu, but the place is packed -- and that means service is spotty. You may have to kidnap a bartender or waiter to finally get a drink. I hope that's just because it's still new... but nonetheless, worth checking out. Some pics:



















Upstairs Bar at the Ace Hotel
933 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90015

"Back to the Future," "Citizen Kane," More: The Last Remaining Seats 2014 Schedule Is Here!

Our favorite event of the year is back! The Los Angeles Conservancy has announced the movie roster for this year's 28th Last Remaining Seats -- and I think it may be the best yet.

The Last Remaining Seats, which takes place from June 11 – 28, 2014, celebrates downtown's historic Broadway movie palaces. And these days, there's a lot to celebrate, as more of the theaters get long-needed makeovers. This year, for the first time since 1990, the United Artists Theatre -- now The Theatre at Ace Hotel -- will be a part of the rotation. (And even better: "Back to the Future" is screening there!)

Tickets for the 2014 season of Last Remaining Seats go on sale March 26 to Conservancy members and April 9 to the general public. Tickets are $16 for L.A. Conservancy members and $20 for the general public. (Go to the LA Conservancy website for more info.) Read all of our posts about Last Remaining Seats here.

Meanwhile, here's what you've been waiting for, the list of this year's screenings:

Wednesday, June 11, 8 PM
The Lady Eve (1941)
Los Angeles Theatre (1931)
615 S. Broadway, Downtown L.A.

Saturday, June 14, 8 PM
West Side Story (1961)
The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (1964)
135 N. Grand Avenue, Downtown L.A.

Wednesday, June 18, 8 PM
Footlight Parade (1933)
Orpheum Theatre (1926)
842 S. Broadway, Downtown L.A.

Saturday June 21, 2 PM & 8 PM
Back to the Future (1985)
The Theatre at Ace Hotel (former United Artists Theatre, 1927)
933 S. Broadway, Downtown L.A.

Wednesday, June 25, 8 PM
El Gran Calavera [English translation: The Great Madcap] (1949)
Palace Theatre (1911)
630 S. Broadway, Downtown L.A.
Co-presented with the Latin American Cinemateca of Los Angeles

Saturday, June 28 2 PM & 8 PM
Citizen Kane (1941)
Orpheum Theatre (1926)
842 S. Broadway, Downtown L.A.

A Day Touring Downtown Los Angeles' Broadway Theatres

Los Angeles's Broadway -- the home to countless grand, old movie palaces -- is finally joining in the downtown renaissance, and on Saturday, hundreds of Angelenos toured the street ("Day on Broadway") to get an update on how Bringing Back Broadway is going.

Sadly, the Clifton's Cafeteria is still closed (that renovation is taking much longer to complete), but those great theaters are being made over, one-by-one. The biggest success story remains the Orpheum Theatre, but the Palace Theatre also has been given a nice update. The Globe, which had been somewhat gutted, is now also coming back, while the United Artists has now been renovated as part of the Ace Hotel makeover.

Some pics from the event, which was sponsored by the LA Conservancy and the office of City Councilman Jose Huizar:


The Palace screen


The Palace Theatre's auditorium


One of the Palace Theatre's two large murals


A fixture adorns one of the Palace Theatre's handrails.


The Palace's "Gentlemen's" room.


Outside the Palace


The Tower Theatre wasn't open for tours, as filming was going on. But we did pass by the outside facade.


The curtain inside the Los Angeles Theatre


I know, we've posted pics of the inside of the glorious Los Angeles Theatre many times, but here's another.


Even after its run as a swap meet and later, as a nightclub, the Globe's theater curtain remains.


The Globe's ceiling


The sloping theater floor was flattened, but much of the Globe's inside is still preserved.


The upstairs balcony at the Globe Theatre


The spruced-up United Artists marquee, now home to downtown's brand new Ace Hotel


The Ace Hotel entrance


Ace Hotel front desk


New restaurant at the Ace Hotel


"Hello LA"