Tag Archives: cinespia

Cinespia Jumps Shark. Again.

May 23, 2011 Jason Burns 24 Comments

Another big change for movie night at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery has created a WTF kinda backlash.

I should have known Cinespia’s days were numbered in 2009 when they screened Daze and Confused and it turned into amateur hour. You know the event to which I’m referring. One where the new new hipsters would appear in their ironic T-shirts and proceed to get hammered and search for burial plots to relieve themselves. Then came the news that this year’s screenings would be a retread of years previous.

Now this.

Cinespia, an event that has traditionally been “first come, first serve,” is now selling advance tickets online. Oh, they’ll still sell them at the door – if there’s enough left. The problem with this, is that the event is more than the movie. Half the fun is lining up early, meeting your neighbors, and experiencing something called “community.”

Not anymore.

Why ruin a perfectly good thing? From the looks of the comments on Cinespia’s Facebook page (to which they do not respond,) I am not the only one who thinks this was a terrible idea.

Movies

Cinefile Extravaganza Weekend

May 19, 2011 Travis Koplow

This weekend is one of those times in Los Angeles when movie buffs wish they could clone themselves several times over. Seriously it almost hurts to be a cinefile when the options are so rich and you can only sit in one theater at a time. First of all, beginning tonight, the Aero has a Tod Browning retrospective, which runs through Saturday. Saturday night–be still my heart–is a double feature of Freaks and Devil Doll. (That offering, in and of itself, would be enough to merit a blog post.) I admit I’ve never even seen Devil Doll (though any movie with an X song named after it has, frankly, got to be good), but before the days of Netflix, I used to have a roommate who owned only two movies–Freaks and Sid and Nancy, so I’ve seen Freaks a ridiculous number of times, and I’ll probably head to the Aero Saturday to see it again. It’s that good. But that’s only a small part of the big screen amazingness this weekend. Continue reading Cinefile Extravaganza Weekend →

Events, Hollywood, LA, Movies

Cinespia Looks Back at 10 – With Reruns

May 12, 2011 Jason Burns 3 Comments

Cinespia. Classic films, under the stars, on the hallowed grounds of Hollywood Forever Cemetery. It is an experience that is unrivaled in a city that is chock-full of things to do.

So why the reruns?

for our tenth season, cinespia will be bringing back some of our favorite movies from past seasons

Checking the schedule so far, I’ve already seen two of the films at cinespia in the past 5 years, and a third has been shown by the LA Conservancy at a recent Last Remaining Seats. So what gives?

I know that many of cinespia’s patrons are returning customers. And some of those patrons probably go to LRS as well. (Can we cross-check our screening calendars, please?) With such a short season and so many films from which to choose, I find this baffling. Especially in Hollywood. And especially when cinespia asks fans to make screening suggestions on their own Facebook page.

I’m still going to go. It’s still my favorite thing on Earth. But, I am very, very disappointed.

Vertigo? Again?

Movies

Summer’s coming, and you know what that means…

April 24, 2011 Travis Koplow

Wizard of Oz photo from the Cinespia website

That’s right–it’s almost time to drink wine and watch movies in the graveyard.

Cinespia’s tenth season at Hollywood Forever Cemetery starts May 14th. Yes, that’s several weeks from now, but they want to know right away what you’d like to see. So now’s your chance to put in a request. Head on over to their Facebook page and chime in or fill in the webform on their site. Right now, Goonies and Heathers seem to front runners just based on my quick scan of their page. My personal dream season includes Rebel Without A Cause, Repo Man, and Double Indemnity to name a few. (I would have said Night of the Living Dead, but that screened last year.)

If you want to keep posted on what’s coming up, join their mailing list. If you’ve somehow never been to a screening, it’s pretty fun, though Cinespia is one of many LA treats that’s become a victim of its own success. It’s really crowded and parking is a hellish ordeal. Do like I do and cultivate your relationship with friends in the area so you can park in their driveway–or bike.

And what about you guys? What would you like to see at Hollywood Forever this summer?

Filmmaking/Filmmakers, Music

Francophile Thursdays

February 3, 2011 Travis Koplow 3 Comments

Tonight kicks off the Cinespia’s “Vive L’amour” series, co-sponsored by the Film and TV Office of the French Embassy in Los Angeles, and presented at the Cinefamily (Silent Movie Theater). In tonight’s cinematic bon-bon, Catherine Deneuve stars in Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, the musical story of a sweet, young shop girl and her starcrossed love for a mechanic.

After the movie, a curated selection of vintage scopitones will be screened, and the Frenchie food truck will be on hand serving up appropriate fare, throughout the night . Later in the series Cinespia will screen Beauty and the Beast, Jules and Jim, and Amelie among others. (Some films screen on Saturdays.)

As if that’s not enough, tonight at the Egyptian is a double feature of Goddard’s Contempt and Truffaut’s Shoot the Piano Player. Formidable!

Finally, on a non-French note, while I’m posting about fantastique cinema, I feel the need to give a shout out to the Aero for their Valentine’s Day weekend schedule: Gone With the Wind Saturday the 12th, Casablanca and Double Indemnity the 13th, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s on Valentine’s Day itself. That is one inspired line-up, Aero.

Thank you, L.A., for being so cinematically awesome. J’taime.

Events

So You’re Not Going To Comic-Con

July 22, 2009 missrftc 9 Comments

So you’re not going to Comic-Con this year.

Maybe Comic-Con just isn’t your thing. Perhaps you couldn’t find a ticket or you have to work. Or there could be a certain restraining order prohibiting you from crossing the San Diego county line. Whatever the reason, the arrival of Comic-Con is not only good news for the scores of attendees, but it also brings deliciously sweet solace to those of us staying here in L.A. this weekend. Just think of how much easier it’s going to be with far fewer geeks, nerds, fanboys and fangirls to get in the way of the following awesome goings on:

Thursday, July 23

Celebrate Clairefest XXV This Thursday at Footsie's!

The Annual Clairefest XXV Barty (Beer/Party = Barty) – Friend of the blog, Claire has invited everyone in L.A. to Footsie’s this Thursday night to celebrate her 25th birthday. “Potato tacos are on me!” she exclaims. So get there early if you want a taco and bring lots of presents.

Footsie’s, 2640 N Figueroa St, LA, CA 90065. Fun starts @ 9pm.

Saturday, July 25

The Muppet Movie at Hollywood Forever Cemetery – Join Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and other muppet superstars in the original feature film from the gentle genius of Henson Studios. This is the ‘true’ story of the muppets’ rise to stardom as Kermit travels across the country to Hollywood, collecting friends along the way and dodging the evil owner of a frog legs restaurant. Continue reading So You’re Not Going To Comic-Con →

Filmmaking/Filmmakers, Hollywood

Summer is Officially Here: The Return of Cinespia

May 12, 2009 Travis Koplow 6 Comments

Yes, this Saturday, Cinespia returns to Hollywood Forever Cemetery with the first screening of the season: Cool Hand Luke. Movies at the cemetery are one of LA’s finest fun offerings, and Cool Hand Luke is one of the all-time cinema classics, so really, you can’t go wrong here. If you’ve never been before, know that it’s crowded, but the plus side is that it provides some of the finest people watching in LA. The movie starts at 8:30, but come early and have a leisurely din din on the mausoleum lawn while the dj spins. Bring blankies and sweaters–it gets cold at night. So far, the other films announced for future weeks include To Catch a Thief, Dazed and Confused, and Sleeper.

Entertainment, Events, Filmmaking/Filmmakers

Cinespia Announces First Cemetery Screenings of 2008

May 18, 2008 The 8 Track Kid 4 Comments

Looking for something to do on a Saturday night that involves music, an old cemetery and some of the best movies ever made? Well thanks to the folks at Cinespia you needn’t look any further because they’ve announced their first two screenings of the year at The Hollywood Forever Cemetery. For several years now Cinespia has, on spring and summer Saturday nights, turned the Hollywood Forever Cemetery into a film lovers spooky paradise by screening classic films and cult favorites under the stars.

To kick off this year Cinespia has chosen to show the appropriately dark Ace In The Hole on Saturday May 24th. Long considered Billy Wilder’s lost classic, Ace in the Hole stars Kirk Douglas as an ambitious but down on his luck reporter who stumbles upon the story of a lifetime; a story so big it will take him back to the top, as long as he can keep it going…and he keeps it going no matter the consequences. While it was panned after it’s 1951 release as being too dark that may be due to the fact that it says more about some of the ugly aspects of human nature than we care to admit to. Ace in the Hole is Billy Wilder at his darkly satirical best and I highly recommend heading out to this screening because it’s an experience (and a film) you wont soon forget.

If you can’t make to Ace in the Hole, Cinespia will be back a week later on May 31st with The Party, a Blake Edwards comedy starring Peter Sellers from 1968. It’s the only non Pink Panther collaboration between Sellers and Edwards and it also features a pre Love Boat Gavin MacLeod, a baby elephant and many cultural artifacts that scream; “Hey, this was made in 1968”.

Here’s all you’ll need to know about Cinespia Cemetery Screenings 2008:

The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is at 600 Santa Monica Blvd (at Gower).
It’s a $10 donation to get in.
Parking on the cemetery grounds is free but it fills up fast, parking elsewhere will cost you a few bucks. Some street parking is available in the area but as always look at the signs (do I have to tell you this?).
Music before and after the movie.
Bring a picnic and blankets but no barbecues and no tall chairs.
You can bring booze but not your pets.

Check out Cinespia.org to learn more. Hope to see you at the cemetery sometime soon.

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