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Author
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Topic: Westwood booking pattern shifting?
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Mark Campbell
Member
Posts: 437
From: Seattle, WA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted January 10, 2007 10:37 AM
I've recently noticed a change in the booking patterns in the Westwood theatres of Los Angeles.
It used to be something like this:
Mann Village: Warner Brothers
Mann National: Paramount
Mann Bruin: Warner and Paramount
Mann Festival: Move-overs from the other Mann Theatres
AMC Avco: Universal, Fox, Disney, Sony, Dreamworks
Crest: Disney, Fox
Landmark Regent: Independent (Focus, Miramax etc)
Now it seems to be going something like this:
Mann Village: Warner and Paramount (with Dreamworks)
Mann National: MGM
Mann Bruin: Warner
Mann Festival: Move-overs from the other Manns
AMC Avco: Universal, Fox, Paramount (with Dreamworks), Disney, Sony
Crest: Sony
Landmark Regent: Disney (they must have committed to Disney and given up on Independent fare to keep the theatre alive knowing they are opening a new high-end art house at the Westside Pavillions soon).
I know there there is no set rule (Mann will get an occasional Universal, Fox or Sony Picture etc) but the big pattern change is that the AMC Avco has been getting a lot of films distributed by Paramount lately: Flags of our Fathers, Flushed Away (both Dreamworks through Paramount) Charlottes Web, Freedom Writers. And the Mann National seems to the new showcase for MGM: Flyboys, Clerks II, Rocky Balboa and Arthur and the Invisibles.
I wonder if Mann decided to hold on to its lease of the National with commitment to/from the newly reformed MGM? (and lost hold on Paramount in the process).
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Brad Erickson
Member
Posts: 117
From: West Hollywood, CA
Registered: May 2006
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posted January 16, 2007 10:20 AM
The National used to be the premiere theatre for Paramount product in Westwood, and the Village for Warner. At least for the big films. Since Mann is just about to throw the towel in for the National, they pretty much book it with the least wanted films in release. In 2006 Mann was able to book BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN and THE DA VINCI CODE at the National; but other than those highly regarded films, it has turned the big brown garbage can in Westwood. I'm guessing by this time next year it will be closed forever because it is too expensive to restore.
I'm guessing if a proposed All Stadium 5 plex is ever built by Mann it may add spark to the Village, along with the major housing and retail section be built where the old Plaza was. After Landmark opens the 12 plex at the Westside pavilion it will take a bigger chunk out of Westwood Village. My other guess of disappearing theatres will be the Avco. It is a nothing theatre these days and sits on 'hot' Wilshire Blvd. property. It has seen better days and never will have the lustre is once had. Landmark seems interested in the Regent still and could day/date with the new Westside Pavilion 12 plex.
I think in 2 years the only theatres in Westwood Village that will still be there will be The Mann Village, Mann Bruin, perhaps the Mann Festival, a new Mann Stadium theatre complex, The Landmark Regent and tye Majestic Crest. Perhaps even the booking patterns will change also.
The latest Booking patterns:
MANN THEATRES: Warner #1, plus Paramount/Dreamworks, New Line, some Sony, some Fox, MGM and some Focus features (Universal)
REGENT: Disney
AVCO: Dreamworks/Paramount, some Disney, Some Sony, Universal, Fox, some MGM.
CREST: A majority of Sony product.
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Mark Campbell
Member
Posts: 437
From: Seattle, WA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted January 16, 2007 06:52 PM
It is so sad that Landmark took over the Regent, gave it a great remodel (old foreign film posters to boot) with the promise of Westwood getting Los Angeles's nicest art house, only to now be playing crap like the Disney/Touchstone horror flick "Primeval".
One note on the National: when it booked "The Da Vinci Code" last summer it shared it with the Bruin, staggering showtimes like a multiplex. They did this with "Poseidon" as well, which ended up being overkill knowing that film's B.O. take. I am sure they treated the National as the secondary screen to the better-located Bruin, though the National is a better place to see a movie by far and has twice as many seats.
I also think that Mann had a lucky break and caught "Brokeback Mountain" as it was expanding its platform release after doing very well in limited release.
Regarding the future Landmark Westside Pavillion 12 Plex, if they wanted to maximize their impact, they should book art-house, foreign and high-brow films films in the 12 plex (following Arclight as a model) and keep the old 4 plex in the other end of the mall open and book Disney and other family fare there. After all, it is a mall in a densely populated affluent area that has a lot of single family homes with kids nearby, even within walking distance.
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Brad Erickson
Member
Posts: 117
From: West Hollywood, CA
Registered: May 2006
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posted April 10, 2007 03:59 PM
I went to see Music & Lyrics at the National on the opening Saturday afternoon. The theatre was almost empty. It is sad seeing it that way. MANN has no intentions on refurbishing it and my guess it will close sooner than later. I think that the arrival of the Arclight and Grove really hit those theatres hard. Not so long ago(2003) I went to see The Italian Job opening Saturday and the theatre was packed. Cut to 2007 and it is a grave yard. Funny what a few years will do.
I think Are We Done Yet was pulled because Paramount probably wanted Shooter to stay in theatres, and wanted a move-over to the National.
With the arrival of the Landmark 12 in June, I think Westwood Village will continue to dwindle. Pretty Much the Village and Bruin are safe. They make enough money from premieres and 'event' films. Films seem to move in and out very quickly. When I worked at the Village back in 1981 we had films forever.
My guess is the National will go eventually. But I think perhaps the Avco will go in the near future; Wilshire Blvd. property is a hot commodity. I feel bad for the Crest, The Landmark 12 will hit him hardest. Since the Crest is a indie theatre, Landmark will take bookings away from that theatre. Mann has WB, Paramount, Some Sony, Newline and Fox to keep bookings steady for them,
I don't think it is time to call it a day for Westwood though, it will resurge some day.
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Mark Campbell
Member
Posts: 437
From: Seattle, WA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted April 11, 2007 07:05 PM
My guess is the Nuart will keep its pattern booking indie and restored films for one week only and then if they have enough box-office, move them to the Landmark 12.
Regarding the Landmark 12's impact on Westwood theatres: Landmark will probably book art and foreign fare only because they are too close to the AMC Century City 15 which books mainsteam and they cannot play day and date with them (I think). They can (I think) play day and date with Westwood, but since the AMC Century 15 will have all the mainstream films in Landmark's zone, Westwood should be able to keep most of it's mainstream bookings.
However, I think Landmark might try to steal away from AMC some of the more edgier/serious films from the majors studios. Think "Babel", "The Departed", "Children of Men" and "Pan's Labyrinth", all of which opened at the Century 15 this last winter. All of those would be at home at a Landmark Theatre.
That's what I think, but what do I know...
TRYING TO BE POSITIVE: Of course Music and Lyrics left the National mostly empty opening weekend, it's another Hugh Grant + younger-cute-American-star-that-Hugh-Grant-has-not-been-in-a-movie-yet-with film!!! But thank you, Brad, for your support or my favorite Westwood theatre!
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