Following the surprising news Monday that Arclight Cinemas and its sister chain, Pacific Theatres, will not reopen, L.A. residents and Hollywood creatives alike mourned the movie house chain and its iconic Sunset Blvd location with profanity, shared memories, and calls for someone with money to save it.
“What sad news,” director Jon M Chu wrote. “I loved this theater. And I had my first premiere for my first movie #StepUp2TheStreets there. I snuck out of the movie early so I could cut a piece of the red carpet out and keep it. It sits on my desk. ❤️?man this is hard to read.”
“F—,” wrote Best Screenplay Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins said, simply.
“Tarantino saved the New Beverly, hopefully someone can step up and save the Arclight. Would hate to see this beautiful theater where I once stood next to Elliot Gould at a urinal gutted and turned into condos,” comedy writer Matt Oswalt wrote, referring to Tarantino’s takeover of the New Beverly in 2007 as an owner and head programmer.
“After shutting our doors more than a year ago, today we must share the difficult and sad news that Pacific will not be reopening its ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres locations,” Pacific Theaters, parent company of Arclight and Pacific Theatres, said in a statement. “This was not the outcome anyone wanted, but despite a huge effort that exhausted all potential options, the company does not have a viable way forward.”
Pacific Theaters operated approximately 300 screens in California, including seven Arclight Cinemas locations. Arclight also operated locations in Boston, Chicago and Bethesda, Maryland.
See more reactions below.
What sad news. I loved this theater. And I had my first premiere for my first movie #StepUp2TheStreets there. I snuck out of the movie early so I could cut a piece of the red carpet out and keep it. It sits on my desk. ❤️?man this is hard to read. #Arclight https://t.co/3vR3XFHhhh
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) April 13, 2021
This is heartbreaking. https://t.co/ldii9tFdLZ
— Adam McKay (@GhostPanther) April 13, 2021
I had so many beautiful experiences here, I feel like I lost a best friend. The Cinerama Dome is the only concrete geodesic dome on earth, and the largest motion picture screen in the world. https://t.co/L88U4EYaNw #ARCLIGHT #savecinema
— Lewis Tan (@TheLewisTan) April 13, 2021
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) April 13, 2021
? Well this sucks. Every single person who worked at the Arclight loved movies, and you felt it. Sending love to every usher, manager and projectionist who rocked that blue shirt and made it such a special place.
— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) April 13, 2021
The Arclight Hollywood was my most favorite theatre in the world to see movies. My home court of cinema in LA. I saw my first movie in LA there when I moved here in 2009 and the last movie before the pandemic there. Truly a bummer. https://t.co/sziPORAGcA
— Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) April 13, 2021
Devastating. Too many losses to process. It's just too much… At some point when I'm less upset, I'll tell you guys a funny story about my first time meeting Quentin Tarantino in the lobby of Hollywood Arclight. https://t.co/cFypJxEk4L
— Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) April 13, 2021
WOW!!! This is the 1st place I ever saw 2001. The DOME. And the Arclight with the announcements. The experience of going to watch a movie there was otherworldly, being in one was absolutely humbling. If Randy lived in the real world I feel he would have managed the joint! ❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/633oI44N7V
— Jamie Kennedy (@JamieKennedy) April 13, 2021
Tarantino saved the New Beverly, hopefully someone can step up and save the Arclight. Would hate to see this beautiful theater where I once stood next to Elliot Gould at a urinal gutted and turned into condos.
https://t.co/L0nYEpxyZw— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) April 13, 2021
some more because i have them @JoeQuesada @Oeming @trutriciahelfer @davidmackkabuki and bald person at the #CineramaDome circa 2016! pic.twitter.com/hRMd3nGoBC
— BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (@BRIANMBENDIS) April 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/EricHaywood/status/1381764676216782848
Brad Pitt buy the arclight challenge
— Timothy Simons (@timothycsimons) April 13, 2021
Artists! Unite! Form group! Buy Arclight! DM me. https://t.co/nsazryeytD
— loren bouchard (@lorenbouchard) April 13, 2021
This is truly devastating. I know I'm not alone in feeling that the Arclight shaped so much of my experience and friendships in Los Angeles. https://t.co/VR30v4Kxp3
— Liz Hannah (@itslizhannah) April 13, 2021
This is so painful. The Arclight is my go-to. Clean, great sound, assigned stadium seating, great popcorn, usher movie introductions. A true movie-going experience. ? https://t.co/EtkfA9sMCx
— Gina Prince-Bythewood (@GPBmadeit) April 13, 2021
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