"As long as I'm alive, and as long as I'm rich, the New Beverly will be there, showing double features in 35mm," Quentin Tarantino told The Hollywood Reporter. He's bought the 200 seat Fairfax District theater that has shown second-run double features since 1978 (before that it was, appropriately, a grindhouse with live nude dancers, although it was built in 1929 and once showed first-run movies). In the mid aughts, hearing operator Sherman Torgan was having trouble keeping the doors open, Tarantino started paying the monthly expenses. After Torgan's death in 2007, his son Michael took over operations, but the landlord had a buyer almost immediately. Since the Torgans had the right of first refusal, Tarantino stepped in, and after some extensive haggling made a deal to buy the theater. Now the New Bev has new light fixtures, seats, and a digital projection system (although it still mostly screens in 35mm). This isn't Tarantino's first theater interest--in 2003 he made plans to lease the vacant King Hing Theatre in Chinatown to show the films that have inspired his work, although so far that plan doesn't seem to have gone anywhere. Tarantino will continue to make programming suggestions at the New Beverly, but the Torgans will still do most of the booking. Reservoir Dogs (maybe in thanks?) is showing next week. [Image via New Beverly Cinema]
· Quentin Tarantino saves L.A. theater [Hollywood Reporter]
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