Catherine A. Montgomery

Review of Disney's El Capitan Theatre

In the heart of Hollywood Boulevard and other majo...

In the heart of Hollywood Boulevard and other major attractions, next door to Jimmy Kimmel Live, you will find this historic movie palace, built in 1920s. It is a wonderful blend of different architectural styles: cast-concrete Spanish Colonial style exterior; lavish East Indian inspired interior.

There is a rich history of this cinema: Its debut was May 3, 1926. Stars of the stage attended the opening of the El Capitan Theatre, dubbed "Hollywood's First Home of Spoken Drama", for the premiere of the fresh-from-Broadway play CHARLOT'S REVUE, starring Jack Buchanan, Gertrude Lawrence, and Beatrice Lillie.

It was converted from a playhouse to a movie house, and the first film that debuted here was "Citizen Cane" in 1941. It was then closed for a two month renovation and modernization, reopening in March 1942 as the Hollywood Paramount, a new, streamlined "art moderne" first run movie house.

In 1989, the Walt Disney Company joined forces with Pacific Theatres and launched a two-year, museum quality restoration of The El Capitan, led by renowned theatre designer Joseph J. Musil. It recreated the original 1926 look and feel -- including original design elements such as the ornate plasterwork found hidden behind walls and the opera boxes in the main auditorium. The theatre reopened its doors to the public on June 19, 1991 for the world premiere of Walt Disney Pictures' THE ROCKETEER.

Attending a movie here is an experience, not just a place to watch a movie. There is a museum on second floor, which highlights the history and many different events that have been held here. A must for film fans and lovers of history.

Most travelers go to Hollywood Boulevard to see the Walk of Fame to take photos of their favorite entertainers star, visit Grauman's Chinese Theatre, other attractions or even shop or be in the audience for the filming of Jimmy Kimmel Live. On vacation, most generally do not think about seeing a movie, and most travelers who come to Los Angeles for the first time are interested in visiting places that show the behind the scenes of television or movies. Because of its history, it is something that should be experienced and is worth taking the time to visit.

I enjoy this movie palace every time I visit.

There is street parking in the area (make sure you read the signs), but you may park across the street at Hollywood Highland, at the time of this writing, it is $2 for 4 house with validation. Additionally, there is security check point at the entrance of the theatre, so arrive a little earlier during peak times to allow for this.