Highland Park Theatre: a cogitation and speculation

All photos by Eva Jones

As many may know, the hundred-year-old Highland Park Theatre shut down in March. This news all felt very sudden to me. One minute I'm sitting in a dark theatre watching Timothee Chalamet practice reduplication with the word “chocolate,” and the next I'm walking by, dust on tomorrow, only to find a lonely security guard sitting behind a rusted accordion gate. Admittedly, there are ways I'd have preferred to say goodbye other than with Wonka—painting a blue stripe on my face and screaming “Freedom!” comes to mind—though perhaps that goodbye didn't count because, while mysterious, plans for a new and improved theater have recently emerged.

The esteemed entrepreneur Cyrus Etemad, also known for buying and refurbishing the Highland Bowl, bought the Highland Park Theatre for just about 7 million dollars in 2022. It was sold by the Arkanian family to Etemad after close to 50 years of ownership, 50 years spent building the theatre into a Highland Park staple. The pandemic hit the theatre hard with ticket sales dropping significantly as well as notably less foot traffic and accommodation. The theatre lost its previous natural buzz that always seemed to circulate around it, since its opening in 1925. Before the pandemic, the theatre was a bustling, thriving, beehive of cinema with many traditions and features that continued to draw people in. These little perks included 6 dollar movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, cheaper tickets than most other theaters, beautiful architecture inside, as well as the generally old, archival, and historically LA vibe of the theatre.

The theatre was and is packed with history and nostalgia that is prevalent to many today, yet another reason why there are so many that look forward to the future of the theatre, and what it may come to be. Original plans for the theater after the transfer of ownership centered around renovation, live music, and of course movies, but it's been a little over three years since then. So, with time, have those plans changed? What is to come of the centennial, historical, and classically Highland Park, Highland Park theater? 

During the time Etemad owned the theater, nothing much came of it. He mentioned plans of restoration and live music, however the theater hasn't been open since he bought it from the Arkanian family. Famous actress and filmmaker Kristen Stewart bought the theatre just this year, confirming her ownership in March. She hopes to fix it up and as mentioned in an interview from architectural digest, create “something for the community…Not just pretentious Hollywood Cinephiles.” Stewart plans to refurbish the theatre, hosting community events as well as making the theatre into a family friendly, and filmmaker friendly place. Along with many other filmmakers such as Jason Reitman, Guillermo del Toro, and Steven Spielberg, Stewart has taken part in the movement of filmmakers buying and reconstructing dying theatres. Recently, that same group of A-list directors have purchased the famous village theater. 

Many theaters similar to the Highland Park Theatre have been taken over and changed for the better. For example, what was once the Eagle Theatre, now known as Vidiots, is a bustling hotspot to watch great movies of all genres. Or Tarantino's Vista, another theater that has been extremely successful with its remodel, now equipped with a cafe. Both of these theaters were uplifted and brought back to life after a change of ownership and re-direction from their old and dated ways. Vidiots and the Vista both screen beloved older movies, instead of the sometimes capital, money grabbing productions most theaters put on today. That's not to say there aren't great new movies that come out, unworthy of the nonprofit screen. In the past, Vidiots has screened new movies with great importance or societal impact such as the movie Sinners and an episode of the Blue Eyed Samurai. Independent cinemas are a special and rare thing, there isn't anything quite like being able to see an older movie you love in theatres. I've experienced this at the Vista with a viewing of the movie “Heat” and more times than I can count with movies I hold dear at vidiots. 

My own theory and hope is that the Highland Park theater will become like Vidiots and the Vista, possibly screening older but classic movies and cult films. This would not only preserve the culture of the theatre, but also provide a more unique aspect and experience than most theatres can offer.

I strongly believe that Kristen Stewart along with the other fleet of A-list directors, can bring back all of the old theaters that were once buzzing spots. They are the most experienced people in the field, knowing the ins and outs of film unlike any others. Stewart's recognition of the importance of accessible access to movies gives me hope that the theatre won't just be a money grab, or chain-like theatre, but a unique, renewed staple to Highland Park.