SACRED HOUSES: THE NEW BEVERLY CINEMA, LOS ANGELES

In this edition of the “Sacred Houses Series,” we pay homage to The New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles, California, as we continue to honor notable movie theaters worldwide.

The New Beverly Cinema, located in Los Angeles, California, is one of the city’s most beloved and iconic revival movie theaters. It is known for its dedication to screening classic, cult, and independent films—often on 35mm.

The building that houses the New Beverly Cinema dates back to the 1920s. According to many articles, it originally opened as a candy store before being converted into a theater in the 1920s or early 1930s. Over the decades, it has undergone several name changes and rebrands. At various points in its life, it was known as the Revue, New Yorker Theater, and Eros, among others. By the 1970s, the space had become a pornographic theater like many others in L.A., showing adult films.

The modern era of the New Beverly Cinema began in 1978 when Sherman Torgan, a film enthusiast, took over the theater. Torgan cleaned up the venue and reinvented it as a revival house, showing double features of classic, foreign, and cult films. Under Torgan’s stewardship, the New Beverly became a hub for cinephiles in Los Angeles. It was one of the few theaters in the city dedicated exclusively to repertory programming—curated pairings of older films shown on the big screen.

Torgan built the cinema’s reputation on affordability, quality programming, and community. His death in 2007 marked the end of an era.
After Torgan’s passing, the theater’s future was uncertain. That changed when Quentin Tarantino, a longtime patron and champion of celluloid film, purchased the New Beverly Cinema later in 2007. Tarantino saved the theater from redevelopment and began to quietly support its operations, subsidizing its losses and helping with programming.
In 2014, Tarantino took a more active role, becoming the theater’s full-time programmer. Under his direction, the New Beverly became even more committed to showcasing 35mm film prints, including many from Tarantino’s own private collection. Check them out HERE.

If you know of a theater that deserves recognition in our “Sacred Houses” series, please contact us and provide details about its location, name, and significance to you or your community. We are passionate about supporting local theaters and believe they should be celebrated alongside the more well-known historic venues.