Post #364227 by Ojaitimo on Fri, Feb 29, 2008 2:04 PM

San Pedro, California

I took these pictures of the Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro last friday for the showing of Crenshaw Boulevard. This is a documentary of 7 different stories along the 24 miles of Crenshaw Boulevard, from down town LA to Palos Verdes.

I got to the theater early and spotted a Salvation Army thrift store. I went in to check for "Stuff", (George Carlin did a great routine on Stuff BTW)
Anyway there in the paintings, I spot this poster of Bunker Hill, it a 9 foot sculpture that is on display at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion that my brother Michael McMillen installed there in 1985. This poster was made the same year. The hodgepoge of buildings represent the old bunker hill that the city had allowed to deteriorate. He based this sculpture on photographs of hundreds of buildings that were razed.

Syncronicity, sirendipity
I began photographing the theater and the event with a sense of renewed spirit.

Las Candalistas have been supporting charities since its inception in 1967.

I was truly awestruck by the Warner Grand, This palace that was so close to the fate of the buildings in downtown LA that are represented in the Bunker Hill poster.

The Warner Conservancy groups have lovingly restored this theater to its original look. It is looking awesome. the "Theater of your dreams" Jack Warner called it when it was built. The seats alone cost $1,000.000 to restore" one of the volunteers told me.
There are some murals that they have begun to uncover.

[ Edited by: Ojaitimo 2008-03-01 09:49 ]