Crenshaw Boulevard

My neighbor Dan Wozniak who has make some interesting surf films such as Siestas and Olas , will be having this screening at the Warner Grand theater. The theater has been restored to its original décor. Check out the Warner Grand site for more info.
http://www.warnergrand.org/

Crenshaw Boulevard (2008)
Friday, Feb. 22, 8 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.) - $15
A benefit screening for LAS CANDALISTAS. A small film crew spent ten weeks roaming 24-mile long Crenshaw Boulevard chasing stories of the human experience. When finished, they had Crenshaw Boulevard, a documentary film revealing eleven broadly ranged, uplifting stories: from the pursuit of filling basic needs, to seeking to see the far ends of our universe, to building a wildly successful helicopter business, to being a part of the West Coast’s premiere African-American cultural center. These stories and so many more reside along Crenshaw Boulevard…..where cultures, dreams, and opportunities abound! For additional information, please visit http://crenshawboulevard.com If you have questions for the event organizer, please call Bobbi Brown at 310-379-1802 or visit http://www.lascandalistas.org

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[ Edited by: Ojaitimo 2008-02-05 15:00 ]

[ Edited by: Ojaitimo 2008-02-05 15:01 ]

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 ]

ALoha Oj!

Great pictures of the Warner grand - it truly is a magnificent building and your pictures do it great service.

I am assuming that what you meant by the destruction of bunker hill buildings you mentioned was actually the destruction of Beacon Street just a few blocks away. They razed all the buildings and old bars in the early 1970's.

There is a great website with wonderfully sad pictures and history - check it out, I think you'll appreciate it.

http://www.josephmeier.com/beacon01.html

Here's my favorite image on the site:

Aloha!

Crenshaw Blvd. would have been interesting as I grew up along that street.