Los Angeles has long been considered the world capital of entertainment, a place where movie history is both preserved and constantly rewritten. Now, one of its historic theaters is bringing back a piece of that cinematic past with the return of a format many thought had disappeared.
After more than three decades without a traditional film projector, Glendale’s historic Alex Theatre is once again showing movies on film, reopening its doors to 70mm projection for Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated The Odyssey.
To prepare for the film’s arrival, the theater invested approximately $500,000 over five weeks to build a brand-new projection booth from scratch and install the equipment needed to handle large-format 70mm film. Each screening requires around four miles of film running through the projector, bringing an old-school moviegoing experience back to a venue that had not screened a film print since Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991.
The limited engagement runs from July 17 through August 6, with up to five screenings per day. For audiences, it is a chance to experience Nolan’s epic adventure in the same analog format that has become central to the filmmaker’s vision.
A 100-year-old Glendale movie palace returns to its roots
The Alex Theatre first opened on September 4, 1925, originally known as the Alexander Theatre. Designed by architects Arthur G. Lindley and Charles R. Selkirk, the venue opened as a grand movie palace and vaudeville theater featuring elaborate architecture inspired by Greek and Egyptian styles.
During Hollywood’s golden age, the theater became a major destination for movie premieres and previews, welcoming audiences for decades of blockbuster films. Its stage and screen hosted some of the biggest names in entertainment, including appearances connected to stars such as Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, and Bing Crosby.
The Alex continued operating as a first-run movie theater for more than 60 years before closing its film operations in September 1991. The building was later purchased by the City of Glendale and underwent a $6.5 million restoration, reopening in 1993 as a performing arts and entertainment center rather than a traditional cinema.
Today, the 1,400-seat theater remains one of Glendale’s most recognizable landmarks, with its iconic neon tower and historic interiors.
