Art-House Movie Theater Shuts Down

The United Artists Warner Center movie complex had comfy seats, buttery popcorn, oversized candy bars and a loyal following who watched art-house films in its intimate setting.

But there was one problem: The theater couldn’t draw enough film buffs to keep its doors open.

The venerable movie house closed its doors Sept. 3, after 18 years in business at its Canoga Avenue location, surrendering to the competitive pressures of multiscreen cinemas.

“The revenues had declined to the point where it wasn’t turning a buck,” said Mike Pade, executive vice president of film for United Artists. “We were competing with AMC’s and Pacific Theaters’ multiplexes. It was a fragmentation of the market and people opted for newer theaters.”

Earlier this year, the Americana 5 in Panorama City also succumbed to market forces. The owners of the independent movie house could not be reached for comment.

With 70-foot screens, surround sound, stadium seating and armrests with nifty cup holders, upscale megaplexes have lured moviegoers once satisfied with neighborhood theaters, Pade said.

“We played art-house and foreign films and attracted a dedicated following, but not enough of a following to support the theater,” Pade said. “We were done in by the multiplexes.”

The theater’s last picture show was Sept. 2, and its doors closed for good the next day, Pade said. Still, the theater’s parent company intends to continue showing films at its cinemas in Granada Hills, North Hollywood and other Los Angeles locations.

The Woodland Hills theater was sold to a health club operator who liked its plate glass facade and cavernous interior, Pade said.