Cinespia Hollywood Forever Screenings

Cinespia Hollywood Forever Screenings

6000 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Follow Cinespia on Facebook

Type: Outdoors
Category: Entertainment
Company: Dates, Friends
Cost: $10 donation at the gate; $5 parking on-site

Quickie: Monthly screenings of classic Hollywood films projected onto the side of a building at Hollywood Forever cemetery. Outside food and beverages are allowed.

OTC Tip: Bring a blanket or two at the least, although small folding chairs would be ideal. And if you bring wine, don’t forget an opener.

Review: Take a drive-in movie, replace the parking lot with an old cemetery, and trade sitting in cars for picnicking on the grass. What do you get? (No, not the premise to a bad horror film.) Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, a monthly event from May to October. Located at the corner of Santa Monica and Gower, Cinespia is the perfect alternative to the usual cookie-cutter romantic comedy date at the local multiplex.

I’ll be the first to admit that the premise sounds weird (and it involved the convincing of a cute girl to get me to go), but the execution is flawless. Once a month on Saturdays, classic movies from days past are screened outdoors in front of a large grass field – devoid of gravestones, don’t worry. Our screening was the 1967 film “Bedazzled” starring Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, and Raquel Welch. Admission is cheaper than a standard movie theater, and it comes with one very good perk – BYOE. That’s right, it’s Bring Your Own Everything, more or less. Food and beverage, including booze, are allowed, along with chairs (nothing so tall that it will hinder others’ views), blankets, pillows, etc. The effect is a cozy picnic vibe that makes it perfect for both a large group of friends as well as a date. Note that “date” and “food” don’t include dogs and BBQs, so leave Fido and Weber at home. And yes, there are restrooms available nearby (in the form of Porta-Potties).

While you can park on-site for $10, I suggest looking for street parking. Not only will you save money, but you’ll avoid the gaggle of cars and pedestrians leaving the cemetery. As with everything in life, early arrivers will have a better choice of seats. We arrived about 30 minutes before the figurative lights dropped, and were regulated to a spot near the back. However, the “screen” (technically a wall, but whatever) was large enough and the speakers placed perfectly that I didn’t have to strain to enjoy the movie. For those that want to arrive an hour or two early, a DJ spins music before the movie, so you’ll be entertained. (I guess you’ll have your friends to entertain you too, but you never know...) And despite the large crowds, everyone is extremely friendly and polite, a rarity in LA.

Overall, this is a great way to spend a Saturday night in Hollywood. It combines everything that’s great about LA – Classic Movies, Hollywood, and drinking in a cemetery. Or something.

Next screening: June 9th, A Nightmare On Elm Street
Gates open at 7:00, Movie starts at 8:30