DRIVE-IN FILM FUND
The Legion’s 482-seat theater recently underwent a $4 million remodel, highlighted by the installation of 35mm and 70mm film projectors, increasingly rare in an age of digital presentations. Plans are already being laid to add 35mm changeover projection to our new drive-in cinema. If successful, we will join the Mahoning Drive-In Theater in Lehighton, Pennsylvania as the only drive-ins left in the country still showing 35mm films. We are asking for donations from film lovers and others who care about the preservation of film to make this dream a reality, and continue our unwavering commitment to the medium of film.
The capability to project photographic film – 16mm, 35mm, and 70mm – has dwindled to an increasingly finite number of repertory theaters, museums and film archives as nearly all contemporary movies are shot and projected digitally. The ability to screen archival film prints empowers the Legion Theater to further our cherished connection with historic Hollywood while expanding the diversity of our contributions to the community we serve.
Our evolving relationships with a wide spectrum of film-centric and preservation entities including Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Janus Films, Turner Classic Movies (TCM), The UCLA Film and Television Archive, The American Cinematheque, The Film Noir Foundation, American Film Institute (AFI) and Retroformat Silent Films underscores our goal of making the cinematic experience available to the widest possible audience.
Our goal is to raise $20,000 for the installation of two 35mm film projectors in our projection tower. Each dollar you commit to our effort will be spent exclusively on our film system; if we do not reach our goal any remaining funds will be used to maintain and improve the quality of film presentations in our indoor theater. Any dollar amount is greatly appreciated and will make an impact. The below donation levels will be acknowledged with the following benefits:
$100 Tour of our completed drive-in projection booth.
$250 Exclusive tour of our projection operation, both indoors and outdoors.
$500 + Enjoy a movie for free in our drive-in and get an exclusive tour of our projection operation, indoors and outdoors, with our chief projectionist, Taylor Umphenour.
All contributions made are tax-deductible. For more information or questions please contact theater director Bill Steele|bill.steele@post43.org.
Through our devotion to film exhibition, the Hollywood Legion Theater is not just supporting the mission of film preservation. We are also preserving the original cinematic experience for a community of film lovers in order to experience this unique art form in the exact manner it was originally intended.