Egyptian Theatre

Awesome place to come see old movies!
This theater is run by American Cinematheque, which is a non-​profit that shows historic (and some new) movies. Movies are shown here pretty regularly, and the variety of movies is great.
The theater was restored in the late 90s to its original grandeur — very kitschy Egyptian theme (the theater was built in the 1920s!). Sound and picture are pretty good, though the seats leave something to be desired, despite being newer high-​backed seats with cupholders. There is a concession stand that sells traditional snacks like popcorn, drinks, and candy.
In addition to the exterior and interior of the theater, the lobby and even the bathrooms retain a lot of the original details of the building. Definitely an awesome place!
A note on buying tickets — despite the convenience of buying tickets online beforehand, be aware that Fandango will spam the F out of your inbox once you give them their email address. It’s one of the few sites I’ve used where the «unsubscribe» feature on their emails is completely non-​functional. Mark their emails as spam — hopefully that does the trick.
The biggest drawback is that it is in Hollywood, which is consistently a zoo. Worth it for a special occasion, but tough to navigate the crowds here on a regular basis.

I’m surprised that there are good reviews for this place. I think it’s because most of the events here usually have Q&A with celebrities after a screening. I’ve been to this theater a few times and had to sit in a broken seat. There were a couple. The first and second row is terrible. The screen is really high up. If you sit way back it is comfortable. Sound is great.
Parking does suck. When coming here I always prepare to just park at my friends and walk a few blocks. Pay attention to the street parking signs. I refuse to pay ridiculous parking fees around hollywood.
There is history here. At least it is kept up considering how old it is. The popcorn, eh… could be better. I remember it being $ 7.50 too.
And if you rent this theater, be prepared to pull out your own tables. They didn’t even give us chairs to do check in. Bad customer service in my opinion.

My mom, me, and my daughter love this theater. I especially love the Egyptian hieroglyphics on the wall and the huge beetle decoration on the ceiling of the theatre its so unique and mystic looking. Love the guests that attend this theatre they are usually enthusiastic about watching films here. They get very vocal and clap really loud and sometimes even cheer for films. This environment makes this theatre super fun. It’s a great place to volunteer at. They even give volunteers free popcorn and soda. That is a such an awesome and fun perk of volunteering at this theatre. They always have unique events like the Tiki festival and short film screenings. Many celebrities come here. Great place to network and watch some unique films. Love love this theatre.

The oldest theater on my top 10 LA Theaters list, this theater was founded by Sid Grauman and his partner, Charles Doberman in 1922, just a few weeks before King Tut’s tomb was discovered. He is far more famous for creating the Chinese Theater however, and yet, this was a design choice that had the entire country going mad for Egyptian inspired everything.
This theater was the first big movie house on Hollywood Boulevard, and recently just back in 1998 it went through a $ 13million rehabilitation, bringning it up to speed. Famous for it’s sunburst ceiling, it’s known to screen classics like Lawrence of Arabia, all the way up to contemporary independent and foreign films. This is a theater for independent and classic film viewing. If you are looking for today’s mega films, you won’t find them here.
Still, it’s a fantastic place to catch a movie. I give it 5 out of 5 stars

It was Cleopatra’s New Year’s Eve Ball 2016. False advertisement made us pay $ 80 per person to spend the NYE there. It does not worth this money. First, we were waiting in line outside for about half an hour or even more just to enter. You can imagine that it was not warm and that all girls were in their evening dresses, blouses or tops. And even «inside» meant an open paved party area with a stage under the stars. Second of all, we bought discounted (Goldstar), but VIP tickets, which promised 5 hours of an open full bar, all party areas available, including probably VIP bar as well. There was about $ 55 difference between regular and VIP ticket if you paid the full price. In fact, we got just 5 hours of 2 open bars with huge lines. There was no additional VIP bar. The lounge inside was very cozy, but very small and was full of people. The only difference between VIP and regular tickets was the access to the smallest party zone above the lounge. There were just few tables and a live dj. It had enough space just for dozen of people, I think. Very winding and narrow stairway was leading upstairs to this zone. The security guy who checked out VIP bracelets and let people in stayed upstairs, not downstairs, and turned back people without these VIP bracelets. Therefore, it was almost impossible to get in and get out from this «VIP zone» because of crowd on the stairs. Another smallest «VIP zone» with few tables and seats was outside near the wall, but no one needed it. All these 2 «VIP zones» looked like a joke. Music was just ok. I cannot say that it created very funny New Year atmosphere. Drinks were good after 10 – 20 minutes waiting for them in line. I gave additional star to this party just because it was New Year Evening. People still had fun because all of them were drunk. But I definitely will find something more interesting for NYE 2017.

The theater itself is awesome, but parking friggin’ sucks! If price is a factor on if you go there to see whatever, remember to factor in at least $ 10 for parking.

Can’t believe it’s been over six years since I first paid Egyptian a visit. That was for some awful pig-​killing movie that a friend of a friend knew about. Headless pigs were out on the patio, and of course, everyone had their phones out taking pictures with these things. Sorry to say I wasn’t one of them.
Fast forward to 2015, I returned to see The Hateful Eight, and have to say although the previous movie I was here for was sad, this shouldn’t distract from the venue. The scent of buttered popcorn-​if you’re into that thing which I am-​hits you as soon as you enter the doors. Theater itself was spacious, seats were fairly comfortable and the sound/​picture was clear and worked for me.
I suppose going to Regal to Arclight to AMC’s are the usual norm, simply because there are so many locations. But if someone invites you to a screening at The Egyptian, go, you won’t be disappointed.
As for parking, there are 2-​hour (I think) meters lining the side streets, but I think the only reasonable options would be some of the lots nearby since you’ll most likely be there past the 2-​hour mark.

once again the worst experience from the Egyptian the staff was rude. they cant for teh life of the get the lines together. one old guy looking like malcom mcdowel in lame leather clothes and some other old asshole yelling at fans and customers this is the 4^th time ive seen this. I will not be
and my movie club will go somewhere else. boycott this place. they dont care about fans so the fans shouldn’t care about them. also saw some really feminine guy with a beard yell at girl I think hes from the beyond fest total asshole arrogant feeble girl man. i rather go to cinefamily. were they treat the fans nice. fuck the beyond fest and fuck Egyptian theater.

This review is of The Beyondfest.
It was pretty terrible. The person who introduced The Devils gave too much of the plot away and the whole point of the movie.
Dog Day Afternoon allowed cell phones and too many people taking photos of the after show and selfies blocking the views of entire sections of the theater.
Not a place for true movie buffs to go. If you want a spectacle and a party fine. If you are a true movie fan then say far away from Beyondfest.

I’ve been here for many awesome indie occasions and was recently here for the Do-​over Slow Roast party which was free and had a line around the block! The Egyptian is iconic and a mainstay on Hollywood Blvd. I’ve been here for the Stanley Kubrik film festival and a Q&A for Nowhere Boy starring Aaron Taylor Johnson and director Kristen Scott Thomas. The Egyptian is nostalgic of old Hollywood and has so many awesome events and parties going on that you have to stay on top of it or else you’ll miss it!

Came here for 40^th anniversary of JAWS which I had never seen before. Got lucky and found out there was a Q&A afterward with the screen writer! The seats here are more comfy than the Aero, so of the two, come here. I also parked at Hollywood and Highland, but it cost me $ 15 for about 4 – 5 hours because we came early and plus the Q&A. The sound and video quality were good. They said they ran the 35 mm print of Jaws. The movie was AWESOME!!! This theatre is big and has stadium seating. I don’t think the Aero has stadium seating so I now love the Egyptian. Can’t wait to come back here. They had a snack bar, but didn’t buy anything so can’t comment on that.

This was my first time at the Egyptian and I was very impressed! The main theatre has an awesomely designed ceiling with a scarab as the main focal point. The lobby has a couple sphinxes semi-​hidden throughout and it’s very comfortable. They show classic/​new/​interesting movies that often aren’t shown in other theatres. I immensely enjoyed my time here.
You can read about the history of the theatre on Wikipedia.

I was lucky enough to be selected to shoot the red carpet at The Taste Awards. Such a fun night! I loved being in a theater with such Hollywood history! The venue was very intimate inside and you can just imagine all of the old celebrities who must have attended award shows there in the past.

I attend the annual Golden Globe Foreign Film Symposium thanks to the American Cinematheque. This state-​of-​the art theater has a rich history built in 1922. Charlie Chaplain frequented often. It’s spectacular

Offers great selection of movies. They show Studio Ghibli movies yearly and I make it an effort to drive all the way from Long Beach to see each and every one of them. They start the movies on time and the tickets are reasonably priced. I also like the feel of the theater, very old Hollywood and full of history.
I also like how I can sometimes get a space right in front of the place if I come early enough. The movies I see usually start after paid parking is off so I normally don’t have to pay for parking or walk a bit, which is awesome!
What I don’t like is how every time I go to see a movie here someone’s phone goes off AND someone next to me is Chatty Cathy. I know the movie theater cannot control this, but the patrons here don’t seem too considerate. I’ve seen plenty of movies over the years and it never fails that both of these things happen. Like every.single.time. It’s annoying to say the least but doesn’t affect my rating.
I love how the theater shows older and foreign films and does series that include international movie festivals with the directors. I would love to become a member but Long Beach is too far for me to come here on a regular basis. I wish they would open one in the Southbay!

I love this place. I come here for movie screenings and film festivals. The place is just iconic in LA.
THEATER:
Very clean and comfy seats. I sit in the front too and it’s been fine. I love the Q&A too. You can see from any seat.
REFRESHMENTS:
Overpriced like all theaters but very limited. But this is an OLD theater
BATHROOMS:
A lot of space.
AMBIANCE:
Very Hollywood. Great photo ops and just HISTORY! I’ve been here just for photos! The lights and everything!
PARKING: Street or paid lots
OVERALL:
I love this place.

Let’s get the obvious defects out of the way first.
(o) It’s in a hellishly touristy part of Hollywood: Crass, ugly, crowded, commercialised.
While you may find parking on Wilcox or in one of the many lots, you can get validated parking for four hours at the huge Hollywood + Highland complex about three blocks west of here.
(o) Its box office hours are narrow and confined to a small window of time when they’re screening something. Its staff are mostly unpaid volunteers, and so it’s often threadbare.
But the benefits are numerous and extensive.
It’s not only a beautiful and majestic theatre, it occupies one jewel in the crown of an elegant and glamorous «Old Hollywood» that is still breathtakingly beautiful. (The other jewels are more popular, i.e., Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Disney’s El Capitan).
You’ll see immaculately screened films, old and new, invariably accompanied by Q&As hosted by the filmmakers, actors, or others intimately involved with the project. Werner Herzog’s presented his films here, and has always been wonderfully accessible post-​screenings.
This is a living and working «film museum», with regular programs of various themes, along with filmmaker or actor focused retrospectives and highlights of under-​seen new films recognised as culturally valuable by the American Cinematheque.
There’s not a single event I’ve attended at the Egyptian that failed to exceed my expectations. If you want a little more than just a black box theatre with some popcorn, do yourself a favour and look through their program to find something of interest. Their tastes are truly catholic, with a wonderfully perverse eye towards the unsual, the bizarre, or even absurd.
You can go to an anonymous AMC Theatre anywhere. But only in Los Angeles can you come to the Egyptian Theatre and bear witness to film history, and participate in a conversation with the people who created it.
If you really want to double-​down on the Old Hollywood experience, come here before or after a steak and «Martini» dinner at Musso & Frank Grill across the street.
Neither the steak nor the «Martini» will blow you away, but the sheer charm and ambiance of the spot will complete the experience. For a time, you could get a table-​side prepared Caesar salad made with whisked raw egg yolks, but I hear that practice has stopped. You can get grilled lamb kidneys there, but for most the sweet spot will be the rib eye or porterhouse steaks.

There’s rarely anything about old theaters that I don’t love. And when one is doing a couple runs of a Studio Ghibli retrospective, it’s hard not to fall head over heels in love with it.
Somehow I managed to never darken the Egyptian’s doorway until this year. On New Year’s Day, the Egyptian was host to All Day I Dream, a wonderful dance party that went all day. But because we were limited to the outside of the theater, I decided not to write a review until I’d had a chance to see the interior (I try to stay out of the «I was here for 2 minutes, let me add to my review count» camp). I came back for the Studio Ghibli retrospective, and caught the double feature of «Grave of the FIreflies» and «Ocean Wave» — two movies that were a little tough to get through, honestly, but great to experience in this venue.
The interior, I can tell you, is really nice. It’s similar to the Pantages, in that it has ornate carvings on the ceilings and has been well-​preserved. The seats and the sound system are as good as any you’d find at a modern theater. But parking, as you might imagine, is tough in this part of town. There is a lot of residential street parking if you can find a spot, or you can park on Hollywood Blvd, but there is also a good chance that you’ll end up in one of the $ 10-​$ 15 lots.

I know it’s a landmark and all but I still believe that certain standards should still be upheld. We ordered tickets online to see «My Neighbor Totoro.» When we arrived we weren’t greeted but instead questioned by a volunteer. He kept going around and around in circles which caused more confusion than need be.
The theater was a bit rundown all around. I guess that could be expected with such a historical building. There was plenty of seats but my main complaint with their setup was the lack of room between my row and both the rows next to me; pretty cramped if you ask me!
I also wasn’t a fan of the bathroom. The first time we stopped by it was completely disgusting with overflowing trash cans and guppy tops. The second time we came by they atleast picked up the trash but it still made me feel gross walking in there.
The movie froze during its showing and revealed that it was no more than just a DVD being played. I know it’s an older movie I guess I was just hoping for something more.
Overall
It’s a ONCE in a lifetime kind of thing.
Tip
The snack bar is cash only

**WATCHED RETURN OF THE JEDI ON MAY THE 4TH HERE**
Thirty years ago this month, Return of the Jedi made its debut at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
It seems only logical then that on May the 4^th, fans celebrated the film’s landmark anniversary at the exact place it was first seen by an audience.
PARKING
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2 hour street parking ($ 2/​hr) or park at the nearby lots and garages for $ 8-​$ 10. We chose a parking lot for $ 8 (until 8PM).
AMBIANCE
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Historical landmark so there are some interesting architecture.
Clean, spaciously laid out.
Seats and sound system were up to par.
FOOD
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2 water bottles and a small popcorn $ 10.
OVERALL
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One of the best theatre experiences I’ve had in awhile.
Became a member of the Cinemathque.
Fabulous non-​profit organization.
Join here:
We look forward to future showings at this theatre.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND.