Robert Redford Rides Into Laemmle's Sunset 5
Talk about your unexpected indie movie twist! Just hours after we reported yesterday’s news of Laemmle Theatres’ plans to shut down the Sunset 5 by the end of November, L.A. Times reporter Nicole Sperling blogged word of a most welcome and logical rescuer: Robert Redford.
The Sundance Institute has offices in Beverly Hills and just hired a new media relations director (Sarah Eaton) to be stationed there. So it makes a lot of sense for the Sundance Cinemas end of things to give the Sunset 5 location a go as its new LA beachhead next spring, following some on-site renovations:
“Ever since the Arclight and the Grove opened, we lost some attendance,” said Greg Laemmle, president of Laemmle Theatres…
It’s unclear how Sundance Cinemas, which opened its first theater in 2007, will avoid a similar fate at the Sunset location… “Maybe fresh blood will bring new life into the theater and come new cash too,” Sony Pictures Classics’ Tom Bernard said. “A face lift on the theater may attract new audiences and make it a place to be.”
Redford, if and when he pays a visit to his new LA holdings, will be making use of elevators and escalators frequented by TMZ staff. Could lead to a very odd Woodward and Levin moment.
