Tarantino saves the New Beverly Cinema
The New Beverly Cinema has been around since 1929 and was once a first-run theater, but in 1978 Sherman Torgan and his family bought the theater and decided to screen independent, foreign and exploitation films. In the mid-2000s they began to feel the effects of the DVD and internet and fell on hard financial times and were unable to pay their $5000 mortgage every month. Through word-of-mouth Tarantino – a collector and screener of classic exploitation, etc. himself – decided to begin paying their monthly dues. ”It was going to be turned into a Super Cuts,” Tarantino said. “I’d been coming to the New Beverly ever since I was old enough to drive there from the South Bay — since about 1982. So, I couldn’t let that happen.”
In 2007 Sherman died unexpectedly and left questions about whether the New Beverly would indeed stay open as the landlord began getting bids to buy the space. So instead of losing the beloved family business, the Torgan family matriarch reached out to Quentin and he decided to buy it outright. “I already had a good relationship with the family and the theater, so it was a natural step.” said Tarantino.
After a few hurdles, the ‘grindhouse’ fanboy director became the Torgan’s landlord and he allows the family to run the day-to-day business. ”Quentin couldn’t be a better landlord,” son Michael Torgan expressed. “He’s involved with suggesting movies when he likes, but he lets us do most of the booking.”
“As long as I’m alive, and as long as I’m rich, the New Beverly will be there, showing double features in 35mm,” Tarantino said.
(source)
