CINESPIA
An original way to view a film!

By Brenda Cowan

So, you want to watch a movie with the stars? Well, now you can watch with the stars in the sky and those tucked nice and safely below the ground. Just follow the line of patrons to Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on selected Saturday evenings throughout the year. There, on the wall of the mausoleum that holds the remains of Rudolph Valentino, which is just past the final resting place of Douglas Fairbanks Sr., classic films are being shown to an eclectic group of Angelenos and out-of-towners.

Immortals sleep here; they are part of the reason that the world knows and envies this town, so it is fitting that these films are being shown here. Picnic dinners, blankets, beach chairs and assorted alcoholic beverages in hand, the horde streams in at 7:30 p.m. sharp to claim a spot on the lawn and settle in to view a classic. Wine bottles opened, champagne uncorked, and an assortment of food groups as varied as the crowd laid out, and the audience is ready for a viewing experience not to be duplicated anywhere on the planet.

It is fitting that, with Paramount studios as the backdrop and palm trees framed by the night sky, old Hollywood is remembered and honored; residents and visitors alike celebrate amongst the past pioneers of film. I had the pleasure of watching Howard Hawks' classic screwball comedy His Girl Friday starring Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell and Ralph Bellamy. I have seen this film hundreds of times, but I have never seen it on the big screen--I mean, big wall--and never with an audience. The film became fresh and alive when seen in a setting like this (no pun intended). For the first time, I actually caught inside jokes I had missed in the past. It was such great fun to share this experience friends and strangers as I sipped my Pinot Grigio and munched on turkey sandwiches.

It is unique, but Los Angeles is unique and we do have a culture here--a film culture. It is worth embracing and celebrating, and not just once a year with the over-the-top Academy Awards. Cinespia is all about film, filmmakers and the unsung participant, the audience.

For some, the idea of watching a film in the openness of the cemetery may seem too morbid, but believe me, it is a celebration and just great fun. The night I attended, there were about 1,000 people there. I suggest you get there early and jump in line so you can claim your spot on the lawn. Blankets and beach chairs are welcome. Food and beverages of your choice are allowed. But remember: Clean up after yourselves! This is the final resting place of many souls and you wouldn't want to piss them off and have them follow you home, now would you?

Cinespia really is something you should experience if you live here in the Los Angeles area or plan on visiting. You can check out the event calendar on http://cinespia.org/ or sign up for the e-mail notification. A $10 donation is collected at the cemetery’s entrance; all donations go to film preservation and to the upkeep of the famed cemetery itself. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard near Gower Street. The gates open at 7:30 p.m. and the films start at 9 p.m. Go, have fun, and watch where you step.

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