Landmark's Del Mar Theatre — Attraction in Santa Cruz

It was a real good time and it took me back 30 years rekindling joyous memories of best friends and life long cherished life altering memories. I had not seen the movie in over 30 years. It’s a 1975 cult film aficionados delight. The audience participation was phenomenal. All kinds of young ladies and men took to the stage in front of the giant movie screen in costume, dancing, gyrating and singing along to the movie It was an over the top entertaining event.

I have not been so entertained for too many years. When I was growing up in Southern California in the Greater Los Angeles suburbs we would often attend the midnight mass at Iconic Rialto Theater in South Pasadena, California. Those showings were such a warm sharing time spent with childhood friends and of course the die hard seasoned veteran fans. It seems so long ago but the memories often return to me and I splendor in my youthful memories of time long ago before marriage, fatherhood and joining the indentured working force in Silicon Valley. What a difference 30 years makes on a persons go to happy memories. Growing up in the 80’s along with our now oldies, LOL music, because they were some of the happiest years of my life. It was a fun carefree time and my dear friends and I were immersed in the activities of the era.

We are only young once as we pass thru this life and I can honestly say that my friends and I tried our best to immerse ourselves into the times. I would not have wanted to miss this joyous time of youth, exploring and experimentation for anything.

If you have never seen the movie, you should, it’s a decadent, crazy shameless pleasure. Amongst the cast are a very young Susan Sarandon and Tim Curry. They play their roles with an enthusiastic abandoned. Many a viewer lost their innocence and virginity after seeing the Late Night Motion Picture Show. Truly it was a rite of passage if you lived in or near the Greater Los...

What a surprise after living here over 8 years. Was unaware this theater is more than a historical landmark. Best movie experience for me because of the most unique ambience of the lighting due to the preserved and restored decorations and architecture. Incredible low soft lighting I get to experience from the 1930s or 40s. It wouldn't have this character if they hadn't preserved the 1930s or 40s artwork and architecture. If this was southern CA where i grew up this would've been destroyed and replaced with a parking lot or commercial building by now. Glad to know there's people who care more about preserving history than making money over destruction for the sake of so called "progress". This theater represents the higher standards of those involved in restoring this place than those valueless standards, like greed, held by most land developers/land developing corporations in southern CA. This theater adds more dimension to downtown. Hope the planners are vigilant about continuing this character or else they'll wind up with another boring monotonous place like those places all over southern CA that tore down old structures erasing unique...

The Del Mar is a classic movie house restored from a bygone era and has a really cool nostalgic vibe. For being such an old theater, they have done a good job upgrading the speaker and projection systems because the sound and picture quality or definitely up to par. Also, don't expect to see big budget movies from the major studios here. This theater mainly caters more towards independent and arthouse films. The first time I came here I was walking behind a tourist family on the street that looked up at the marquee and said quote "I've never even heard of any of these movies." And I just laughed to myself as I walked in. The only fault I have with this theater is that the chairs are really stiff and I found myself constantly readjusting in my seat to try and get comfortable. I haven't seen a movie in their larger palace theater, but based on the pictures it looks like the seats in that theater are more comfortable. Other than that, I love this...