That's a great article. I remember when Pussycat Theatres were seemingly everywhere. The chain lost its glory in the late 80s because porn was becoming an exclusively home video thing, so they were closing one by one. The only Pussycat Theatre I ever went to was the one in Santa Monica, which was in 1987. People used to tell me to bring a towel if I ever went to one because there supposedly was cum all over the seats, but I remember the theatre being very clean. It closed around 1994-1995. But according to that article, it was open until 1999. It's now a Buca di Beppo restaurant. I walked by the Pussycat Theatre in West Hollywood (on Santa Monica Blvd.) as recently as 1996. I remember seeing the Sunset Theatre as recently as 1999, maybe 2000. It's now a Walgreens.
Wicked Pictures,Vouyer Media, Axel Braun Productions, Marc Dorcel, JoyBear Pictures, abbywinters.com 1390 Posts 7/05
Posted - Dec 30 2011 : 8:37PM
I never visited any of California's adult cinemas, unfortunately. I know I've written about this in other threads, but I briefly worked with the Kiva Art Theatre in Scottsdale AZ while going to ASU. I helped them remove the theatrical projection equipment and install a video projection system over Easter Weekend, 1987 (this is where my film prints came from). IIRC, the last shot-on-film project that was shown on film there was De Renzy's PRETTY PEACHES 2. I remember watching De Renzy's ANGEL PUSS (a video), in the big room a couple months after the conversion.
Oh, nice. Did you get anything good? Theatres are often great sources (I recently got a bunch of fantastic stuff out of a shuttered theatre in Seattle).
I believe it. The Sunset remained open much longer than other porno theatres. It was definitely the last one remaining in Los Angeles. But fate finally caught up with it. It's too bad I never got to see a movie there.
The only time porno movies are shown on the big screen these days is the one time a year a porno movie is shown at the New Beverly Cinema as a midnight feature. But I don't think they screened one this year.
It's amazing the Sunset lasted as long as it did. It was still around in the DVD era. Porno movie theatres were extinct by then. But like I said, it couldn't escape fate forever.
The thing about the New Beverly Cinema occasionally screening porno movies is that movie theatre was once itself a porno theatre (simply called the Beverly Cinema). It closed in 1977, after the Los Angeles Times stopped accepting ads for porno movies. A year later it reopened as revival house New Beverly Cinema, which it remains to this day. In ways the porno movie screenings are a nod to its past.
^The New Beverly Cinema did screen "The Good Old Naughty Days", which is a collection of porn shorts from the 20s, so technically they did screen a porno movie this year. But they didn't screen an actual feature porno movie like you said. To make up for the lack of a screening this year, you need to get two porno movie screenings next year.
I understand the Roxy in LA still had a screening of a porno a couple of years ago as an opening night for porn performers, directors and producers similar to what is done with a large-budget mainstream film. My understanding was that it was a full-time porn theater but I could be wrong on that one. Other than the Roxy (if they are still open) I don't think there are any porn theaters left in the US.
^I only know of the the nightclub Roxy on Sunset Blvd. That place is still open, but I didn't know any movies were ever shown there. It was always a concert venue. It could have been a one-time-only thing.
There is the Tiki Theatre on Santa Monica and Western. It used to be a strip club, but nowadays it's a porn theatre. I've never been there, but I've passed by it many times, and it looks like a scummy hole-in-the-wall. I've read it's a filthy shithole that's a haven for crackheads. I've also read that vile, disgusting, and unspeakable things happen there. It sounds like it's not sleazy, but it's downright repulsive. On top of that, I'm guessing they screen subpar movies. The message of these comments is stay away from this place. If you're a clean, decent person, do not go there. Here is one comment on the place. And here is another.
I'm surprised the Tiki Theater is still in existence.I went buy there on numerous occasions it just seamed so sleazy and dirty for me to set foot in there and that's saying a lot because I even went into a bar called Golddiggers just a little ways down the street a total dive !!!!
^As long as crackheads pay the admission to go in and smoke their crack and do god-knows-what, that place will stay open. It's been around like forever. What would be worse than being around crackheads is being harassed by them. You know that's inevitable. How can anyone enjoy a movie under those conditions? I couldn't. I'm not that desperate for porn.
Just another bare bum in the shiower 1739 Posts 12/04
Posted - Jan 9 2012 : 8:27AM
Lol, reminds me of that porn theatre in the back of a sex shop opposite the Orleans Hotel in Vegas. I wanted to check it out because it was advertised as a proper theatre showing adult movies. The girl behind the counter tried to dissuade me and said I would be better off in a private video booth, however I insisted. Anyways, I only lasted about five minutes in there as the place stank of every bodily emission and there was a constant sound in the back row of belts being unbuckled, zippers being pulled down, and slurps a plenty ...
I'm in agreement with everything you said at one time they feature a stripper she had to be the bottom of the barrel and to top it off pay $10.00 no thank you !!!!! Hey is that adult book store with the peep show booths on Santa Monica and Highland still there ?I actually bought some movies there before I never ventured to the peep show booths though.Now back in the late 80's I did pay $5.00 to watch a movie I would check it out to see if it was something I'd want to purchase at a later date it was a video store right across from Popeye's Chicken on Hollywood Blvd.That was still pretty bad because I'd get these perverts coming around asking if I give you some money can I suck you dick I just remember yelling get the fuck out of here and they would leave me alone.
^I'm not familiar with the adult bookstore you mentioned. I thought I knew about every stripclub, porn theatre, and adult bookstore in the Hollywood area, but I didn't know there was one at that location. It could still be there, but I wouldn't know. I haven't been in that area in a long time. I sort of remember the video store across from Popeye's, though. I probably had been in there at one time. Edited by - Myload on 1/9/2012 12:16:54 PM
I never did I was surprised it stayed open as long as it did I moved to Los Feliz in 1998 and would go buy there frequently and it always looked like it was doing hardly any business.When I relocated to Los Angeles once again in 1987 I did go to the Cave Theater on Hollywood Blvd and it was a little bit better than the description of the Tiki Theater.I did hear that the Cave Theater was a haven for crackheads as well and they used to have some bottom of the barrel dancers as well. The only time I went to the Pussycat Theater I was living in Venice Beach this was in 1987 I went to the on 2nd Street in Santa Monica both times I took in a double feature.My first time the movies playing were Great Sexpectations and Taboo 4.The second time was Miami Spice 1 & 2 talk about a disappointment.I mean all the big name stars all the advertisement by Caballero both films were dull as dishwater. My one true regret is I moved to Hollyweird in 1991 and the Ivar Theater was still open it's reason closing I believe was because the owner died.I wish I went in there just to I had been there before.
As you know, times had changed by then. Porn theaters became a thing of the past. I was also surprised the Sunset made it into the next decade. But even that theatre's days were numbered.I have only been in the front part of the Cave, which as you know was an adult bookstore. I never went into the strip club part. Something told me it was going to be a dud, as from what you just said it's probably a good thing I never went in there. Back then the Seventh Veil was the place to go. Now I went there a lot.As I mentioned earlier in this thread, that's the only Pussycat I ever went to, and in the same year as you. I don't remember what I saw there, but it was the experience of seeing a movie there that mattered. It was a nice movie theatre.I remember that place too, though I never went there either. I feel the same way as you. I think it's a nightclub now. Edited by - Myload on 1/9/2012 8:28:40 PM
There was also another Pussycat Theater on Western near Santa Monica Blvd. I also did visit the one in Santa Monica. I don't recall if I ever went to the big one on Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood. I only went when my friends went and I tagged along so I didn't go to that many shows.
^ I do remember the Pussycat Theatre on Santa Monica Blvd after all I had an apartment on Fountain and Detroit and to get to work out near LAX I had to catch the then RTD now MTA bus 4 or 304 which arrived first at Santa Monica and Labrea and it went down Santa Monica Blvd and I'd go by that Pussycat Theatre all of the time.This was like the real early 90's like from 1991 - 1996 I remember one time passing by and one of Max Hardcore's then Max Steiner Hitchhiker series was playing.It just seamed so odd to me that shot video not film was being shown at a theater and during time period some of the worst porn ever was made.
^You're absolutely right. The website I got the picture from lists 1983 as the year the picture was taken. I'm surprised the Pussycat signs weren't added by then.
Some people said the movie theatre was an eyesore. Does that look like an eyesore? I think the Pussycats were some of the best-looking and best-maintained theatres around. And I'm not saying that as a porn fan either.
I only went once--saw Virginia and Memphis Cathouse Blues. I don't remember anything about Memphis, except that it was better than Virginia. I remember Hustler gave that one a scathing review. Didn't care much for the experience. The ushers would walk up the aisles often to make sure nobody was jacking off in the seats--that was fine with me but it was still distracting. The men's room was the size of a shower stall and I didn't want to touch anything, and the whole place smelled like bleach. At least I hoped it was bleach. Still, it was a right-of-passage to go.
Sexy Brunette Fucks Her Accountant - review by Danielmayu33216
Posted - Dec 30 2011 : 2:11AM
And here is a website that sells Pussycat merchandise. Nostalgia sells.
