The UCLA Film & Television Archive Winter 2026 presented a series on films from the heydays of LA's Chinatown titled "Echoes from Spring Street: The World of Sing Lee and Chinese-Language Cinema in L.A." held from Jan 16 to Mar 22. As luck would have it, I only found out about this series for their last screening, a double feature of Clifton Ko's film "Devoted to You" and Stanley Kwan's "Love Unto Waste", both originally released in 1986. Speaking with my dad, it turned out the first screening he saw at Sing Lee's was "Ace Go Places IV", coincidentally also released in 1986. Parking at the Hammer Museum is $8 after 5pm on the weekends, though I was easily able to find street parking nearby for free. It's worth mentioning the museum has free admission, so take the time to stroll around if you can. As luck would have it, I came ten minutes before the galleries closed, so don't do that. On the flip side, that meant I was able to get a ticket for the screening early to secure a seat. Beandrea July, who I hear occasionally on FilmWeek, was the host of the evening and gave a great introduction to the films and guests. Both films, with their over-the-top Hong Kong humor and melodrama, were presented well technically even with all the graininess, which I think adds to the appeal. The seats were comfy, and a "No food or drinks" policy means no cup holders. After the screening, a quick Q&A with UCLA Professor Michael Berry and Harvard PhD student Janet Louie provided some historical context to what the filmmakers may have tried to conveyed with their works, and the sentiment felt by audiences back in Asia and the diaspora. Here's hoping these folks continue to restore more films and add to the series! read more

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Went there for the first time a couple of weeks ago for a Dark Shadows 60th Anniversary event. The theater was clean and the staff were very friendly. The line was long to get in but it moved very quickly. read more

This place is fantastic and something everyone can enjoy. We saw a talk about Desi Arnaz that was wonderful and so interesting - and free! I'd just like it if they had snacks and drinks for sale, and it smelled a little better. read more

The screening of Sofia Coppola's film PRISCILLA. An In-person Q&A with costume designer Stacey Battat & producer Youree Henley. I noticed a constant hue theme; strategically placed throughout certain scenes. The brand new gifted puppy adorned with a bright pink bow, the pink shift dresses hanging first on a rack of assorted gowns and pink throw blankets were prominent in the film. The repetitive use of the color "PINK" to emphasize the lead female's femininity. Pink is used during the peak points/highlights of their romance. For example, the soft pink glow accentuating Elvis' face during the "LSD sugar cube" scene with Priscilla. I see similarities in the costume pink color scheme with Sofia's "Marie Antoinette" ; in addition to the rock/pop indie music used as well. The "only" downside to the evening was the blabber mouth B@#&! seated to my left. Not an endearing quality. No one cares about the frat parties & football games you did not attend at school. You should have attended both! It'll help you read the room better :) Another moment passed & I couldn't help but carefully drown out the noise and anticipate the film screening. read more

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Billy Wilder Theatre is inside the Hammer Museum. Standard set up of well upholstered chairs that don't rock or recline back. Front of the theatre has a wide stage. Clean, minimalist, décorless space with emphasis on the media experience. Their programIng seems to be esoteric, focused on different aspects of lesser known cultures, world scenes, subcultures. However, vintage and iconic movie nights also occur. Much of the programs are under the aegis of the UCLA Film & Television Archive. I went to see Benshi who are narrators for silent movies in Japan especially during the 1910's & 20's before the "talkies" started in the late 20's. Unlike American silent movies which had written dialogues for the audience to read with live organ music accompaniment, Japanese silent movies relied on the Benshi to read and vocally act out what the actors spoke on film. Since the Benshi supplied the dialogue, it could be possible for them to give a different interpretation of the story lIne much to the chagrin of directors, producers, actors. I often heard about Sessue (seh shu-) Hayakawa who predated Rudolf Valentino as a leading man. He starred in the "Cheat" by Cecil B. deMille which placed him in the "yellow peril" roll as a leacherous villain who took advantage of poor hapless women. As a silent movie actor, I was pleasantly surprised to see that unlIke the often stilted acting of most silent film stars, Sessue Hayakawa had a more modern sensibility of believability to his acting. On Friday, March 15th, 7:30pm there will be a Pat Rocco Memorial Tribute and Screening. Pat was a pioneer photographer & cinematographer in depicting Gay life styles as something natural, happy, productive to be reveled and appreciated. Rocco is very much like the artist, Tom of Finland, who depicted Gay men in lusty, joyous, male pride & frolic. Rocco also documented & photographed early Gay struggle for equality especially in the late 60's and throughout the 1970's. Billy Wilder Theatre features more focus on traditions, art, culture, more obscure corners of human existence to expand the "box" that many of us find ourselves in if we don't actively seek to climb over the wall. PS $7 parking at the Hammer Museum. Cars may be driven out even after the parking lot has closed by requesting the gate to be opened via a speaker. Confirm w/ staff to make sure this policy still holds. read more

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It was a very special and intimate night here as I was invited to watch Journey from The Fall by director Ham Tran, he made this in 2006 just a year after I came to the US, the story was about boat people and their journey coming to the US as they fled Vietnam after the fall of Saigon. In a way I felt very related as I also came to the States that year on my own. It was a sad stories, as the movie original copy was lost in a fire in Thailand, it was challenging to make, produce and distribute as the film talked about a sensitive topic which the Vietnamese government wouldn't approve, then luckily the entire film was funded by all the Vietnamese folks in the OC community. It was great to watch it in 35 mm, to sit and listen to Ham and the composer of the film talk about how the movie has been made. UCLA has a very good location for students and actors to watch and learn great film makings, especially the Hammer little theater here. read more

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'Oh well, Nobody's Perfect!' And that would sum up my impression of an otherwise fantastic experience at the lovely Billy Wilder Theatre. Gorgeous space, comfy seats, and passionately curated schedule (currently there's a Bob Fosse retrospective). Scheduled talkbacks with participants and/or otherwise related-players add to some unique movie-going. Nestled inside the Hammer Museum on Westwood, the Billy Wilder offers one-of-kind opportunities to watch (or re-watch) films by cinematic masters. Aptly named after one of the undisputed giants, Billy Wilder, one of personal favorites. So, why not Five Stars? Well, when you walk inside from the (Wilshire) entrance, you might see two gentlemen holding walkies, smiling and chatting with each other. You may ask them where to go, and they'll tell you. You may then stand in line (gets busy - come early) until it's your turn to walk into the actual theatre. But, if you only have a printout of your Will Call, you need to get out of line and over to the nearby Box Office to get physical tickets. Seems reasonable. Yet, it also seems reasonable that the smiling guys at the entrance who actually work here might offer that information...especially when you've already made it obvious to them that this is your first time here. I still got a seat, but hey, those guys are in a perfect position to give a bit more guidance than just pointing to the stairwell. read more

Billy Wilder Theater is part of the UCLA (Film and TV Archives), located inside the Hammer Museum. Great location, in the middle of Westwood Village. The box office opens just an hour before the show, but you can also buy tickets on line. The actual theater has a medium size, can't say I love the pinkish seats (it's just me). But it's a decent environment to watch movies, I've been here a bunch of times for Hammer events, film festivals or regular programming since they show interesting movies, wide range. They still project 35mm, decent prints, and that's so rare and cool nowadays! $9-$10 a ticket (sometimes they have double-features, so that's even a better deal). No food is allowed in, and they're serious about it (I got a candy out of my purse and got scolded for it!). At the best, you can risk it and bring some bottled water in! Check out the museum if you get early. There's a cafe/restaurant in the courtyard if you're hungry and need to grab a bite before the movie. They have nice programs to grab with great info for future screenings. Parking- inside the museum, it's more now! So $6 flat after 6 pm weekdays, $6 flat all day weekends. Before 6 pm, $6 for 3 hours and then goes up fast, tooo fast! Nice location, with many restaurants around, you can make a date night out of it, or even spend a nice day in the weekend. Great place to watch different types of movies, from different countries, time periods, so check their schedule out. They show movies for kids in the weekends, as well. read more

Kudos to the UCLA Film & Television Archive Program. The Billy Wilder Theater, with pink leather comfortable seats (and two brown ones ala "Billy Wilder's" seats*), offers a nice size theater and screen. I recently attended a screening of Dingomaro (Iran, 2013), and it was a beautiful documentary. Located in Westwood Village at the Hammer Museum on the corner of Westwood and Wilshire Boulevards, it offers $3 parking after 6pm -- remarkable for the area. A nice little courtyard provides "necking" opportunities if you get there early. Nothing for sale, no concessions, nothing...and you can't even bring a drink or a bite of food (unless you sneak it in). So, eat before or after (800 degrees, Napa Valley Grille, Palomino) -- or beware of the sounds of the belly. * It's okay, you can sit in them. read more

Mindful meditation experience only, will update for theater/film. Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum is an intimate venue for public viewing of UCLA's Film and Television Archive "...the second largest moving image archive in the United States after the Library of Congress, and the world's largest university-based media archive." https://www.cinema.ucla.edu/about-archive Access presentations and events sure to entertain film buffs, culture vultures along with family friendly movies here: https://www.cinema.ucla.edu/events Although film at the Billy Wilder Theater is something yet to be explored, it was the FREE, 30-minute guided, mindful, meditation experience held most Thursdays at 12:30 PM that brought me here. The 294-seat house accessible from the Hammer Museum courtyard is subtly appointed with comfortable seats, the right place to turn off your technology, take a break, decompress. Stay for 5-minutes or the full thirty. Leave with tools to reclaim serenity as stressors encroach and you know they will, they always do! Sessions facilitated by "Diana Winston, Director of Mindfulness Education at MARC, and other guest leaders, have a different weekly theme [that might] include introductory comments, guided meditation, silent practice time, and closing comments." Meditation along with suppressing internal chatter is all about breathing deeply, slowing breath down to quiet body and mind. The October 19, 2017 session I attended began with watching Cuban, visual artist, Glenda Leon's http://havana-cultura.com/en/visual-arts/glenda-leon 1-minute, 4-second video CADA RESPIRO (Tierra). Calming indeed, as well as supporting 2017's "Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA: A Celebration Beyond Borders, citywide exploration of Latin American and Latino art in dialogue with Los Angeles." Access a schedule plus this session and other podcasts for review or view if you're not able to be present here: http://marc.ucla.edu/meditation-at-the-hammer CASH ONLY parking is available under the Hammer Museum. $6 for the first three hours with MUSEUM VALIDATION, $3 for each additional 20 minutes, with a $20 daily max $6 flat rate after 6 p.m. on weekdays, and all day on weekends read more

Bright fuchsia carpets and seats, located in the courtyard level of the Hammer Museum in Westwood. Opened in 2006, films are shown in their original formats. Clean, spacious, mid-sized theater. Screenings, stage performances, multi-media lectures, film maker talks, and concerts. With the resources of the UCLA film archive, this theater presents films from around the world, silent classics, independent projects, documentaries, etc. Currently, a Barbara Stanwick tribute thru June 10th, double feature. A series of five films, Los Angeles Destroys Itself, starts June 23rd. The crowd is quiet, older and sophisticated. On the day we were there, one of the child actresses was in the audience. Box office tickets go on sale an hour before showtime. 10 minute intermission between films if double feature. Tickets $9, parking $3 in the building. Price is the same if you miss the first of a double feature. Academy award winning director Billy Wilder was a resident of Westwood, co-wrote and directed Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, The Seven Year Itch and Some Like It Hot. For their public events calendar, see their website: http://hammer.ucla.edu/calendar/calendar ALL HAMMER PUBLIC PROGRAMS ARE FREE. Tickets are required, and are available at the Billy Wilder Theater Box Office one hour prior to start time. Limit one ticket per person on a first come, first served basis. Hammer members receive priority seating, subject to availability. Reservations not accepted, RSVPs not required. Parking is available under the museum for $3 after 6:00p.m. read more

The UCLA Film & Television Archive Programs featured at the Billy Wilder Theater offer cool opportunities to watch films no longer playing on a big screen. Currently there is a program called "Universal Pictures: Celebrating 100 Years" and the calendar is full of great films that can be viewed in original print, new restorations and/or with live Q&A sessions... movies like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Sting. Later this week, they are showing Jaws and Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. I can't wait to experience these classics in theater! Unfortunately, no concessions are sold or even allowed inside the theater. The seats are fairly comfortable, but there is little leg room. No chatterboxes in this moviegoer crowd though and there is $3 parking after 6:00 pm. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online or at the box office prior to showtime. It's something you should check out at least once. Maybe even surprise your date with a unique and thoughtful night out ;) read more

Assembling to watch: "The Gangster's Daughter" Directed by Mei-Juin Chen Presented by UCLA Film & TV Archives & The Taiwan Academy. read more

The addition of the Billy Wilder Theater, inside the Hammer Museum in Westwood, is an asset to LA. For anyone who loves repertory cinema-- classic, foreign, art films, etc.--this place is for you. FIrst, you can see GREAT movies. This weekend, my GF & I are enjoying the second installment in a series of restored Hollywood pre-code films from the Paramount/Universal vaults. These are rare early 1930s movies that often have risque themes, which haven't been seen in some cases since the thirties! Thank you UCLA archivists and film restorers--you are heroic! Coming up in March, one of my favorite eerie beautiful haunting Val Lewton 1940s horror films "I Walked with a Zombie." I'm excited to see this on the big screen. Second, they often have cool guest speakers to introduce and discuss the films, e.g. this month great cinematographer Roger Deakins is presenting the French 1969 classic by JP Melville, An Army of Shadows. Finally, the space is very comfortable, and I even like the pink and arty neon interior. The seats are comfortable, and they open and close the big pink curtain like you're supposed to. Also, everyone who goes there loves movies so they don't talk during the screenings. If that isn't a reason to love this place, what is? By the way, the prices are the same as any other movie theater, though they do have discounts. Plus, there is no concession stand, so there's no popcorn munching during the films. read more

Worth the drive to get here...busy Westwood! The theater itself in inside the Hammer Museum. Very quaint and modern. Love the neon accents. Seats are a cool red 'pleather'...wish the rows offered a bit more leg room though. If they're showing a film that you haven't seen on the big screen, definitely make a visit. The screen itself is a little like a big square so not as huge as I expected. read more

This is a really nice theater. I went here for a film festival last year and I had a blast. The events that they have here and really fun to go to and I have been to a few myself. The architecture of the theater is awesome. It is a cool and modern style theater. The seats are comfortable but there isn't a lot of space between each row, making you have to bend your legs a lot which isn't really comfortable, especially when you have to sit there for 3 hours for an interview and movie. I definitely recommend looking into events that they have here because they are really cool. read more

Great little theater! Has great screenings with talks with the directors, actors, etc.. The outside is really beautiful also with a nice courtyard area. Great intimate space. read more

This theater is one of the best places to catch a film in Los Angeles. It really represents the gold standard of repertory cinema houses for me. If I'm not mistaken, it's one of the few projection booths that can screen every form of moving image available - from nitrate to blu-ray. Mix that with the depth of selection you get when the programming is handled by an award winning, world famous institution like the UCLA Film & Television Archive; and you can quickly understand what a magical place this is. If you haven't been yet, you gotta check it out. Double bills are two for the price of one! read more

The Billy Wilder Theater (should be Theatre) is a great place to see classic restored films from UCLA and other archives. Projection is great and it's nice to see a theatre that has curtains to cover the screen. If I may be picky, whoever designed the seating layout should be whipped with a wet noodle. There is poor leg room between the rows. Otherwise the seats themselves are comfy. Also how about fixing the neon wall lighting that is burned out? Parking inside the building is easy and cheap - $3.00. Recommended. read more