New Beverly Cinema

Planning a Night at the New Beverly

Part of what makes the New Beverly feel different from a modern multiplex is how much of the evening is shaped by the programme rather than by a single title. A typical visit is built around a pairing: two films chosen to talk to each other, whether that means a shared director, a genre thread, a decade or simply a mood. Going in with that in mind changes how you watch. The second feature often reframes the first, and plenty of regulars treat the pairing itself as the main attraction.

Why the format matters

The theater is closely associated with showing film on film, and its commitment to 35mm projection is a big part of its identity. Prints carry their own history, with occasional scratches, reel changes and colour that may have shifted over the decades. For many viewers that texture is the point. It is a chance to see older titles roughly the way first audiences did, and to catch films that are hard to find on streaming services at all.

Practical tips

• Check the official calendar first. Programming changes month to month, and special screenings or surprise titles can be announced at short notice.
• Buy tickets early for popular weekends. Double bills built around cult favourites, or programmes tied to the owner's own work, tend to go quickly.
• Budget your time. Two features plus trailers and any pre-show material can add up to a long evening, so plan your parking or ride home accordingly.
• Expect a single-screen experience. It is an intimate, older venue, and the crowd tends to be attentive and enthusiastic, so phones away is the norm.

Following repertory news

Repertory calendars often line up with wider releases, anniversaries and restorations, so a revival screening can be a useful companion to what is arriving in first-run theaters. Our upcoming releases page and the archive are good places to track those overlaps, and you can compare the New Beverly with other screens on our theaters listings.