Good news, film buffs and Los Angeles historians: The legendary video store/film nonprofit Vidiots is returning. Via social media today, Vidiots announced they will relaunch in fall 2020 with the restored Eagle Theatre and a storefront in Eagle Rock.
Several big Hollywood names are donating to the renovation efforts, including Rian Johnson, Karina Longworth, Mark Duplass, and Jason Reitman—director of Juno and Young Adult—who is contributing a 35mm projection system. In a statement, Reitman said, “Los Angeles should have more movie theaters, not fewer, and Vidiots has come to give all us punch drunk film lovers another place to call home where we can roam the racks.”
The Eagle Theatre cinema seats two hundred, and programming will focus on repertory titles and new indie releases. The Eastside location hasn’t been a working movie theater since the ’90s, and the Vidiots storefront in Santa Monica closed down two years ago.
The new storefront will be built adjacent to the theater and it will be open seven days a week, with fifty thousand DVDs, Blu-rays, and rare VHS tapes available for rental; daily screenings and special programs; and a smaller fifty-seat theater for additional screenings and workshops. The team is committed to archival presentation and contributing to the city’s thriving film culture. You might think VOD and streaming is rendering indie theaters superfluous, but you’d be wrong.
We are so excited to share this incredible news! @vidiots is coming back and we can’t wait for all of you to be part of it! Thank you to all of our incredible supporters, customers, partners and friends! #vidiotsrelaunch#vidiotssince1985#vidiots2020 https://t.co/DvUxj8FNEe
— Vidiots Foundation (@vidiots) September 30, 2019
