I recently bookmarked Hollywood Forever Cemetery to try and got that opportunity this past weekend with some pals. Saturday night we came and saw a perfect movie to watch in a cemetery...Scream! Oh man, I remember it being jumpy and scary but that all elevates when you're watching it in a cemetery! The idea of watching horror movies in cemeteries is brilliant to me.. well, assuming you're with friends and a bunch of other people, if you did that alone then you're just crazy!
We came about 6 PM to walk around and view the beautiful cemetery and not too long afterwards people began the roll in. We decided to cut the tour around the cemetery short and go grab a good spot for the movie. Some sandwiches, soda, cheese & crackers, candy and other movie necessities and a big comfy blanket was all we needed for an awesome/scary time!
I can't recommend going and seeing a movie with friends here. Such a fun and unique experience that makes going to see a movie so much better. Forget the conventional theaters and their stiff chairs and get outdoors with pals to sprawl out on the ground and eat whatever you want instead of overpaying for both a movie ticket AND their insane concessions!
watching a movie at the hollywood forever cemetery? CHECK!
One more thing to check off my bucketlist. I cannot believe I've lived in LA for 8 years and this is one of last events I will be doing before moving to Florida!
Friends and I booked tickets online ($12pp) a week in advance since I heard sometimes they sell out! But friends though bought tickets at the door for cheaper since there was not service fee. The only problem is limited tickets are available at the door.
So the doors open at 730pm and movie starts at 9pm. We thought we were being smart by arriving an hour early. Boy were we wrong. By the time we found parking and got to the cemetery, the grassarea where the line is was already filled up 3/4 of the way. WHAT TIME DID THEY COME?! at 530?
Anyway we sat down in the line and started snacking and wineing. Starting 720pm ish the line started moving and finally got in!
My other friends had bought parking inside the cemetery for $20 extra. Those who buy parking can start getting into the cemetery parking lot at 730pm and NO earlier. They had to circle the cemetery a few times and get in a long line of car at 730pm since the entrance was closed before then.
So when we finally got in, our friends who had cemetery parking had grabbed awesome seat towards the front right for us. It was about 815pm when we finally set up everything to start enjoying food, wine, and company.
The movie promptly started at 9pm and the quality of the pictures on the projector screen was AMAZING!!!!! Heard the equipment costs $60,000. GEEZ! The movie ended at 11pm and everyone stayed behind until midnight ish to avoid the crowd.
TIP:
-Don't forget to take free pictures with the movie themed backdrop!!
-To get really awesome spot, either get there early to be first in line or buy $20 parking in cemetery.
-You can bring coolers. Dress up to the movie. Bring pillows, blankets, and LOW beach chairs.
TIP: Always buy a parking pass for the cemetery online if you plan on driving anyways. It varies from 15-20 bucks depending on if it's Cinespia or a concert, but it's absolutely worth it, especially if you're carpooling already. You don't have to sit 1-2 hours in line waiting for the cemetery to open. You also get easy access to your car in case you forget something; and leaving is so much easier!
Cinespia is a summer staple in Los Angeles, but I also adore concerts here. I've seen both The Xx and The Weeknd, and the sound is surprising amazing. The space makes the musical experience all the more haunting.
Don't forget some picnic food, some beer and wine, and a bottle/wine opener!
My review of the Masonic Lodge. How does one start a review for a cemetery?
The graves were nicely placed and the grass was really green....Nope.
Let's switch gears...
I went to an event at the Masonic Lodge and I was quite impressed with the ambiance and setting. I didn't feel like I was a cemetery and it could almost pass for any other venue. Apparently, lots of events and even concerts happen right at the Masonic Lodge. I really enjoyed the structure of the building because it took me to a whole new place unlike anything I have ever seen. The room with the stage, which I assume is the banquet room was very inviting and the ambiance was nice and welcoming.
*A review on Cinespia nights*
Such a wonderful experience!
I recommend purchasing your tickets online before it is sold out and arriving at least 2 hrs ahead to find a decent spot. You can bring a low lawn chair or blankets to sit on. BYOB which is always fun. (drinking in the cemetery at night while watching a movie?! heck yes).
Where to park:
Another reason you want to arrive early bc you will have to park in residential areas or there's a car wash place right across the street that charges about $10-$15 for parking.
That's all I have to say, other than that have fun!
Pretty cool place to go to for movie night! There is a very neat factor in place when you chill in a cemetary with some booze, smokes and food. I can't imagine the regulars really mind it, so why not party it up! Plus, you can always stroll through before the film starts to visit Marilyn Monroe. She's a great listener.
Review Source:When one thinks of a cemetery, visions of grave stones, ghosts, zombies, and other creepy images come to mind. One usually DOESN'T think of tourists, outdoor movie screenings, or concerts. Of course, this is Hollywood, and that is precisely what Hollywood Forever Cemetery is: a multi-functioning venue which goes above and beyond the typical burial ground.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery is rather small (smaller than expected) located near Sunset Gower Studios and is the home to celebrities, affluent individuals, ponds, ducks, a swan, peacocks, cemetery cats, and ghosts. Okay, not sure about the ghost part but it would make sense. However, I am serious about the peacocks and cats. Hollywood Forever houses several cages of peacocks which shrill and scream (maybe they are there to provide a creepy soundtrack... I kid, I kid) and mate making little peacock eggs. Although this is odd and thus makes the cemetery feel like a zoo; it also adds an element of unique beauty. Also roaming around are several cats (we counted 12) who had little wooden homes and stroll the cemetery and hang out on fences. Are they there for rodent control? Who knows. This cemetery is weird.
As for the grounds, the cemetery features beautiful architecture in the form of a masonic temple, mausoleums, ponds, water fountains, a Thai temple, etc. This, combined with beautiful palm and jacandra trees, results in quite a photo opportunity. Once that is done, you can visit several celebrities like Douglas Fairbanks Sr and Jr, Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone, and a statue commemorating Toto from "The Wizard of Oz". Although Hollywood Forever is not as grand as Forest Lawn; it still provides some tourist fun.
Need to use the potty? Don't worry, Hollywood Forever has actual bathroom facilities and not just a port-a-potty. However, be careful so that you don't end up like my boyfriend who used the men's room and the door knob fell off in his hands. I had to open the door for him from the outside so that he could get out.
As mentioned, Hollywood Forever is not just a cemetery but a venue which is the home to several events like outdoor movies, concerts, and festivals. Although this is a unique backdrop to these events, it is something to consider when questioning the "peace" that a relative would lay in if buried here.
I haven't been to an event here at this time so parking was easy within the cemetery by parking along the paths plus in a few marked parking spots.
If you are ready to ditch the zombies and hang out in a cemetery which is more like a park (there is even a straight-shot of the Hollywood sign); then Hollywood Forever is for you. Say hello to the peacocks.
I went here like two years ago, and me and my girl Shelly thought we was gonna see Bon Jovi, then this hipster dude takes the stage with his guitar, and we know that ain't the fab five from Jersey. Where is Living on a Prayer? You give love a bad name? Where is Ritchie Sombrero? What happened to Bon Jovi? What the hell kind of name is Bon Iver? Do he just use that name because he want people to think he Bon Jovi so they can buy his album by accident, see him in concert, by accident. But Bon Ivory a no go and ain't Bon Ebony and sure as sam hell ain't no Bon Jovi.
Review Source:I am only reviewing the Masonic Lodge, not the cemetery.
Saw Lissie last night here! What a beautiful, intimate and splendid little lodge. There are bench seats along the walls for those who do not feel like standing. The stage is a bit low from what I am accustomed to, but I guess you can say it allows the artist to interact better with the crowd.
First time coming here and to be honest, I was a bit confused when pulling in. I was unaware there was a venue to play at, in the cemetery. Regardless, it is small and can accommodate roughly 200-300 people (that is just a number I am throwing out). It can get warm in there but that is not anything new as every venue becomes humid and sweaty....
Great spot for music. Different. Interesting. Fun.
OH! And I loved that we didn't have to pay for parking! Just pulled in and circled around the cemetery and parked inside (think of how a funeral procession would park along side the road, one car behind the other).
Who woulda thunk it? Â Hanging in LA and I am headed to a cemetery. Â But in retrospect it made perfect sense. Â This Chicagoan does not really go for most of the LA stuff. Â Too pretty, too glitzy, not enough grime. Â You need real winters for that.
So this made sense on a recent trip to Santa Monica. Â This is where all of us artists end up eventually, just like everybody else. Â But cemeteries give us a little perspective on where others have been along the same path we are now on. Â My only regret is that this is getting too cool so the counter culture in me will have to move on for a while.
For the record, I am a pop culture fan and was happiest when I meditated for a moment with Don Adams. Â I was so tempted to call him on my shoe phone but refrained out of a deep-seated sense of decorum.
So get here fast before it is too cool to be cool.
For those who saw my check ins on Yelp, I was here three times. Â I was especially looking for one crypt, that of one Benjamin Siegel, a.k.a. Bugsy Siegel. Â
I didn't go to the correct mausoleum on Friday, and when I came back Saturday, the mausoleum was closed for the Jewish sabbath. Â I returned Sunday after hiking, and I went directly to the correct building, the second hallway, and halfway to a nondescript door on the left.
I then made a u-turn and found crypt # 1087 (Rebecca Levi) and directly above was that of Ben Siegel. Â His crypt is not numbered although it's easy to locate when you know the right building.
Aside from not finding Siegel's crypt on Friday, I spent some time walking around the cemetery amazed by some of the older, elegant grave markers, but also amazed at recent deaths of people who have these huge marble horizontal slabs and then the vertical stone with a name and more frequently a photo. Â I wondered if the family of the one poor woman could have found a better photo. Â If this was as good as it got, she's well honored anyway.
My favorite spot was the lake area. Â The Clark Grecian mausoleum on the island has a tenuous association to Las Vegas. Â It's the burial spot of the son of Senator William A. Clark of Montana after whom our Clark County Nevada is named. Â His son, William A. Clark, Jr. used some of his inherited money to found the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Â There were some stars' graves I wanted to find but was unable. Â They don't call out, you know! Â After 3 trips here in 3 days, I don't think I need to see anymore, but who knows, one of these days I may be back to hunt down the ones I missed. Â They're not going anywhere.
Finally, two interesting things about the cemetery, if you look back out the front entrance, high on the hill in the distance, you can see the famous Hollywood sign. Â If you turn exactly 180 degrees and look south, you'll see the back lot of Paramount Pictures and its iconic water tower with the Paramount logo. Â So many stars who worked for Paramount and others buried in its bak yard, so to speak, and with the Hollywood sign in view for those who look.
The other thing, Benjamin Siegel was murdered on June 20, 1947, when he was 41 years old at the house of his girlfriend Virginia Hill. Â It's only about 6 miles west on Santa Monica Boulevard to 810 North Linden Street in Beverly Hills where he was shot. Â Ah, history, you're so great!
I used to work here with my Grandad repairing water damage to some of his previous decorative work from back when the place was owned by Mr. Roth. Â I drop by every now and again on a sentimental journey. Â Nowadays it enjoys a kind of a "Cult" status and I have even brought a date or two here! Â 'Smatter of fact, come here for Halloween (come early) and join about 2 to 3 thousand people on the lawn for a screening of the movie "Halloween".. Â Come in costume and fit right in!!
OR, come during the day and visit the resting places of many Hollywood personalities (I usually spread some flowers among them) from Rudolf Valentino to Hattie McDaniels.. Â Taking one of the tours is pretty cool and a lot of interesting trivia will come your way. Â Sitting on the Island across from Doug Fairbanks (both Senior AND Junior) is a nice spot (near the Ramone/ McDaniel headstones). Â Bring Duck/Swan food.... Â
Try it, you'll have more fun than at any other Cemetery "I" know...
This is a nice looking cemetery. Â I like walking around checking out the graves and moseleum.
The first time I came here was for a Johnny Ramone Tribute Event, benefit for Prostate cancer. Â They had 3d showing of their concert from the height of their careers and They played a 1959 movie Plan 9 from outer space. Â Vampira is also buried there. Â
The movie was projected off the side of the mausoleum. Â Kinda cool? Â Yeah I know sounds kinda creepy. Â Bring a blanket to sit on, one to wrap yourself in, a picnic basket, some liquor, a flash light and you're golden. Â Probably, bring some hand sanitizer too.
They do have a gang of potter potty for your use and portable hand sink but the amount of people that attends the hand sink run out of water quickly and doesn't get refilled. Â
I been back a few times to watch some horror flicks. Â Best place to watch them right? Â Don't worry I always make it back alive and never brought a spirit home with me yet. However, Freddy Krueger did come up from behind me and put his knives fingers in my face, during the screening of Nightmare on Elm Street.
This Cemetery is a Hollywood landmark. It's a must see for anyone visiting LA b/c it's been in many movies. Your friends and family will enjoy this outdoor excursion especially if there is something fun going on that day. The cemetery is huge in the middle of Hollywood and supposedly haunted. If you are lucky enough to live in LA, Hollywood Forever is a very cool place to for fun events. From Dia de Los Muertos to movie nights to outdoor concerts,it's an interesting venue that reminds an Angelino that we do live in an awesome city.
Review Source:Seems like a great place to go when there's something going on (ie. day of the dead, movies, shows, picnic, etc). Very peaceful with subtle creepiness. Next time I'll try to come for an event. I'm really bummed I couldn't find Mel Blancs tombstone :( voice of Bugs Bunny
warning: You will step on duck poop, no way to avoid it
This is one of those "only in Hollywood" experiences for sure.
What other cemetary in the world to people go to visit without knowing anyone there?
Take pictures, making movies of?
Heck, they even through partys here and show movies on the lawn?
Creepy/cool/Hollywood!
It was beautiful, I had the address in my GPS and though I know my way around LA and know Santa Monica Blvd. there it was a HUGE cemetary that pops up in the city like Central Park in NYC.
Certainly one of those WTF? experiences.
Inside it is beautiful, taking a walk through it was a strange feeling but wonderful to look at.
There is much to see and its free and true Hollywood, enough reason for me to love it.
Hollywood Forever is an LA legend, and I highly recommend taking any opportunity to check it out, whether it's a tour, outdoor movie, or concert. I got to check out the Masonic Lodge for a Divine Fits show a few weeks ago and it was honestly one of the most unique music-listening experiences I've ever had!
The building itself is beautiful, with high beamed ceilings and amazing woodwork. It does kind of feel like you're at a church social, especially when they had us wait in the little assembly area before the show started. The room with the stage is not very big at all... perfectly easy to get right up to the performers if you want, or you can grab a seat in the balcony at the back of the room.
I'm dying to get back to explore the outdoor parts of the cemetery more. Though it would normally creep me out to hang out with a bunch of rotting corpses, there's something about Hollywood Forever that transcends creepiness and is just plain cool. An LA must-try!
One of my favorite spots in LA. It's so beautiful! Makes you feel like your not even in Hollywood. The head stones are amazing to go thru and read. Lots of celebrities laid to rest here. I believe you can buy a map to find their place markers. Wonderful grounds.
Recently, saw a show in their main building, that was simply stunning in detail and architecture. Then the bands went on, sounded great. Really cool place to see a show.
A must for out of towers.
This place is so freaking awesome! I've only had a concert experience here, so my review will only be about that.
I came here for a concert performance by the xx (I love you Oliver!) It was such a perfect venue for them. I guess there's nothing better than watching a great band play music in the middle of a cemetery, with all the dead bodies around to party with you. That sounds creepy, but it's true. Mausoleums all over, hearses parked throughout, and fancy headstones with PICTURES of dead people. Somehow, seeing a picture of what these people looked like and knowing they're buried right under is freaky...
Anyways, although this place is a bit strict on getting in (we received multiple e-mails from the Cemetery folks telling us about the rules, there were a bunch of pre-paid parking rules, and the workers check your trunk to make sure you're not sneaking people in), it was great once we actually got in. You're allowed to bring picnic foods & beer/wine, so you don't need to pay for food at the concert. And since many people were sitting in the picnic area, there was plenty of standing room in front of the stage. The environment is definitely more chill than that of indoor concerts.
We got free bottles of water once we got in, and the restrooms were port-a-potties. Set-up for each of the bands actually went by pretty quickly, but I believe they needed to work faster since there's a noise ordinance for outdoor events.
Overall, I had such a great time here. I can't wait to come for Cinespia movie events!
Lastly, just a quick tip: avoid traffic and paying a ridiculous amount of $$ for parking at the cemetery by parking on the neighboring streets. The neighboring residential areas are a little shady and maybe a 5 min walk away, but save yourself the trouble!
Hollywood Forever Cemetery is the quirkiest cemetery we've been to.  We've come here over the years to the Cinespia Cemetery Screenings and have enjoyed some great movies picnicking among the dead.  Today was the 1st time we came to  the Dia de Los Muertos celebration and the 1st time we got to explore the cemetery in daylight. Â
1st thing you need to know is that parking sucks in this part of town. Â After circling the streets for what seems to be an eternity we found someone leaving and got lucky to park about 3 blocks away. Â I ordered tickets on-line so no waiting in a long line to get in.
I did my sugar skull make-up at home but you can get it done there for $15.00. Â Unfortunately, you have to wait in a long line. Â This is a great place for people watching. Â Some people really go all out and get their make-up done professionally. Â Very impressive.
The altars were amazing! Â Some of them had sculptures, music, and interesting stories about the families. Â One of the altars that we saw was a tribute to our friend America's brother, Jose Espinoza, former band member of Ozomatli. Â He died way too young. Â Another one that stood out was a story of a young woman who was helping prepare an altar for her family and became part of the altar this year due to an illness. Â There were interactive altars where you could honor a loved one and my husband wrote his mom's name on those.
We also took advantage of the daylight and toured the cemetery on our own. Â We read headstones and were just amazed on how elaborate some of them were. Â They dropped major coin on their grave sites. Â This is a cemetery of the rich & famous. Â We saw Joey Ramone's grave and Douglas Fairbanks' too. Â Next time we'll do an official tour.
The cathedral art exhibit was pretty cool and an artist named Sketch and Zero were our favorites.
Throughout, there are food vendors and arts & crafts vendors. Â I ended up buying a T-Shirt and a bracelet.
As we were about to leave, we stopped at Hollywood Forever Cemetery booth and met Victor Ortega, marketing and sales director. Â He's the guy responsible for all of this. Â He told us that when he first started Dia de Los Muertos here 150 people showed up and it has grown to what it is today. Â He was a very personable guy and it was interesting to talk to him.
We had a great time and we'll be back.
If there is a better place in SoCal to see a show outdoors, I can't imagine where that might be. Â
THE FAIRBANKS LAWN (Concerts and Movies)
When you've never been here, you'll do the first thing that I and everyone else I know does: Â
"What? Â Go to a concert in a CEMETERY? Â I don't know, that's creepy."
After you arrive, you'll get over yourself real quick. Â If it's a spring night, you'll see the sun set, a full moon shine and hear enchanting, wonderful music all within three hours and wish it could last all night. Â
The Fairbanks Lawn is all that. Â We found a spot on the lawn that ended up being 20 feet from Douglas Fairbanks grave and memorial. Â That grave is baller. Â There's three tall marble columns, a standing marble coffin, and a long reflecting pool in front of it. Â Anyhow, back to the lawn...
The lawn fits about 2000. Â You can truly picnic here and bring your own beer and wine. Â Most popular bag spotted? Â The Trader Joe's brown bag. Â If you want a "better" seat, get there early. Â If you're late, it's actually easier to snag a spot in the standing pit that's right in front of the stage than it is to get a seat that isn't too far on the side of the lawn. Â There's a designated pit area, and then after that, it's all lawn seating. Â
Crisp, clear, booming, tranquil. Â That's their first rate sound system. Â I have yet to hear a crackle or a muffle come out of their speakers. Â Why is it that the sound at the Palladium is muffled, and the guitars and vocals at the Shrine Auditorium aren't even discernable from a center orchestra seat, but an outdoor cemetery is able to blow them all away? Â
I've the seen the Weeknd and Drake perform here in the Spring and caught the XX in the fall. Â Both were transcendent shows. Â Sigor Ros? Â Been here. Â Bon Iver? Â Been here too. Â
If there is a drawback, it would be any of the 22 port-o-lets that you get to choose from to relieve yourself. Â Need to wash your hands? Â There are some portable sinks right past the last port-o-let. Â Â
Did I mention they give out free bottle water? Â Yeah, they park a couple pallets of that on the road on your way to the grass. Â
To me, this is what a dream Coachella would be, perfect weather, organized in and out, seating and sightlines for everyone, free water. Â A place where you can picnic and party without having to worry about that person next to you's body odor. Â Not to mention hanging out at the home of Douglas Fairbanks, Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone, George Harrison (the Beatle), Fay Wray, Bugsy Siegel, Peter Lorre, Rudolph Valentino, Mel Blanc, John Huston, and Cecile B. DeMille. Â
*********
THE MASONIC LODGE
The Masonic Lodge is a building near the front entrance that houses an intimate concert/performance room on it's second floor. Â The room only fits 150. Â If your favorite artist is performing here and you score a seat, consider yourself one of the luckiest persons in LA that night. Â
I once arrived here five minutes late for a play. Â I went to the restroom to relieve myself and ended up standing next to Eva Longoria's Desperate Housewives husband, Carlos (Ricardo Chivara). Â Five minutes later, I was sitting in my seat, he was on stage acting. Â
The lodge holds concerts, debuts plays, and even has an occasional comedy show. Â
Hollywood Forever Cemetery is one of LA's hidden (or not so hidden) gems!
We decided to visit Hollywood Forever Memorial Park on this foggy morning. The resting place of many of those entertainers portraying archetypal characters throughout history, in a myriad of genres. A perusal herein will reveal that even in death, the show goes on...
With Paramount Pictures studios just 'round the corner, the marquee just outside the walls advertise for the forthcoming Day of The Dead celebration, which is quite a spectacle to behold, which is comprised of a parade of painted skeletons and ghouls, music, Aztec dancers, torches, incense burning, granting a primeval atmosphere overall. The resident Masonic Temple frequently acts like an auditorium, hosting everything from film viewings, rock bands, orchestras, performance artists, opera, art galleries, to vendors offering crafts as a token in the participation of this memento-mori experience. Most notable was Rosemary's Baby projected onto the mausoleum wall for movie night, which sometimes offers an all-night horror marathon. Considering their occupations, I somehow I do not think the permanent residents mind the multimedia displays at all.
The Masonic hall itself is an elegant structure inside and out, featuring a suspended "Eastern Star" within {'Lucifer's Pentagram', in My estimation, appropriately emitting a kaleidoscopic resonance}, with projections of light and sound upon the screen.
Spotted was the Hollywood Forever Cadillac hearse parked near the front, as if to state to the mortal observer, "Will this be your last ride?".
The grounds draw the eye towards the beautiful lake with sprouting fountains, occupied by swans, the occasional duck, and... Melek Taus! Throughout the grounds, one spots peacocks strutting about, and even a couple of cats. One little black & white fellow met Me at the Buddhist section {among the entrance of two guardian foo dog gargoyles, temple shrine, ornate spires, Buddha sits placidly amidst a stream and pond}, while a striped orange maincoon dwelled in the grass by the entrance; as a matter or fact, cats actually have their own corridor at Hollywood Forever cemetery, including black feeding bowls and water. There are even stone picnic tables and black iron swings here and there for an even more pleasant experience.
In the lawn between the mausoleum and the lake, is a veritable "Gravehenge" - five festooned monoliths positioned at the corners in a very familiar configuration, while at the end of a long "reflecting pool" flanked by spiral bushes, is the landmark Romanesque crypt of one Douglas Fairbanks, attended by another swan in repose. Gives the impression of a pool leading to a dioramic mansion.
Notable names to consider: To accompany the Vampira Exhibit at Wonderland Art Gallery, is Maila 'Vampira' Nurmi {take left at the information booth, then a right at the Griffith Gardens section, near Darren "Kolchak/The Night Stalker" McGavin; the ever-lovely Jayne Mansfield {cenotaph by the lake}; a statue of Johnny Ramone {cenotaph} displayed in his vital essence, complete with his sunglasses attached to the guitar; Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny & various 'Loony Toons' characters, whose stone reads "That's All, Folks!"; Don Adams, whose most familiar characterization of Maxwell Smart holding shoe phone is engraved {Warning: this message will self-destruct in ten seconds!; & Cecile B. DeMille & family.
Finally, on the way around the Mausoleum, a series of small graves can be seen, some with balloons, toys, and in an ironic juxtaposition, a sign for a child care center just over the wall, from which the sounds of play can be heard.
Overall, Hollywood Forever is a splendid place to enjoy the theatre, the opera, a concert, observe nature, & even picnic with a loved one, surrounded in a placid, beautiful environment rich in showbiz history.
Went here last night for the first time and the it was the last showing of the summer for Cinespia. (The Exorcist!)... man... I'm so sad I didn't do this before!
Tips:
1) Buy your tickets at least a week in advance ($1 processing fee on top of the $10 ticket. You can easily find street parking as well so you don't have to buy the parking pass).
2) Come at least an hour and a half early. You can just sit on the grass and start cracking open a bottle of wine!
3) Bring lots of snacks (think picnic foods), beer/wine, blankets, candles, and stools.
This was so well organized and such a great community event. The quality of the movie was great... so clear. There's even a photo shoot after where you pose with a group on a green screen and they post the pictures online after!
So my roommate invited me to watch Dirty Dancing at Hollywood Forever. Â Hollywood Forever.... where have I heard that? Â Not sure. Â Let's look it up on Google. Â Ah, here it is. Â It's a CEMETERY? Â What?! Â Apparently you can watch movies with interred celebrities. Â Oh ok, I guess that's kind of neat, bordering morbid, yet cool. Â So suffice it to say, I'd never been nor even heard of Hollywood Forever until recently. Â But we packed up a major picnic cooler with wine, fruit, cheese, vegetables and headed to a cemetery in Hollywood to watch an 80s movie. Â
They offer tickets online for presale and you can prepay for parking as well. Â Unfortunately for us, when we checked, it was sold out online ($10). Â Bummer. Â So we headed there 4 hours before the movie was to start. Â Gates open at 7 but the movie started at 8:30pm. Â We unloaded quickly and found parking on the street for free nearby. Â There was a short line when we arrived that wrapped around. Â Luckily we had the foresight to send some of our group out for pizza and s'mores supplies. Â There's a Little Caesars down the street that has $5 pepperoni pizzas and a Pavilions in the opposite direction. Â Seriously, after watching a bunch of people come back with pizza boxes, you start to wish for slices of Little Caesars too. Â If you cannot sit out in the sun for long periods of time, do yourself a favor, bring sunscreen and an umbrella for shade. Â There's a lot of waiting involved. Â However, if you brought a picnic, nothing makes the minutes go by faster than eating and imbibing. Â Hooray for vino! Â
There were 5 of us so plenty of hands to carry stuff and we happened to have brought a lot. Â If you want to pack light, I suggest a backpack beach chair, a cooler with wheels, and a blanket or two. Â By 7 pm the gates are open for people to start moving inside and to pay for tickets. Â If you prepay, you still need to get there early for a decent spot in line. Â If you needed tickets, like we did, you're in luck because they reserve about 100 tickets for cash only patrons. Â It pays to get there early. Â Walking into Hollywood Forever, you see the tombstones, grave markers, and mausoleums of Hollywood greats and lesser known citizens. Â Cecil B. DeMille, Douglas Fairbanks, and Bugsy Siegel are buried here. Â Indeed it is slightly creepy, but they ask you to respect the dead and not walk on the lawn with the graves. Â
We quickly made our way over to where the movie was to be projected. Â There are signs for chairs on one side and blankets on the other. Â Nothing worse than sitting behind people in chairs. Â We spread out our blankets, started putting out the snacks, and started pouring some more wine. Â Nicole also brought candles so we had some romantic mood-lighting to accompany our meal. Â Sitting on the lawn may get damp since they probably watered the lawn in the morning but blankets tend to absorb moisture for whatever reason, it felt as if I had been sitting in a puddle by the end of the movie. Â It was definitely fun to watch Dirty Dancing with a crowd of enthusiasts. Â There was plenty of hooting and hollering at certain bits of the movie. Â "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!" Â Definitely a fun time was had by all. Â The only downfall of parking outside was having to schlep everything back to the car. Â Next time we vow to bring a wagon.
LOVE. Â Was here for the Cinespia screening of Hitchcock's The Birds. Â
PROS:  1. Great location. 2. Very organised to get people in (walking, biking or driving) and for parking on site. Got a good parking spot within the cemetery neart the entrance.  4. Most of the attendees were friendly and cool.  5. Great projection and sound. Screen is slightly on the smallish side  6. Brought a whole buffet of food and drinks and sat on our comfy, low beach chairs. Â
CONS: 1. People SHUT UP during the film. Not only did a group near us talk loudly through most of the film until someone told them to shut up (which they did for about 10 minutes), they left all their garbage behind on the lawn when there was a dumpster about 20 feet away. Â I get that people are outside, eating and drinking, but you could try to limit the talking during the film and pick up after yourselves.
We were driving by and decided to take a quick look around.
I like looking at headstones.
There's some very elaborate plots here and many of them had engraved pictures.
Wandering through, I like to wonder about the people who rest here for eternity.
The only pic I took was of a mausoleum corridor.
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/c81n3xJu6Z5Ie1kLQ57vRA?select=Gy_aDr2qtfkfNAzQxtANiA#Gy_aDr2qtfkfNAzQxtANiA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
It's such a peaceful environment, I can't imagine there being concerts and movie nights here.
I'll come back on my own one of these days to see some of the celebrity graves.
There's a website that gives exact locations.  <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seeing-stars.com%2Fburied2%2FHollywoodMemorial.shtml&s=7e7832235f8097ad5632d62b66895954846f2bbfe0cf7c5da4d6beb0a7eb37a8" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.seeing-stars.…</a>
Also to get a better look at the monuments and crypts.
There's so much to see that today's quick visit wasn't enough to be able to fully appreciate this beautiful cemetery.
Cinespia does an amazing job turning this movie star cemetary into a giant movie screening party Saturday nights during the Summer.
If you're sketchy about walking into a cemetary to watch a movie, don't be. It's so much fun.
Its just a huge lawn area (no, you're not sitting on tombstones) where everyones eating drinking and being merry.
Movie genres vary but I've seen movies like Carrie, The Shining, Ceech & Chong Up In Smokes, etc. They're usually older classics but once in a while they'll show a newer film. Check out this summer's schedule: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcinespia.org%2Fcalendar&s=63153716a322c0a24bb28c8ee3a36bc9d693038c6db2a90c89a0923fc35675cb" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://cinespia.org/cale…</a>
Bring a blanket, pillow, jacket, flashlight, beach/lawn chair (low ones), snacks, wine/beer, dinner and enjoy the screening of whatever movie it may be. It's like a house party where nobody really knows each other but is all there to hang out and have a great time.
There's also a dj at the event!
My only issue is the $10 "donation" per person. There's people that collect the funds right before you get in and it's more like a $10 charge. They don't put it out there as if it were an option but rather a MUST PAY. I don't know what that's all about but whatever it's still really fun.
I highly recommend arriving early (I know, everyone says this) but in order to get parking into the cemetary or even thru the door (there's a seperate walk-in line) you have to prepare to get in line. Cars line up as early as an hour before just to make srue they get inside.
So do your Trader Joe's run before hand, make sure to bring utensils & napkins and prepare yourself for a relaxing fun time with friends.
There's something that attracts me to cemeteries. I enjoy the quiet, the peacefulness, and beauty during my visits to "Cities of Dead."
I like to get lost in them and wander. I read the names, the quotes that suppose to describe the deceased in one sentence and their date of birth/death. I imagine how they died -- and who had loved them.
My first visit to this cemetery was yesterday to attend the sold out Twin Shadow concert. I didn't what to expect watching a concert in a cemetery. It was a little creepy knowing driving in while the sun was setting that when I would walk out of the concert I would be walking through the cemetery -- in the dark.
I parked my car right by some of local inhabitants and walked through the cemetery to get to the beautiful Masonic Lodge. You walk up to the second floor of the building and they put you in this holding room with music blasting as if you were at a reception before a fancy dinner in a nice, upscale hotel ballroom.
You can buy a beer or glass of wine from the makeshift bar while you stand and wait to be called into the hall for the concert. The ticket said doors at 7 pm and the show at 8 pm ... they didn't let us in the hall until almost 9 pm.
Interesting crowd at this event, and not your mainstream radio listening crowd. If you're like me, you know how to distinguish a mainstream music listener at music concert to a more eclectic or independent music listener -- for the most part. The concerts these days I frequent usually attracts the artsy-hipster crowd, but for some reason it was was more so noticable tonight.
Imagine the all hippest and trendiest people of Los Angeles gathered in this room. Â This room to me was Silver Lake or Williamsburg. Â
The Twin Shadow concert was excellent and I definitely would see them live again. I would also love to return to the Masonic Lodge at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. My new favorite music venue in Los Angeles. Â I know everyone left pleased at the show as I heard "awesome... excellent!" as we left the building.
I can't wait for my next concert here or evening outdoor movie screening in the cemetery... hmm, George from Twin Shadow will be at this Saturday's "Nightmare on Elm Street" screening at the cemetery. Sounds tempting, but don't think I have the guts to see this film there.
The concerts here, tend to be indie music -- Kimbra, The Weeknd, etc. -- and not what hear on KROQ or any other "music" you would hear on mainstream radio. Get on the Hollywood Forever event list for shows as they seem to usually sell out their concert tickets the moment they go on sale.
When I think of dead people............ umm..... no .... let's try that again........
When I think of a nice park like setting to have a picnic then watch a movie with friends, the absolute LAST place I would EVER consider is a cemetery. Â Ya with me here?
OK I'd heard of this "Hollywood Forever" place before and had been invited to a movie here a couple times before, but I've always passed because.... well.... hellooooo it's in a FRIKKIN CEMETERY!!!
So Friday morning I get an e-mail from a friend, inviting me to join them for the Saturday night movie, Sabrina (1954) with Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and William Holden. Â Well I have to tell ya.... Â I'm not into old movies OR cemeteries, but... all of the planets and stars must have been perfectly aligned because, I actually agreed to go. Â Wait... what???
We arrive early, but have to wait for the gates to open. Â My friends opted for the inside-the-cemetery-parking-option (a good idea otherwise you're stuck with street parking, hoofing it and lugging all your food, chairs, blankets, in and back out again). Â Once the gates open, we park, unload and start walking... briskly. Â We need to stake our claim for our picnic spot / sitting area!
OK, I don't spend a lot of time in cemeteries, in fact as little as absolutely necessary, but all I can say about this place is wow! Â Â There are supposed to be A LOT of famous people buried here and while we didn't see any as we were walking, you can see there is A LOT OF MONEY here! Â I've never seen SO many LARGE, above ground grave markers, headstones, mausoleums, etc as there are here!
THE GOOD:
*In a way this reminded me of an outing to the Hollywood bowl. Â People sitting around eating, drinking and chatting, all spread out on the lawn, having a good time. Â It was nice.
*A DJ was playing random and sometimes odd music the entire time before the movie started. Â
*The sound system was quite powerful and...
*The movie, to my surprise was quite enjoyable.
THE BAD:
*TONS of people! Â Appearently the max capacity is 4500, but Saturday night was only about 2600. Â I cannot imagine ANOTHER 2000 people there!!! Â
*It's a real challange to find / work your way through the maze of people, blankets and food WITHOUT stepping on anything or anyone if mother nature calls you away from your little picnic spot!
*Security DID NOT allow anyone to walk around to look at grave markers.
*The sound system was a bit TOO loud... maybe they wanted all the "residents" to hear and enjoy the movie too?? Â
*Getting out of the cemetery after the movie was over. Â Lots of people = slow to exit.
OVERALL: Â Once we'd settled into our space and were eating, drinking and chatting, the fact that we're sitting in a cemetery nearly, but not completely *passed* away. Â It was a nice experience, but I'm not *dying* to go back anytime soon.
I love wandering through cemeteries and asking myself, "Why on earth would this person's family engrave THAT photo on their overpriced tombstone?"
Maybe I just think this place reeks with arrogance and don't understand why anyone would force people to visit their rotting corpse by guilt tripping them with a rock in a field.
Regardless, this is a very nice field, but not the best field I've been to.
There's also a very delightful fountain around here.
This is only to review the cemetery as a concert venue, and not for the cemetery as a tourist attraction.
Came here to watch The Weeknd, which was AWESOME... hes freaking awesome live, and Drizzy Drake even came out as a surprise guest.. was INSANE.
As a venue itself, its really unique.. .youre in a cemetery.. so its creepy. Â The stage isnt that big, so it makes a concert here very intimate... or at least more intimate than usual bc youre also outdoors under the stars.
First 75 ft from the stage is standing area... first come first serve.. fight for your spot.
After the 75 ft, is the picnic area... where you just sit on the lawn and enjoy the show. Â I started off here when i first arrived, but there were TOO many bugs flying around.. so me and my friend said screw it, going to the standing area by the stage.
Cool thing tho, its a BYOB event... so you can pretty much take in ANYTHING you want, especially if you have an onsite parking pass.  They say no hard alcohol, but you can totally sneak in whatever the hell you want.  Tons of people were smoking week, there were lots of bottles being passed around.  Another good thing was that they dont give a damn what kind of camera you bring in.  You could easily bring in your DSLR or camcorder and  no one would bother you about it... at least not as of the date which i am writing this review.
Bad sides? Â this place has no age limit... there are LOT of young kids here, and theyre smoking weed too... and taking swigs off people's drinks... im sure a lot of them snuck in their own alcohol too that they stole from their parents... so if there are any of you wondering how to bring in whatever the hell you want, just get an onsite parking and put the vodka in a Crystal Geyser bottle and go to town. Â You dont have to shove your joints up your ass to bring it into the place... there literally is no searching at all of your car, except to make sure you arent sneaking another person in... and i have nothing against weed and what not... i went to a party school for college, so im cool with it.. but theres nothing cool about 13-16 yr olds doing it around me in a public venue and no one giving a damn about it.
I probably would never go to this place again for a concert, because i just dont like being in a concert around kids.. it just isnt fun anymore when youre surrounded by 13-16 year olds drinking alcohol and lighting up a joint, and getting into fights... and no one to stop them. Â at this particular concert, there were easily about 3 different fights... and they only ended because the loser got knocked the F out and had to be carried away by their friends.
Also, the venue owners can sound like total dicks through the emails after you purchase the tickets... crap like, they do not allow you to resell your tickets online, you will be banned if you are found reselling, and you are only allowed inside the doors if your name is on the tickets, or you are with the person in which the tickets have the name listed... but i guess you can bypass all this by just getting an on-site parking as well. Â i dont know if they checked at the main gate if you parked outside... but it didnt look like it... its more a scare tactic i think. Â if not, just photoshop your own name on the ticket since its a pdf anyway. Â its not hard to get around this problem.
***
LIKES: unique venue, cool lawn area, very intimate for concerts, cheap tickets, cheap parking, can sneak in anything i want as long as its not a living being. Â Can also bring a DSLR... this place is just super chill.
DISLIKES: No age limit, so youre going to be surrounded by drunk teenagers and other kids that are high off their asses. Â Lack of security sucks too. Â I cant believe parents allow their teenagers to come to these events... but then again, parents are such FAIL these days...
VERDICT: Â Would go once to experience it, but never again. Â If you want to go to the picnic lawn area, make sure you bring a mat thats water proof because theres some moisture from grass that tends to seep through mats over a period of time, especially when it gets closer to night time. Â I wish the ticket prices were higher too so they could at least keep the kids out, and the ghetto people.
This place is a little known gem in Los Angeles. Â I cannot recommend it for actual interment of the deceased, but if you're going here to watch a movie at Cinespia or sit in on a play in the Masonic Lodge, you're in for a treat.
This place screams out Hollywood History. Â There are people from every epoch of the city's life buried here and as you sit wistfully on the grass next to the dearly deceased sipping on your wine you cannot help but ponder the beauty of life and death mingling in what I can only describe as a natural and elegant way.
It is one of the special things about this city we live in that we have places like Hollywood Forever and that the graves of the dead are never alone--somehow bearing witness to generations of Angelinos inhaling in huge chunks of life.
Aside from a funeral, and if you have the chance go to an event here, you will, if anything, remember it always.
How do you mix death and life in a gentle & beautiful way that doesn't scare or intimidate people? Well, you show cult classic films all summer long in an old and historic cemetery and allow people to bring in their own blankets, beverages, food and friends....you allow them to get comfortable.
Summer is pretty dang awesome all by itself, but when Cinespia teamed up with Hollywood Forever Cemetery, they were on to something. Something pretty big actually. The nights Hollywood Forever shows films are so wildly successful, it usually sells out quickly. We got turned away from "Breakfast At Tiffany's"...but got a chance to see "Harold & Maude" & "Ghost-busters" this summer. AND, this was the first year they sold parking passes which was a God send!
I also watched an Explosions In The Sky concert at Hollywood Forever and it was the bombdotcom.
HFC is why LA is LA. I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store.
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