Save Pickfair Studios!

Most of you who read my blog know that I'm a huge film fan. Earlier this week I was disgusted to find out that there is a plan to tear down more of Hollywood history, Pickfair Studios. Yes, that little studio that was started many years ago by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith when they formed United Artists.

Pickfair Studios sits within the walls of The Lot (on Santa Monica Blvd near La Brea) and it is within West Hollywood city limits. (West Hollywood has been allowing developers to tear down important buildings overnight and without notice lately (including the library designed by architect Edward Fickett) not to mention quite a few rent controlled apartments (which the developers replaced with expensive condos and apartments that are sitting empty at the moment because no one can afford them.) I'm quite tired of it and I'm livid that they want to tear down the Pickfair Studios. Los Angeles doesn't ever seem to respect its history and I'm sick over this.

The company that owns The Lot where Pickfair Studios is on wants to tear the buildings down and put up ugly glass buildings. Save Pickfair has more here.

A short clip from Robin Hood with Douglas Fairbanks filmed at Pickfair Studios (right down the street from me!):



Please take a minute and sign the petition here and help spread the word. ANYONE, ANYWHERE can sign this petition.

Here's a great article about Saving Pickfair!

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Speaking of film, The Criterion Collection on Hulu, has a handful of films up for a few days FREE (some are available longer than others.) I would strongly advise checking them out. Criterion always puts out top notch films. The ones that we've watched this week that I would highly recommend are:

Alice in the Cities
(anything by Wim Wenders is a plus in my book. If you haven't seen Wings of Desire yet, run, don't walk! It's one of my top favorites.)

Naked Island

A Man Escaped

Yes, you'll have to put up with commercials, but trust me, go out of your way to see these rare and unusual films.