On Park(ing) Day, Pershing Square Hosts First Night of Movie Series
Ed Fuentes
Film Inspired Tower?: The US Bank Tower, formerly the Library Tower, watches over the screening. Often cited as a location for 1982's "Blade Runner," the skyscraper was not completed until 1989.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — On Friday, grassroots teams joined with civic and company groups for Park(ing) Day LA, making dry urban space into spots where people could picnic, park bikes, and give dogs sod.
In the evening, Pershing Square joined the fun, welcoming 100 people for a screening of "Blade Runner." While not technically a part of Park(ing) Day, programming for the park shares many of the same issues faced by those who designed the temporary spaces.
For the last few decades the park has sat on top of a parking garage roof, giving Pershing Square Senior Recreation Director Louise Capone a connection to those who made park spaces out of a single spot. While future development promises to bring a redesign, the park's landscaping limitations mean that right now, improvements will come through programming.
The "Friday Night Flicks" film series will run for three more weeks, and is co-sponsored by the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. A PDF flyer is available on the Pershing Square site.
Before it’s said in the comments, yes, turning off the lights may the best way to not see dry fountains and purple block. It was also a way to watch a film about a futuristic L.A. with the skyline sitting alongside you like a companion on a parking spot, that for a few hours, was an integral part of the city.
JC on September 22, 2008, at 02:38PM – #1
No no no no!
Given the recent dog turd dustup, Pink Flamingos would have been far more apropos.. And they could have awarded an over-scaled pink plastic lawn ornament to the best Divine imitator.
Li on September 23, 2008, at 09:49AM – #2
What is the deal with Pershing Square? Are we at all close to a redesign? What's holding things up? It could be a treasure and instead it's a huge black eye in the middle of downtown.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on September 23, 2008, at 10:43AM – #3
Li: Basically money is the hold-up. The Park redesign would be funded by fees generated by the Park Fifth project, slated to rise across 5th street from the park. Those fees don't get paid until the project starts construction. The project says that it plans to break ground early next year, but given the money markets any project's groundbreaking date is optimistic right now.
What's ironic is how new the design that's there really is. It was just done in the early 1990s.
T. Bayne on September 29, 2008, at 02:03AM – #4
On friday night I'll be watching "Chinatown" at Pershing (and taking the convenient walk to LA Cita for punky reggae)...but for al you film geeks like myself at the Nokia theatre on Sunday there will be another FREE festival, The Elavate film festival...check it out...and viva downtown!
http://www.downtownla.com/EventDetail.asp?EventID=473
http://www.myspace.com/elevatefilmfestival