Vintage Eats, Vintage Venue, Vintage Film, Vintage LA

"Touch of Evil" open Noir Nights at the Million Dollar Theatre.

Surely you know the much-satirized method of pitching a movie to producers, the ol' "it's like ABC Movie meets XYZ Movie, but with more musical numbers!"

Movie mash-ups are nothing new, and some might argue that every movie contains a few earlier movies within. But a true cinematic swirling-together that happens far more often is when a perfect film meets the perfect venue. "The Wizard of Oz" at the Chinese Theatre? Yeah, that's what we're talking about.

That's alchemy is about to happen again, but not just with movie and theatre, but movie and theatre and restaurant and organizer. "Touch of Evil," the kicky Orson Welles double-dealer is the flick, the venue is the storied Million Dollar Theatre, the restaurant is actually the many-restaurant-in-one Grand Central Market, and the people behind it? Those pop culture professors of the past, Vintage Los Angeles.

How's that for a four-way mash-up? Vintage, vintage, vintage, and vintage.

The date's Saturday, April 26, it's the first of Vintage LA's Noir Nights cinema series, and Grand Central Market? It's taking the "noir" part to heart, or at least nighttime, and keeping open hours from 6 to 8 p.m., so lovers of twisty plots and character who might not be all that they seem can get their dinner fill before curtain time.

Four things to say here: 1) You're correct, the film is a Universal picture and was made in 1958. You smartie. 2) This is the one with the mega-long tracking shot at the beginning, which means all tracking-shot-y films that came after owe it a debt. 3) The Million Dollar Theatre celebrates its centennial in three years, meaning it practically came along at the start of moviedom (we said practically, so, yep, we're taking some license.

And 4? It's best to keep an eye on whatever Vintage LA does. Head honcha Alison Martino has led efforts to save gorgeous retro signage and lent enthusiastic support to the revival of beloved icons like Tail o' the Pup.

The Scene

Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.

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A movie series from the Vintage LAers is sure to be a terrific (and, yes, tawdry) traipse through yesteryear. This is noir we're talking about, so it should arrive a little worn down and revved up, with a fedora low over one eye.

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