![]() There is no entrance fee, but you will have to pay for parking. Hollywood and Highland is open daily, but hours for its businesses vary. News reports were vague, but rumor has it that Dolby paid "substantially above" what Kodak's annual rate. When it's not busy for other things, you can tour the Dolby Theatre.Īnd just so wondering about it doesn't keep you up at night, it's said that the Kodak Company paid a record $75 million for the naming rights, but then they sold them in 2012, which is why it's now called the Dolby Theatre instead. In the offseason, it is used for concerts and traveling shows like the Chinese-themed extravaganza Shen Yun. It's also is the site for other awards ceremonies. The first Oscars ceremony was held there in 2002, just across the street from the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, where the first-ever Academy Awards were given out in 1929. Instead, you're more likely to get caught up in all the references to Hollywood's glamorous past and its titillating excesses.īuilt as the permanent home of the Academy Awards in 2001 and initially called the Kodak Theatre, the Dolby Theatre is one of the largest entertainment halls in the country, specially constructed to facilitate the annual, televised awards extravaganza. The thing is, you never do that unless you're an architecture critic. That may have been a bit of hyperbole, but if you step back and take a look, you might agree. If you thought some of today's films were long, this one was a 3.5-hour epic that followed four storylines over several centuries.Ĭurbed LA called Hollywood and Highland the ugliest building in Los Angeles shortly after it was completed. The Babylon Courtyard and the gate that towers over it draw their inspiration from the elaborate set for the film Intolerance made by director D. The Road crisscrosses the courtyard a few times and then heads toward the back of the complex, where you can get a good view of the Hollywood Sign. They're all fun to read and a great reminder of why Hollywood holds such a prominent place in some people's version of the American Dream. The only credits are "Actress" or "Director." You'll recognize some, but not others. Along its length, stories of Hollywood wannabes are inlaid in mosaic tile, from a performing lion to a welfare mother-turned-superstar. When the Road to Hollywood reaches the courtyard, it transforms into something a bit like the Yellow Brick Road only this one is red and black. It's a tribute to Hollywood's ability to transform even the most ordinary-seeming of individuals. ![]() The Road to Hollywood starts at street level and runs up the steps. ![]() If you take a picture with them, keep in mind that they earn their living doing this and give them a tip. You'll often find street performers on the sidewalk in front of Hollywood and Highland, dressed up as everything from Batman to Shrek. Some shops will validate if you ask nicely, even if you didn't buy anything there, but do be polite about it. Even if you didn't buy anything, you'll save money if you get a coffee or bottle of water at Starbuck's. Here's a tip to save money: parking is cheaper with validation. ![]() Hollywood and Highland is also a good base to start a walking tour, of Hollywood Boulevard and the best place to park while doing it. Nearby you can also see the Chinese Theater, the Dolby Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You could spend almost an hour just reading all the stories and trying to guess whose they are. Griffith's 1916 film Intolerance in the multi-story "gate" at the end of the courtyard and the elephant statues surrounding it to the stories captured in the "Road to Hollywood," this place celebrates the film industry's past. At that location, you'll find an active, three-story, shopping/dining entertainment complex, a twenty-first-century landmark that constantly tips its hat to the past.įrom references to D. The simple answer is that it's where two streets intersect: Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. ![]()
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