Watch Local: Universal Stage 12

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The American Cinematheque is thrilled to pay tribute to the historic studio lots of Los Angeles, vital landmarks of Hollywood’s history, and to the individuals who built them, permanently etching their names to the city’s artistic legacy. This next edition of Watch Local pays tribute to the iconic Stage 12 on the Universal lot, the first built-for-sound production stage at Universal and the Lot’s largest at the time, originally built for the 1928 musical BROADWAY and uniquely equipped to accommodate the epic sets for classic genre films such as FRANKENSTEIN and others, making it particularly important for the early years transitioning to “Talkies.” Honoring its significance to the stage’s existence, the series begins with the L.A. Premiere of the new 4K restoration of BROADWAY and continues by paying homage to some of the great stars of the 20th century such as the late, great Robert Redford in TELL THEM WILLIE BOY IS HERE and the unparalleled Rock Hudson in LOVER COME BACK. From the very beginning, Stage 12 was used for a space of cinematic innovation, and that too continued over the course of the century, playing a vital role as one of the primary shooting locations in the works of visionary auteurs such as Alfred Hitchcock in SABOTEUR and Steven Spielberg’s revolutionary JURASSIC PARK. Film history would look very different if not for the versatility of Universal’s Stage 12 and the steadfast dedication to creating cinematic memories by the countless individuals who have worked on these sets.

Special thanks to Jason Jackowski and Universal Pictures Distribution for their collaboration on this curated series.