Most Americans seen the Cinerama Dome. Since opening in 1963, the Hollywood movie theater hosted dazzling film premieres and black-tie galas, its striking geodesic shape expertly framing celebrities and red carpets. The theater — designed by Pierre Cabrol of Welton Becket’s esteemed architectural firm — has also had cameos in legendary films, like Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Since the Dome and an adjoining multiplex shut down five years ago during the COVID shutdown, its absence has been a sore spot for Hollywood, both the industry and the LA neighborhood. The Dome, with its enormous screen that wrapped around audiences, was one of the nation’s most profitable movie theaters, regularly attracting crowds to Sunset Boulevard for dinner and drinks. It was Hollywood’s gathering place and, five years after shutting its doors, the streets and businesses around the once-storied theater are more blighted and forlorn.
For Ben Steinberg, the Dome always provided a reason to take the trek from the San Fernando Valley to Hollywood. Catching a movie at the Dome wasn’t just something to do though, it helped spark his love for film. When the theater closed, he launched an online petition that generated tens of thousands of signatures and began the X account @SaveArclight and the Insta @SaveArclightCinemas2.
The LA-based college student remained hopeful as news trickled out about an imminent reopening for the Dome, but proposed dates in news articles came and went. Then, turning to some DIY journalism, Steinberg began contacting the theater’s owner for updates, photographing the blighted Dome facade, and speaking to the scant workers at the theater site. It became clear to Steinberg that the Dome was languishing. He blasted out that news via his social media accounts, which generated more local outrage and media attention.
Then, last month, a sign of hope. The owners filed an alcohol permit for the Dome and the adjacent multiplex: The permit would “allow for the continued sale and dispensing of a full line of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption in conjunction with the existing Cinerama Dome Theater, 14 auditoriums within the Arclight Cinemas Theater Complex, and restaurant/cafe with two outdoor dining terraces from 7:00 am - 4:00 am, daily.” While a reopening date has not been announced, the permit is the biggest indication yet that movement is happening. We talked to Steinberg about his online pressure campaign and the idea that one person can really bring about change.
What's the story of the Dome?
The Dome opened in 1963 and it's the last remaining Cinerama Dome [structure] that hasn't been demolished. It hosted the premiere of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and it was a top spot for premieres in Hollywood from 1963 up until 2020.
Who built it?
It was built by a famous architect, Walton Becket, it was part of his firm. [The firm] designed some other historic buildings in Los Angeles, too (e.g., the Capitol Records Tower and the Beverly Hilton hotel).
What's your history with the Dome?
My first time there was when they were doing a revival screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey, before Interstellar was released in 2014. I was just a big fan of the Arclight chain (which operated next to the Dome). I would go to the Dome a lot, at least once a week. There used to be an Amoeba Records next door, an Urban Outfitters complex with restaurants, CNN used to have its field office there. [In the Dome's lobby] they would have little costume exhibits from the studios when movies came out.
How did you get involved in its reopening?
When I found out it was closing, within the first 20 minutes, I created a petition to save the Cinerama Dome. At the time, I didn't know the whole context and then, slowly through the last four or five years, I learned how Decurion (the owner) isn't selling the property but isn't planning on reopening it anytime soon. They don't issue press releases or communicate to the press, they deactivated their website, they're very mysterious.
The closure of the Dome was a local Hollywood frustration, but your efforts galvanized a huge swath of L.A. and the entertainment industry as a whole.
It was amazing to get 30,000 signatures on the petition and then getting different celebrities to share the post. I received some media attention [for the petition] — 1) when [the Dome] closed down and then 2) a few months ago when I spoke to the property manager and he said they had no plans to reopen.
How did you get the celebrities involved?
It was through Instagram and Twitter and then I posted a letter I wrote to Decurion and I just contacted 100 PR people, just emailing them. The main ones were from Instagram and Twitter, like [filmmakers] Sean Baker and Edgar Wright; they supported us. Alma Har'el, she directed Honey Boy, responded and supported [the effort]. It was sent to Steven Spielberg, but I didn't get a response, which was strange, because he saved the theater in 1997 when they were going to demolish it.
Do you have a background in marketing?
No, I'm a filmmaker, a student filmmaker, still in college.
You just kind of figured out how to reach people.
I know Decurion wanted to keep [the closure] a secret and they didn't want to have anyone talking about it, so I did the opposite.
Were you surprised at its success?
I was surprised at how quickly [the effort] went viral and to see how many followers the Twitter and Instagram accounts have — and I know Decurion follows my accounts.
Posting under the moniker of Save the Dome probably helped too, right?
That helped and also the fact that no media outlets wanted to report on Decurion and how they owned other properties. I was the only person who posted about it. The Dome was supposed to [re]open in '23, then it got delayed to '24, then Deadline said it was going to open at the end of June of this year. Then I spoke to the property manager and he said, "We have no plans to reopen it."
Your community activism certainly filled a void left by the closure of many local media outlets. Did you give that thought during the campaign?
Yeah, for sure. I feel like I didn't create the accounts, people would just forget about the Dome and 10 years later when it's still abandoned or demolished, people will think, Why didn't we do anything?
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