If ever a photo demanded to be a setting for a film noir, surely this is it. This is a 1939 shot looking down Windward Ave toward the Pacific Ocean from Pacific Ave in Venice Beach. I don’t think I realized that all those arches running down this part of Windward were once lit up at night. How spectacular it must have been to stroll down to the beach under them.
This is roughly how that view looked in May 2024.
A good portion of that atmospheric architecture is used to great effect in Orson Welles 1958 film Touch of Evil. The stunning nighttime black and white cinematography really captures that noir setting. It’s a wicked classic!
Thanks so much, Martin, for posting all of these wonderful photos – and thank God we have them to help remember and celebrate our history as the LA landscape evolves from progress or natural disasters. Today, my heart goes out to everyone affected by the devastating fires in our city. A terrible, terrible disaster. Please Stay Safe everyone!
I’d forgotten about this in Touch of Evil! There’s also an episode of Adam-12 in this area filmed in the daylight hours.
I echo your sentiments about the fires, Greg. I and some others dodged a bullet from the Sunset Fire last night. When you’re informed you’re in possible danger you are in denial. So many Hollywood iconic places were in the evacuation zone! The reason this fire was contained more quickly than any of the others had been? Thank you Hollywood Reservoir for being there! It’s proximity meant using the water quickly back and forth to the fire. Can you imagine Hollywood Blvd. and environs burning down?