This is supposed to be a movie theatre, named the Rialto, somewhere in Los Angeles. We see it three times in this movie: two very brief drive-by scenes, and one lengthy scene when Sebastian & Mia meet there on their first real date.
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The first brief glimpse of this theatre comes just before the restaurant scene, after Sebastian has suggested to Mia that they see the movie “Rebel Without a Cause” at the theatre – since she admitted to him that she had never seen the classic film.
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Mia drives past the theatre to take a look, noting the title of the film on the theatre’s marque. And the final brief glimpse is a virtually identical scene, later in the movie in which she drives past the theatre again, only to see that it has closed down.
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But the big scene shot here comes in between those two, where we see Sebastian waiting at the theatre, waiting to see if Mia shows upfor their informal date.
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Mia has been out on a date at a restaurant with her current boyfriend, but at the last minute she decides to keep the date at the theatre with Sebastian, and happily runs out of the restaurant.
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Sebastian is waiting inside, as the movie begins, hoping she will show up. Arriving late, Mia runs to the front of the darkened theatre, looking for Sebastian. They spot each other, and she sits next to him, as they watch the movie, and romantic feelings develop between them..
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But just as things are beginning to heat up, the vintage film breaks, while they are watching the scene from “Rebel” that was filmed up at the Observatory. Mia suggests that they go there in person.
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There are actually two different theatres named “The Rialto” in the Los Angeles area. One, which is NOT the theatre used in this film, is an old theatre in downtown L.A.’s Broadway Theatre district.
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The Rialto Theatre in “La La Land” is the other Rialto Theatre, and the more famous of the two, which opened as a combination vaudevill / movie house back in 1925. It’s still there, familiar marquee and all. You will find it at 1023 Fair Oaks Ave, in South Pasadena, CA.
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Source: https://www.seeing-stars.com/Locations/LaLaLand/22-TheRialtoTheatre.shtml (at Friends of the Rialto)
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