7/19/02

LC020719

VAL ZAVALA>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS MARLOW>> NICKEL MATINEES AND SATURDAY DOUBLE FEATURES WENT AWAY A LONG TIME AGO, BUT NOW A TREASURED OLD MOVIE HOUSE IS ALSO ON THE VERGE OF FADING INTO OBLIVION.

MANNY KRUPIN>> WE SHOULDN'T DESTROY THEATERS LIKE THIS. WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER STORE. WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER MALL CREATED HERE.

VAL>> WE'LL ALSO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE LATINO FILM FESTIVAL. IT'S A MAJOR VENUE FOR SOME CUTTING EDGE MOTION PICTURES. TONIGHT WE'LL TALK WITH ONE OF THE FOUNDERS, ACTOR EDWARD JAMES OLMOS, ABOUT WHAT THOSE FILMS REPRESENT TO HOLLYWOOD.

JESS>> PLUS, A LOOK AT A DANGEROUS SUMMERTIME TRADITION: STREET RACING.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> WE'LL MEET SOME YOUNGSTERS WHO LIKE TO DRIVE FAST AND WE'LL SEE HOW THE POLICE ARE CRACKING DOWN.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH A VISIT TO A RELIC FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S PAST. IT'S AN OLD MOVIE HOUSE BUILT ON THE EVE OF WORLD WAR II. A YOUNG ROBERT REDFORD SAW HIS FIRST MOTION PICTURE THERE AND, FOR NEARLY SEVEN DECADES, THE THEATER HAS SURVIVED THE TEST OF TIME.

VAL>> BUT NOW TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE AERO THEATER IN SANTA MONICA. PEOPLE MAY LOVE THE NOSTALGIA OF THE PLACE, BUT AS PHILIP BRUCE REPORTS, THEY'RE NOT LINING UP AT THE BOX OFFICE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> THE NEIGHBORHOOD MOVIE THEATER IS ALMOST A THING OF THE PAST, BUT NOT ENTIRELY. HERE AND THERE, OLD-FASHIONED SINGLE-SCREEN THEATERS STILL SURVIVE. ONE OF THEM IS THE AERO IN SANTA MONICA, BUT NOW IT'S IN TROUBLE AND ON THE VERGE OF CLOSING ITS DOORS.

CHRIS ALLEN>> THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEATER RUNS ON A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND YOU'RE ON A REALLY RAZOR-THIN MARGIN.

PHILIP BRUCE>> CHRIS ALLEN HAS BEEN OPERATING THE AERO FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS.

CHRIS ALLEN>> IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH IN A DROP OF TICKET SALES TO REALLY HURT NEIGHBORHOOD THEATER.

PHILIP BRUCE>> NO MATTER THAT THE AERO IS ON ONE OF SANTA MONICA'S TONIER STREETS, MONTANA AVENUE. ALLEN SAYS HE'S SERIOUSLY BEHIND ON THE RENT AND NEEDS TO RAISE $60,000 BY THE END OF THE MONTH IF HE'S TO STAY IN BUSINESS.

>> I THINK THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS MISSING A WONDERFUL DEAL BY NOT SUPPORTING THIS THEATER.

MANNY KRUPIN>> WE SHOULDN'T DESTROY THEATERS LIKE THIS. WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER STORE. WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER MALL CREATED HERE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> THE MALL IS THE PROBLEM. IT'S BEEN A NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEATER TO SURVIVE WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY CHOICES AT THE MULTIPLEX.

LEONARD MALTIN>> JUST AS THE MALLING OF AMERICA ROBBED OUR COUNTRY OF MANY OF ITS MAIN STREETS AND COMMERCIAL DOWNTOWN SHOPPING DISTRICTS, SO TOO THE MALL MULTIPLEX, OFTEN ONE AND THE SAME, ROBBED US OF THE OLD-FASHIONED NEIGHBORHOOD MOM AND POP MOVIE THEATER.

PHILIP BRUCE>> FILM CRITIC AND HISTORIAN, LEONARD MALTIN, SAYS THE MOVIE THEATER NO LONGER PLAYS A ROLE IT ONCE DID.

LEONARD MALTIN>> MOVIE-GOING USED TO BE A HABIT. PEOPLE USED TO GO ALL THE TIME AND, IN THE DAYS BEFORE TELEVISION DOMINATED OUR CULTURE, PEOPLE WENT TO THE MOVIES AS OFTEN AS THREE TIMES A WEEK. TODAY, MOVING-GOING IS DIFFERENT. TODAY IT'S MORE OF AN OPENING WEEKEND BUSINESS AND THE IDEA OF JUST GOING TO THE MOVIES IS NO LONGER AS POTENT AS IT ONCE USED TO BE. NOW YOU GO TO A PARTICULAR MOVIE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> WHEN ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S "REBECCA" PLAYED AT THE AERO IN 1940, THE COUNTRY WAS ABOUT TO ENTER WORLD WAR II. THE THEATER HAD OPENED EARLIER THAT YEAR, BUILT BY DONALD DOUGLAS, SR. FOR THE WORKERS AT HIS SANTA MONICA AIRCRAFT PLANT. FOR A TIME DURING THE WAR, IT RAN 24 HOURS A DAY TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THREE SHIFTS. SOME LIFETIME RESIDENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD STILL HAVE FOND CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF THE AERO.

BARRY BOEHM>> I WAS BORN IN SANTA MONICA IN 1935 AND I THINK I STARTED COMING HERE WHEN I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD AND PROBABLY SAW "GONE WITH THE WIND" HERE AND CAME EVERY SATURDAY TO SEE "FLASH GORDON" SERIALS AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING. IT'S BEEN A GREAT THEATER ALL ALONG.

PHILIP BRUCE>> FOR OTHERS, THE MEMORIES ARE MORE RECENT.

[FILM CLIP]

>> I CAME HERE WHEN I WAS FIVE TO SEE "SOUND OF MUSIC" WITH MY AUNT, SO I KIND OF GO BACK A LONG WAY. IT WOULD BE SAD TO SEE IT CLOSE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES, THERE ARE REMNANTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD THEATERS THAT HAVE CLOSED. ON VENTURA BOULEVARD IN SHERMAN OAKS, THE ONCE PROUD LA REINA IS NOW HOME TO A DISCOUNT STORE, AND THE NEARBY STUDIO CITY THEATER HAS BECOME A CHAIN BOOKSTORE.

IRENE DEBLASIO>> I REMEMBER WHEN "ROCKY" WAS PLAYING HERE AND I REMEMBER WHEN "E.T." PLAYED HERE. THERE WERE LINES DOWN THE STREET AND EVERYBODY TALKED TO EVERYBODY ELSE. IT WAS VERY FRIENDLY. THERE WAS A REAL FEELING IN STUDIO CITY OF IT BEING SORT OF LIKE A VILLAGE AND I REALLY MISS THAT.

LEONARD MALTIN>> WELL, IF YOU'RE OF A CERTAIN AGE, THERE'S A LOT OF NOSTALGIA ATTACHED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD MOVIE THEATER. I GREW UP IN NEW JERSEY WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD MOVIE THEATER THAT I COULD WALK OR RIDE MY BIKE TO. IT WAS A VERY DIFFERENT TYPE OF MOVIE-GOING EXPERIENCE THAN WHAT KIDS KNOW TODAY AT THE MULTIPLEX.

PHILIP BRUCE>> WHEN CHRIS ALLEN STARTED RUNNING THE AERO, HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE MOVIE BUSINESS, BUT NOW HE'S ALL TOO AWARE THAT OPERATING A SINGLE-SCREEN THEATER IS VERY CHANCY. LAST WEEK, HE HAD TO DECIDE WHETHER TO KEEP "ABOUT A BOY" WITH HUGH GRANT OR TO BRING IN SOMETHING NEWER. HE WENT WITH "THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES", FRESHLY RELEASED TO SOME CRITICAL ACCLAIM.

CHRIS ALLEN>> IT GOT SOME GREAT REVIEWS AND IAN HOLM IS STARRING IN IT. HE'S A VERY GOOD ACTOR.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BUT AUDIENCES HAVE BEEN SPARSE AND NOW ALLEN IS OPENING A DIFFERENT FEATURE.

CHRIS ALLEN>> EVERY WEEK, YOU'RE GAMBLING, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE OR DIE BY THAT CHOICE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> THE OLD POPCORN MACHINE HAS BEEN ANOTHER HEADACHE. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FORCED ALLEN TO CLOSE IT DOWN AND THE SODA FOUNTAIN AS WELL BECAUSE HE LACKS A REQUIRED SEVEN-FOOT, THREE-COMPARTMENT SINK.

CHRIS ALLEN>> I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M KNOWN FOR MY POPCORN, THAT IT'S A MAJOR PART OF MY BUSINESS, BUT THEY JUST KEPT SAYING IT WAS CODE.

JIM ROBIE>> SOMETHING ABOUT A SINK. THEY DON'T HAVE THE PROPER SINK. SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO WHY IT WAS GOOD FOR 25 YEARS AND NOW SUDDENLY IT'S UNHEALTHY.

PHILIP BRUCE>> A WHILE BACK, IT APPEARED THAT THE AERO HAD FOUND A SAVIOR IN ROBERT REDFORD AND HIS SUNDANCE FILM CENTERS. REDFORD GREW UP IN SANTA MONICA AND IS SAID TO HAVE GREAT MEMORIES OF THE OLD THEATER. BUT THE SUNDANCE DEAL FELL APART AND NOW IT SEEMS THE AERO'S FATE IS IN THE HANDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF IT WERE SUDDENLY CLOSED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE BUILDING.

>> I DON'T GO TO THAT PARTICULAR THEATER BECAUSE IT'S AN OLD THEATER WITH UNCOMFORTABLE SEATING AND I'D RATHER GO TO A MORE UPDATED THEATER.

>> THE SCREEN IS GREAT, THE SOUND IS GREAT.

>> IT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE AN HISTORICAL LANDMARK AND SHOULD STAY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. I FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY SHOULD COME IN AND RESCUE IT.

PHILIP BRUCE>> NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, THE AERO HAS SECURED A LASTING FILM LEGACY. IT'S APPEARED AS A BIT PLAYER IN SEVERAL MOTION PICTURES. THERE'S JOHN TRAVOLTA WATCHING A MOVIE AT THE AERO IN "GET SHORTY" AND MEG TILLY AND ROB LOWE IN "MASQUERADE". BUT WHETHER IT SURVIVES IN REAL LIFE MAY DEPEND ON WHETHER CHRIS ALLEN CONVINCES THE NEIGHBORS TO COME BACK TO THEIR THEATER AND GIVE THE FANCY NEW MULTIPLEXES A REST.

LEONARD MALTIN>> I'VE NOTHING AGAINST NICE NEW MULTIPLEX MOVIE THEATERS. I GO TO SOME OF THEM MYSELF QUITE A BIT, BUT I WISH I HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD THEATER I COULD GO TO BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING MORE PERSONAL, SOMETHING MORE INDIVIDUAL ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE AND I MISS THAT.

JESS>> TYPICALLY WHEN AN OLD LANDMARK SUCH AS THE AERO THEATER RUNS INTO TROUBLE, YOU CAN BLAME IT ON THE LANDLORD JACKING UP THE RENT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE. THE AERO'S PROBLEMS ALL COME DOWN TO NOT ENOUGH SALES AT THE BOX OFFICE AND, WITH NO EASY SOLUTIONS IN SIGHT, THE AERO'S FUTURE DOES NOT LOOK GOOD.

VAL>> MONDAY ON LIFE AND TIMES, FRESH WATER FROM THE SEA. IN THE MIDST OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S DRIEST YEAR, WE'LL FIND OUT HOW LOS ANGELES MAY TAP THE OCEAN AS A SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER.

>> YOU KNOW, MARK TWAIN SAID, "WHISKEY'S FOR DRINKING AND WATER'S FOR FIGHTING" AND THAT'S A REALIZATION THAT, INLAND, WATER IS A SCARCE RESOURCE AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH OF THAT FRESH WATER TO SUPPLY EVERYBODY'S NEEDS.

JESS>> CALIFORNIA'S ALWAYS HAD STRONG TIES TO THE LATIN CULTURE. NOW AS AMERICA'S LATINO POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW, THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS GETTING A TASTE OF IT AS WELL.

VAL>> AND SOME OF THAT CULTURE IS BEING SPREAD THROUGH MOTION PICTURES AND, ON THAT SCORE, LOS ANGELES IS HOSTING A MAJOR EVENT, THE SIXTH ANNUAL LATINO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE FESTIVAL IS ACTOR, EDWARD JAMES OLMOS, FAMILIAR TO PBS VIEWERS AS ONE OF THE STARS OF "AMERICAN FAMILY".

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> EDWARD JAMES OLMOS JOINS US NOW. THIS SIXTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL HAS REALLY BECOME SOMETHING BIG. IT'S NOW A MAJOR LATINO FESTIVAL?

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> YES, IT IS. I THINK IT'S NOW CONSIDERED ONE OF THE PREMIER LATINO FILM FESTIVALS IN THE WORLD, INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS IN THE WORLD, AND I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY DESERVES IT AND I THINK THAT THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND, MORE THAN ANYTHING, HOLLYWOOD DESERVES IT.

VAL>> AND IT SURE HAS GROWN. IT STARTED, WHAT, ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO -- SIX YEARS AGO -- ONLY FORTY FILMS, FIVE DAYS. NOW IT'S MORE THAN A HUNDRED FILMS, TEN DAYS WITH AN ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE OF, WHAT, 20,000 OR 25,000 PEOPLE?

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> YEAH. WE ALMOST HIT 30,000 LAST YEAR. I THINK THIS YEAR WE'LL SURPASS THAT BY QUITE A FEW THOUSAND.

JESS>> BUT IT'S MORE THAN JUST SHOWING LATINO FILMS, ISN'T IT?

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> YES, IT IS. IT'S MORE OF AN EVENT TO REALLY BRING ABOUT A DIFFERENT KIND OF AESTHETIC VALUE IN FILM. WE DON'T SEE THESE KIND OF FILMS HERE AND MAYBE SOMEDAY WE WILL. THE DREAM IS NOT TO EVER HAVE TO DO ANOTHER LATINO FILM FESTIVAL, THAT THEY'D JUST PLAY FILMS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AS YOU WOULD SEE ANY ONE OF OUR OWN FILMS. BUT THAT IN ITSELF IS ANOTHER SITUATION TO TALK ABOUT.

JESS>> WHAT'S SO UNIQUE ABOUT LATINO FILMS?

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> WELL, JUST THE AESTHETIC VALUES OF THE FILMMAKERS, THE WAY THAT THE FILMS ARE MADE. JUST LIKE WE SAW "CROUCHING TIGER" AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SWEPT AND CAME ACROSS, AND CHINESE FILMS ARE NOW MORE APT TO BE LOOKED AT. MANY PEOPLE FIND THOSE FILMS TO BE VERY ATTRACTIVE. LATINO FILMS ARE VERY, VERY STRONG FILMS. WE HAVE TWO THAT ARE OUT RIGHT NOW, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT ARE DOING VERY WELL, "AMORES PERROS" AND "Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN". WE WILL HAVE A TREMENDOUS ARRAY OF FILMS THAT PEOPLE WILL LAUGH THEIR HEADS OFF, THEY WILL CRY AND THEY WILL FIND TO BE VERY EXCITING.

VAL>> WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE SAMPLE OF WHAT THEY MIGHT SEE IF THEY GO TO ONE OF THE MANY FILMS. HERE'S A CLIP FROM A BRAZILIAN FILM CALLED "DOMESTICAS", OR "MAIDS". LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> AND THERE WILL BE ENGLISH SUBTITLES ON ALL OF THESE FILMS?

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> EVERYTHING IS A BILINGUAL EVENT. I THINK IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT NOW WHERE OVER 79 -- WELL, 79 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE ARE NOW EITHER BILINGUAL OR SPANISH-SPEAKING AND ABOUT ANYWHERE BETWEEN 20 PERCENT TO 21 PERCENT ARE ENGLISH ONLY. SO THE ENGLISH ONLY WENT FROM MAYBE TWO OR THREE PERCENT OF THE AUDIENCE NOW TO OVER TWENTY PERCENT OF THE AUDIENCE.

VAL>> I LOOK AT THAT CLIP AND IT HAS A NICE STYLE. IT'S KIND OF FUNKY IN A WAY, BUT IT'S A FEATURE FILM, RIGHT? IT'S NOT A DOCUMENTARY?

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> NO, THIS IS A FEATURE LENGTH MOTION PICTURE, YEAH. THIS YEAR WE HAVE SOME EXTRAORDINARY FILMS. I MUST TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY SHOULD JUST LOG ON. IF THEY ARE ON THE INTERNET, THEY CAN LOG ONTO WWW.LATINOFILM.ORG AND SEE THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FILMS OR THEY CAN GET THE L.A. TIMES OR THE LA OPINION AND SEE ALSO DESCRIPTIONS THERE AND THE TIMES THAT THEY RUN.

JESS>> LOOKING AT THIS LIST, THE FOCUS SEEMS TO BE ON BRAZILIAN FILM IN PARTICULAR.

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> IN THIS YEAR, WE ARE CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THE BRAZILIANS HAVE DONE TO CINEMA IN THE WORLD AND WE'RE GIVING THE GABRIEL FIGUEROA AWARD, LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, TO NELSON PEREIRA DOS SANTOS, WHO'S ARGUABLY ONE OF THE FINEST DIRECTORS THAT'S EVER LIVED, PERIOD. HE'S CLOSE TO EIGHTY YEARS OLD NOW AND HE GAVE US CINEMA NOVO.

CINEMA NOVO WAS A WAY OF LOOKING AT THE RICH AND THE POOR IN ANY GIVEN SOCIETY. OUR FILMMAKERS IN THE 40'S AND 50'S STARTED TO UNDERSTAND IT FROM HIM AND HE WENT ON TO REALLY BRING ABOUT WHAT THE SOCIETY IS LIKE AND HE TOOK CAMERAS IN TO DOCUMENT HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN VERY POOR AREAS AND HE WENT INTO VERY RICH AREAS ALSO. YOU COULD SEE IN A SOCIETY FILM THAT WOULD EXPOSE SOCIOLOGICALLY SOME VERY INTERESTING ENTERTAINMENT BECAUSE IT WAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF FILMMAKING AT THAT TIME. HE WAS THE ONE WHO INVENTED CINEMA NOVO AND HE'LL BE HERE.

VAL>> THAT'S INTERESTING. YOU DO OFFER PLENTY OF DOCUMENTARY FAIR FOR THOSE WHO LOVE DOCUMENTARIES AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT A CLIP NOW FROM ONE CALLED "WINDOWS" THAT LOOKS AT THE LATINO WORKERS WHO WERE WORKING WITHIN THE TWIN TOWERS ON THE DAY THAT IT WAS BOMBED ACTUALLY. HERE'S A LOOK.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> DEFINITELY BREAKS ANY KIND OF FORMULA THAT WE'RE USED TO SEEING FROM OUT OF HOLLYWOOD. YET AT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE PURPOSES IN THE FESTIVAL IS TO GET DISTRIBUTION FOR SOME OF THESE FILMS?

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> SURE. A LOT OF THE FILMS THAT COME HERE WILL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNLESS WE SHINE A LIGHT ON THEM. THIS YEAR, BLOCKBUSTER HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY --

VAL>> -- THAT'S YOUR SPONSOR?

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> ONE OF OUR SPONSORS THIS YEAR, ACTUALLY OUR PREMIERE SPONSOR THIS YEAR. THEY HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO NOT ONLY BRINGING THESE FILMS IN THIS MANNER BY SUPPORTING THE FESTIVAL, BUT THEY ARE ALSO GOING TO PUT THEM INTO THEIR STORES.

VAL>> OH, REALLY?

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> THAT, TO ME, IS THE ESSENCE OF WHAT IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T SEE THESE FILMS IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT.

JESS>> DOES THIS FESTIVAL ALSO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LATINO FILMMAKERS AND ASPIRING SCREENWRITERS ACCESS TO HOLLYWOOD?

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> YES, IT DOES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT IS PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST CACHE RIGHT NOW IN THE WHOLE WORLD. WE BRING THEM IN. WE BRING OVER A HUNDRED FILMS AND WE BRING ALL OF THE FILMMAKERS HERE. THEY DON'T PAY FOR ANYTHING BECAUSE MANY OF THEM COME FROM AREAS WHERE THEY CAN'T REALLY AFFORD TO TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES FOR THREE OR FOUR DAYS.

WE BRING THEM HERE, WE HOUSE THEM, WE FEED THEM AND THEN WE TAKE THEM TO THE STUDIOS AND THEY GET TO MEET THE MAJOR DISTRIBUTORS, THE MAJOR PRESIDENTS OF WARNER'S, OF DISNEY, OF PARAMOUNT AND TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX. TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY THIS YEAR ALSO IN THEIR COMMITMENT TO BRING IN THESE TYPES OF FILMS TO LOS ANGELES AND TO THE WORLD.

VAL>> THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE JUST READ THIS WEEK ABOUT HOW THE TELEVISION NETWORKS AT LEAST ARE, AFTER FOUR YEARS, STILL LACKING DIVERSITY IN SO MUCH OF WHAT THEY OFFER, SO IT'S ESPECIALLY VALUABLE.

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> THAT'S HARD BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ECONOMICS. THEY STILL HAVEN'T FOUND HOW TO REALLY NURTURE THAT ECONOMIC BASE AND, WHEN THEY DO, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF LATINO FACES ON THE SCREEN.

VAL>> WELL, THIS FESTIVAL WILL HELP. THANK YOU SO MUCH, EDWARD JAMES OLMOS, FOR STOPPING BY. ALWAYS WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU.

EDWARD JAMES OLMOS>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A PLEASURE.

VAL>> THE LATINO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, AS WE MENTIONED, RUNS TONIGHT THROUGH JULY 28 AT THE EGYPTIAN THEATER. YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE, WWW.LATINOFILM.ORG, FOR MORE INFORMATION. CHECK IT OUT.

JESS>> TIME NOW FOR SOME VIEWER MAIL AND WE'RE STARTING WITH A LETTER ABOUT AN EXPENSIVE BOOT CAMP. IT'S CALLED TURNING POINT ACADEMY, A PLACE FOR TEENAGED BOYS WHO'VE BEEN EXPELLED FOR BRINGING GUNS TO SCHOOLS. AS WE REPORTED THIS WEEK, CRITICS SAY THE BOOT CAMP'S BEEN A WASTE OF MONEY AND THE GOVERNOR FINALLY DECIDED TO PULL THE PLUG, BUT ONE VIEWER SAYS GRAY DAVIS OUGHT TO RECONSIDER:

"DRASTICALLY CUT THE STAFF AND COSTS AT THE CAMP AND OPEN IT UP FOR NON-VIOLENT, BUT ANTISOCIAL, CRIMINALS SUCH AS RED LIGHT RUNNERS, DRUNK DRIVERS AND MAYBE A FEW CORPORATE CEO'S."

VAL>> ANOTHER VIEWER WAS UPSET THAT WE COVERED THE ALLEGED POLICE BEATING IN INGLEWOOD. SHE THOUGHT LIFE AND TIMES WAS ONE PLACE SHE WOULDN'T HAVE TO WATCH THE INFAMOUS VIDEOTAPE ANOTHER STATION SHOWED SO OFTEN. SHE WRITES:

"POLICE BANGED THEIR PRISONER'S HEAD ON THE CAR AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN TIMES RIGHT WHEN I WAS EATING MY MEAL. IT WAS DISGUSTING. A FEW MINUTES AGO, I HEARD YOUR AD AND YOU PLAN ON DOING THE SAME THING. P-L-E-A-S-E."

JESS>> A VIEWER IN REDLANDS TOOK ISSUE WITH OUR RECENT SEGMENT ON "OUTFEST", A FILM FESTIVAL THAT FEATURES MOVIES BY AND ABOUT THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY:

"I THINK I'VE BEEN PRETTY TOLERANT, BUT YOU PUSHED ME OVER THE EDGE WITH YOUR PIECE THAT ADVERTISED FOR THE GAY FILM FESTIVAL SHOWING A FILM CLIP OF TWO MEN PASSIONATELY EMBRACING. THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW."

JESS>> MANY OF YOU ALSO WROTE ABOUT OUR ETHICS PROJECT SPECIALS. THE ONE ON THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY PROMPTED THIS LETTER FROM A VIEWER IN PASADENA:

"THE MOST UNETHICAL THING HOLLYWOOD DOES IS THEIR PROMOTION AND SUPPORT OF TEEN SMOKING BY ACCEPTING PAYMENTS FOR PRODUCT PLACEMENTS AND CONTINUALLY USING CIGARETTES AS PROPS."

VAL>> TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON ANY OF OUR SHOWS, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN REACH US:

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

JESS>> FOR MANY YOUNGSTERS, ILLEGAL STREET RACING IS ONE OF THE RITES OF SUMMER. IT'S BEEN PART OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S CULTURE FOR ALMOST AS LONG AS THERE'VE BEEN CARS, BUT THOSE RACES ARE SOMETIMES DEADLY AND POLICE ARE CRACKING DOWN.

VAL>> ONE OF THE WAYS THEY'RE DOING IT IS BY PROVIDING KIDS WITH A SAFER PLACE TO DRIVE FAST. TONIGHT WE'LL SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING IT IN THIS REPORT FROM OUR FRIENDS AT CHANNEL ONE, THE NATIONAL NEWS NETWORK AIMED AT YOUNG PEOPLE.

[FILM CLIP]

ANDREW YANI>> THIS IS HOLLYWOOD'S VERSION OF STREET RACING. IT'S WILD, INTENSE, THE ULTIMATE RUSH.

THESE ARE THE REAL LIFE CONSEQUENCES. ACCORDING TO ONE STUDY, STREET RACING IS A HUNDRED TIMES MORE DANGEROUS THAN DRIVING WHILE DRUNK. STILL, THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE RISK FOR THE THRILL OF THE RIDE.

SCOTT GRAHAM>> THEY DON'T HAVE SAFETY EQUIPMENT. THEY DON'T HAVE PARAMEDICS ON STANDBY. THEY DON'T HAVE THE STREETS BLOCKED OFF PROPERLY. IF THE CAR GOES OUT OF CONTROL, IT'S GOING TO TAKE OUT THE CROWD AND WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF THAT.

ANDREW YANI>> ILLEGAL STREET RACING IS A PROBLEM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, BUT JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THESE HILLS IN A VALLEY NORTH OF LOS ANGELES, THE PROBLEM IS OUT OF CONTROL.

[FILM CLIP]

RON WALKER>> THEY WILL RACE ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE. WHEREVER THERE IS A STRAIGHT PIECE OF ROADWAY, THEY'LL RACE THERE. THE AREA WE'RE GOING TO TARGET TONIGHT IS GOING TO BE IN SUN VALLEY AGAIN.

ANDREW YANI>> IT'S FRIDAY NIGHT AND THESE OFFICERS ARE GETTING READY TO COME DOWN HARD ON THE RACERS. THEY'RE PART OF A MULTI-AGENCY TASKFORCE CONDUCTING A SURPRISE STING. WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO COME ALONG.

ANDREW YANI>> WHERE ARE WE HEADED RIGHT NOW?

RON WALKER>> WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GO HIDE IN THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR GLEN OAKS IN SUN VALLEY.

ANDREW YANI>> AROUND MIDNIGHT, THE STREET SUDDENLY FILLS WITH CARS, MANY OF THEM ILLEGALLY RIGGED TO REACH HIGH SPEEDS. MOMENTS LATER, THE COMPETITION BEGINS.

[FILM CLIP]

ANDREW YANI>> IN THE PAST YEAR, AT LEAST TWELVE PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN RACES LIKE THESE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY ALONE. AFTER SEVERAL RACES TAKE PLACE, WE GET THE CALL TO MOVE IN.

[FILM CLIP]

ANDREW YANI>> YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE SCRAMBLING TO GET TO THEIR CARS. THEY'RE RUNNING FROM ALL ANGLES. DOZENS OF CARS ARE CAUGHT IN THE DRAGNET. ALL WILL BE IMPOUNDED FOR THIRTY DAYS. ANYONE UNDERAGE OR IDENTIFIED AS A RACER WILL BE ARRESTED.

ANDREW YANI>> BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU JUST HAPPENED TO BE DRIVING THROUGH THE --

>> I WAS NOT HERE FOR THE RACING. I WAS NOT HERE FOR THE RACING.

ANDREW YANI>> SO YOU WEREN'T RACING TONIGHT?

>> IN THAT THING? (LAUGHTER) NO, NO.

ANDREW YANI>> LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING I HAVE HERE REAL QUICK, STEVE. THIS IS A PICTURE OF YOU STARTING YOUR RACE AND TAKING OFF DOWN THE STREET. THERE YOU ARE. YOUR FRIEND'S IN THE BACK. YOU'RE RACING THAT BLACK CAR RIGHT THERE.

>> I DIDN'T GET MUCH FURTHER THAN HERE.

ANDREW YANI>> OKAY, OKAY. JUST CHECKING.

ANDREW YANI>> THE STING NETS THIRTY ARRESTS, 91 CARS ARE IMPOUNDED AND OFFICERS ISSUED 212 CITATIONS. BUT HOW MUCH WILL ALL THIS ACTUALLY DETER RACERS?

OFFICER>> THEY'LL GIVE IT A REST FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT THEY'LL ALL BE BACK. THERE'S ALWAYS A NEW BATCH COMING IN. IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME THING.

ANDREW YANI>> WHICH IS WHY LAW ENFORCEMENT IS GOING A STEP FURTHER IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE LIVES. SHERIFF'S TEAM RACING IS A PROGRAM RUN BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. IT EDUCATES STUDENTS ON THE SCIENCE OF RACING --

SCOTT GRAHAM>> HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT OUR HOBBIES ARE? WHO CAN TELL ME WHAT OUR HOBBIES ARE? RACING CARS.

>> RACING CARS.

SCOTT GRAHAM>> RACING CARS.

ANDREW YANI>> -- AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO BURN RUBBER ON A TRACK INSTEAD OF ON THE STREET.

SCOTT GRAHAM>> WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME OUT TO THE TRACK, COME OUT AND RACE US IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND YOU WON'T GET A TICKET. AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO BEAT A COP BECAUSE, AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER, SOMEBODY'S GOT A TICKET BY A COP.

ANDREW YANI>> THE ADVANTAGE OF RACING ON TRACKS LIKE THIS IS THAT THEY'RE MADE FOR SPEED. THERE ARE PARAMEDICS STANDING BY AND BARRIERS TO PROTECT SPECTATORS. BUT IS IT FUN? I WENT ALONG FOR A RIDE.

ANDREW YANI>> OKAY, I'M REALLY EXCITED RIGHT NOW. I'M GOING TO BE GOING IN A VEHICLE THAT HAS 780 HORSEPOWER!

[FILM CLIP]

ANDREW YANI>> PUBLIC RACETRACKS ARE A SAFE, LEGAL ALTERNATIVE TO THE STREETS. THAT, LAW ENFORCERS SAY, SAVES LIVES.

ANDREW YANI>> SO TELL ME, HOW WAS THE RUSH COMPARED TO DRIVING ON THE STREET AND THE TRACK?

>> IT WAS VERY COOL HERE. WAY BETTER.

ANDREW YANI>> WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

>> YOU JUST GET NERVOUS, I DON'T KNOW.

ANDREW YANI>> SO IT WAS WAY BETTER ON THE TRACK?

>> WAY BETTER, YEAH.

JESS>> THIS YEAR, THE PENALTIES FOR STREET RACING WENT WAY UP IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. IT'S NOW A CRIME NOT ONLY TO TAKE PART IN A RACE, BUT EVEN TO WATCH ONE. SPECTATORS CAN BE FINED $500 AND SENT TO JAIL FOR SIX MONTHS.

VAL>> OH, THAT'S STIFF. WE INVITE YOU TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG FOR TRANSCRIPTS AND AUDIO OF OUR RECENT PROGRAMS.

JESS>> FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, GOODNIGHT AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

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