Places that used be the height of luxury but have descended into some kind of sad, dilapidated state make me wistful. I shot this years ago in and old hotel in downtown LA. Back in the day (and by that I mean at the beginning of moviemaking and into the 1930's), it used to be where all the stars stayed for movie premiers. By the time I shot there it was a pretty seedy residential hotel. The kind where you go up and talk to a guy through glass and can get a room for an hour. They had kept a few of the rooms as they once were and film crews would shoot here often - I think lots of music videos were shot here in the 90's. But I got a room and stayed the night. I was (and still am) fascinated with early Hollywood so I guess that is why - I can't remember my thinking at the time.
The geographic carpet mixed with odd modernizations made the room even more melancholy. A feeble attempt to step into the modern era when it clearly didn't want to and shouldn't. The night I stayed there was slightly harrowing (big understatement) but in the morning, when the light shone in, I saw a glimpse of her past beauty. Certainly an amazing place in it's glory days.
Have a lovely weekend friends.
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