Postcard from... Los Angeles

How old should a film be before it’s considered a classic? As it turns 20, Pulp Fiction is undoubtedly in that category. And where better to watch an anniversary screening of a revolutionary movie than at a cinema owned by its creator? Quentin Tarantino has been the proprietor of the New Beverly Cinema in Hollywood since 2007, but, as of this month, he has started programming the theatre’s schedule himself – mostly with films from his own vast collection of rare 35mm prints. Last weekend featured Pulp Fiction and another 1994 favourite, The Professional (better known to UK audiences as Leon).

The New Beverly is that rare thing in today’s film world: a cinema devoted to revival and second run screenings. Before Pulp Fiction began on Sunday evening, we were treated to a Three Stooges short and several ads for the theatre’s upcoming attractions, including Bruce Lee’s Fists of Fury and two Steve McQueen movies. The ticket prices are traditional, too: a mere eight bucks (£5) for a double bill. “It’s about making some cool discoveries. These movies deserve a commercial venue, they deserve time on the silver screen,” Tarantino recently told LA Weekly. “If people come, fine. If they don’t, f*** them.”