East Van Vodville Cinema

The East Van Vodville might be easy to miss if you’re not looking for it: a small, unassuming window is embedded into the boarded-up facade of an otherwise plain building. Visitors can peer through the little windows, as though they have snuck into the theater, where they will be greeted by a methodically crafted 1:55 scale model of Vancouver's now-demolished First Pantages Theatre.

The little theater comes to life when visitors press the start button and project short films onto its little screen. The films are constantly changing and can range from experimental works by local filmmakers to quirky collections of forgotten clips from old Hollywood. A tiny, flickering marquee outside the window keeps passersby in the know about what’s showing

There’s an ongoing call for visitors and locals to add their own favorite characters to the growing crowd seated in this 1:55 scale masterpiece. Right now the theatre’s 200-seat capacity is slowly filling. Visitors will spot tiny figurines of beloved film characters, from classic movie stars to Muppets, with Statler and Waldorf perched in their usual spot at the front-right balcony.