Re: Empire of Light. From American Cinematographer - photos during production and descriptions of filming in and around the theatre on how Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins wanted to get the look they achieved.
“The Stanford Theatre Foundation was established for the purpose of operating the theatre and promoting the preservation and public appreciation of classic films. Today, the theatre’s programming consists of 100% classic films, primarily from the years 1920 through 1965.”
Widescreen films may have been shown prior to 1976 (when the theatre closed) - not sure though.
SFGate reporter Julie Tremaine writes about her experience going to the El Capitan to see The Little Mermaid, the showmanship employed leading to a fun experience.
MSC77 - In the photos section for the Grand Lake (page 2) is a photo I took on Sept 23, 2012 of the marquee after seeing The Master in 70mm. It had opened the day before. Don’t know how many weeks it ran but should be included in your list at the link you provided above. And thanks for all your work at in70mm.com.
Kanopy.com has added Searching For Mr Rugoff to it’s film base. If you have a public library/university card that is connected to Kanopy.com you can watch the film
Here
That is no ordinary stage show. That was the night the Beatles performed “a charity concert in aid of the United Cerebral Palsy of New York City and Retarded Infants Services on 20 September 1964. It was the last date of their first full US tour”. That is George Harrison on the left and Paul McCartney on the right. John Lennon in the middle?
Mike (saps) - - the Alamo New Mission (SF) is a 15 min walk from me and yet I never go. Saw one film there (one of the Star Wars films) - the presentation was fantastic. Dual projected 3D (the best I’d ever seen) and knock your socks off sound. And a big screen. I am on their email list and they regularly have diverse screenings besides the first run fare. The employees tasked with bringing food did seem to have it down - they crouched and scurried almost unnoticeable. But you did notice people ordering food and it was a distraction. I just prefer a darkened theatre and no distractions - the dine in experience is not for me. But also very glad Alamo saved the theatre.
At CC’s link above the menu has a “How It Works” link (to order food) - you whip out your cellphone and text it to the kitchen for “a seamless uninterrupted viewing experience”. Except for the people sitting around you when their phone screen lights up and then the “ninjas” walk or scurry like rats past you to deliver the food. This may be the enjoyable movie going experience for some but this is the kind of theatre I would avoid.
Is AMC going to enforce this seating policy somehow? The last reserved seat film I saw was a 70mm Imax presentation of 2001 at the AMC Metreon in SF where it seemed people were just sitting wherever they wanted (compounded by the low auditorium lighting which kept the seat numbers in shadows and very hard to see). The only employees I saw were the guy taking the tickets out front and the snack bar employees.
From the SF Chronicle Datebook section on the Landmark Commission’s vote to recommend to the full SF Board of Supervisors that the interior be landmarked:
“After an impassioned public hearing that lasted for more than five hours and included hundreds of speakers on Wednesday, Feb. 1, the commission voted 6-0, with one recusal, to recommend to the Board of Supervisors that it pass a Castro Theatre landmark designation amendment initiated by Supervisor Rafael Mandelman “to include both exterior and interior character-defining features, and update the statement of significance to include LGBTQ historical associations.”
That recommendation, which the Board is scheduled to consider next month, would appear to throw a hurdle in the way of Another Planet’s latest plan for removing some seats and leveling the raised floor of the Castro District venue.
But the Berkeley-based promotion company said on Thursday that it was happy with the recommendation, which did not include language that specified the fixed orchestra-level seating should be protected."
Not sure if you need a Chronicle subscription to see this link to the full story:
I am linking the SF Planning Landmark Designation Amendment Recommendation below. It is lengthy and voluminous but filled with historical information, photos through the decades, reasons why SF Planning is recommending the amended landmark designation, original architectural drawings and the history associated with the Castro’s LGBTQ neighborhood plus more.
Difficult to understand what you mean in the first 2 sentences. The Landmarks Commission has once already delayed a decision on whether to landmark. The current seat are not original. If I recall correctly they have were replaced in the orchestra section in around 2001. The chandelier and proscenium are also not original. In any case the proposed new seating arrangement removes 6 rows of seats lowering the seating capacity (which may or may not be a good thing depending on what is programmed). This new arrangement seems like a compromise since suitable sight lines for films were a major issue with the previous terraced proposal so it may have a better chance. There are a lot of passionate people in SF who dedicate themselves to historical preservation and what has been saved (everything from the cable cars to Victorian (and other architecture) help make SF a special place and in some cases define neighborhoods. Will be interesting to see how this all plays out. I doubt the Nassars are interested in landmarking the interior. The 2 retail businesses at each side of the theatre are owned by the Nassers and the rent from both has helped offset the cost of lower attended film showings over the years. Pre covid I was seeing 3-6 films a month. Some were attended in large numbers, others not.
Another Planet’s latest seating proposal - a motorized raked floor. This is from their website with a video of how the floor would be transformed from (orchestra) seating to no seating. There is also a push coming from the Save The Castro conservancy to landmark the interior. The exterior is already landmarked.
“90-year-old Regal UA Berkeley theater to close after bankruptcy filing”
“The closure of the last movie theater in downtown Berkeley has been confirmed, leaving just one cinema left within city limits after the recent losses of the 10-screen Shattuck Cinemas and the 107-year-old California Theatre, which is reportedly slated to become a 15-story mixed-use apartment building.”
Here is a direct link to the SFGate article with photos in case the Chronicle’s link stops at their paywall. The recent onslaught of storms with heavy rain and high winds caused a lot of damage in the city and beyond.
Re: Empire of Light. From American Cinematographer - photos during production and descriptions of filming in and around the theatre on how Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins wanted to get the look they achieved.
In the overview it states that:
“The Stanford Theatre Foundation was established for the purpose of operating the theatre and promoting the preservation and public appreciation of classic films. Today, the theatre’s programming consists of 100% classic films, primarily from the years 1920 through 1965.”
Widescreen films may have been shown prior to 1976 (when the theatre closed) - not sure though.
The Stanford Theater reopens July 1 with a Best of Cary Grant/Alfred Hitchcock Festival.
Info Here
No one noticed or corrected the misspelled title?
Anybody know why the Tony Awards moved to the United Palace? Is this permanent?
SFGate reporter Julie Tremaine writes about her experience going to the El Capitan to see The Little Mermaid, the showmanship employed leading to a fun experience.
El Capitan
NYTimes article with some great photos Here
“SF Supervisors Vote in Support of Castro Theatre Landmark Update Without Controversial ‘Fixed Seating’ Language”
Hoodline article Here
MSC77 - In the photos section for the Grand Lake (page 2) is a photo I took on Sept 23, 2012 of the marquee after seeing The Master in 70mm. It had opened the day before. Don’t know how many weeks it ran but should be included in your list at the link you provided above. And thanks for all your work at in70mm.com.
Photo by Hiroshi Sugimoto 1993
Kanopy.com has added Searching For Mr Rugoff to it’s film base. If you have a public library/university card that is connected to Kanopy.com you can watch the film Here
Photo from The BeatlesBible.com
Photo from The BeatlesBible.com
Photo from TheBeatlesBible.com
That is no ordinary stage show. That was the night the Beatles performed “a charity concert in aid of the United Cerebral Palsy of New York City and Retarded Infants Services on 20 September 1964. It was the last date of their first full US tour”. That is George Harrison on the left and Paul McCartney on the right. John Lennon in the middle?
The details are Here
From the Mission Local: The vertical blade has been lit up for the first time in 30 years.
Grand
Mike (saps) - - the Alamo New Mission (SF) is a 15 min walk from me and yet I never go. Saw one film there (one of the Star Wars films) - the presentation was fantastic. Dual projected 3D (the best I’d ever seen) and knock your socks off sound. And a big screen. I am on their email list and they regularly have diverse screenings besides the first run fare. The employees tasked with bringing food did seem to have it down - they crouched and scurried almost unnoticeable. But you did notice people ordering food and it was a distraction. I just prefer a darkened theatre and no distractions - the dine in experience is not for me. But also very glad Alamo saved the theatre.
At CC’s link above the menu has a “How It Works” link (to order food) - you whip out your cellphone and text it to the kitchen for “a seamless uninterrupted viewing experience”. Except for the people sitting around you when their phone screen lights up and then the “ninjas” walk or scurry like rats past you to deliver the food. This may be the enjoyable movie going experience for some but this is the kind of theatre I would avoid.
Is AMC going to enforce this seating policy somehow? The last reserved seat film I saw was a 70mm Imax presentation of 2001 at the AMC Metreon in SF where it seemed people were just sitting wherever they wanted (compounded by the low auditorium lighting which kept the seat numbers in shadows and very hard to see). The only employees I saw were the guy taking the tickets out front and the snack bar employees.
From the SF Chronicle Datebook section on the Landmark Commission’s vote to recommend to the full SF Board of Supervisors that the interior be landmarked:
“After an impassioned public hearing that lasted for more than five hours and included hundreds of speakers on Wednesday, Feb. 1, the commission voted 6-0, with one recusal, to recommend to the Board of Supervisors that it pass a Castro Theatre landmark designation amendment initiated by Supervisor Rafael Mandelman “to include both exterior and interior character-defining features, and update the statement of significance to include LGBTQ historical associations.”
That recommendation, which the Board is scheduled to consider next month, would appear to throw a hurdle in the way of Another Planet’s latest plan for removing some seats and leveling the raised floor of the Castro District venue.
But the Berkeley-based promotion company said on Thursday that it was happy with the recommendation, which did not include language that specified the fixed orchestra-level seating should be protected."
Not sure if you need a Chronicle subscription to see this link to the full story:
Datebook
I am linking the SF Planning Landmark Designation Amendment Recommendation below. It is lengthy and voluminous but filled with historical information, photos through the decades, reasons why SF Planning is recommending the amended landmark designation, original architectural drawings and the history associated with the Castro’s LGBTQ neighborhood plus more.
SF Planning
Difficult to understand what you mean in the first 2 sentences. The Landmarks Commission has once already delayed a decision on whether to landmark. The current seat are not original. If I recall correctly they have were replaced in the orchestra section in around 2001. The chandelier and proscenium are also not original. In any case the proposed new seating arrangement removes 6 rows of seats lowering the seating capacity (which may or may not be a good thing depending on what is programmed). This new arrangement seems like a compromise since suitable sight lines for films were a major issue with the previous terraced proposal so it may have a better chance. There are a lot of passionate people in SF who dedicate themselves to historical preservation and what has been saved (everything from the cable cars to Victorian (and other architecture) help make SF a special place and in some cases define neighborhoods. Will be interesting to see how this all plays out. I doubt the Nassars are interested in landmarking the interior. The 2 retail businesses at each side of the theatre are owned by the Nassers and the rent from both has helped offset the cost of lower attended film showings over the years. Pre covid I was seeing 3-6 films a month. Some were attended in large numbers, others not.
From a Dec 5, 2022 article:
“A fight over seats could define the future of an iconic San Francisco movie theater”
NPR article
Another Planet’s latest seating proposal - a motorized raked floor. This is from their website with a video of how the floor would be transformed from (orchestra) seating to no seating. There is also a push coming from the Save The Castro conservancy to landmark the interior. The exterior is already landmarked.
AnotherPlanet
From SFGate - Jan 22, 2023:
“90-year-old Regal UA Berkeley theater to close after bankruptcy filing”
“The closure of the last movie theater in downtown Berkeley has been confirmed, leaving just one cinema left within city limits after the recent losses of the 10-screen Shattuck Cinemas and the 107-year-old California Theatre, which is reportedly slated to become a 15-story mixed-use apartment building.”
Regal’s website shows no bookings past March 2.
UA7
Here is a direct link to the SFGate article with photos in case the Chronicle’s link stops at their paywall. The recent onslaught of storms with heavy rain and high winds caused a lot of damage in the city and beyond.
Alexandria