Comments from stevenj

Showing 51 - 75 of 394 comments

stevenj
stevenj commented about Parkside Theatre on Jan 19, 2023 at 12:18 am

Looking east on Taraval St from near 21st Ave. Parkside blade partially hidden on the right by a telephone pole.

stevenj
stevenj commented about 1968 Press release on Jan 4, 2023 at 6:50 pm

Fanny Hill Meets Lady Chatterly is pictured in the photo to the right of your photo. Whenever I walked down Market St past the Hub the marque always brought a smile. Nowadays a Peets Coffee shop is in that approximate location which (if I stop for a cup) brings a buzz.

stevenj
stevenj commented about Stanford Theatre on Dec 18, 2022 at 8:13 pm

Reopening was in July but shuttering again for upgrades to heating, cooling and ventilation systems. Reopening in early 2023.

SFGate-Stanford

stevenj
stevenj commented about Parkway Theater on Sep 3, 2022 at 3:18 pm

Could possibly become a cannabis friendly movie house according to this Hoodline article. Ivy Hill operates a cannibis shop inside the lobby of the theatre but plans are eventually to get movies going again.

Parkway

stevenj
stevenj commented about Quad Cinema on Aug 28, 2022 at 3:35 pm

Maurice Kanbar, who opened the Quad in 1972, died in San Francisco Aug 20, 2022.

“A longtime supporter of the arts, Kanbar - who founded the Quad, the first multiplex movie house in New York - has donated more than $10 million to endow the Kanbar Institute of Undergraduate Film and Television at New York University.”

SFGate article on Kanbar:

Maurice Kanbar

stevenj
stevenj commented about Haight Theatre on Aug 9, 2022 at 11:35 pm

According to this 2015 Hoodline article (researched through SF Chronicle archives and the SF Public Library History Center) the Haight Theater opened in 1910 with 1310 seats.

Haight Theater

I’ve added a photo taken in 1982 of a 1921 poster uncovered during a renovation of a nearby hotel.

stevenj
stevenj commented about Hicksville Twin Theater on Aug 9, 2022 at 10:11 am

^^^Heavens to Mergatroyd^^^

stevenj
stevenj commented about Egyptian Theatre on Jun 17, 2022 at 1:06 pm

Mikeoaklandpark…this is from the American Cinematheque website:

Egyptian

“In 2020, Netflix acquired the landmark Egyptian Theatre from the American Cinematheque; the movie palace will undergo a much-needed renovation in 2021 which will return it to its original 1922 grandeur. Once the renovations are complete, the AC, a non-profit cultural arts organization, will program the theatre on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays under a long-term agreement with Netflix, which will program Monday-Thursdays.

The Egyptian will continue to be the Hollywood home of the American Cinematheque."

stevenj
stevenj commented about Shattuck Cinemas on Jun 1, 2022 at 6:18 pm

According to the Landmark website for this theatre, today is the closing day.

Shattuck Cinemas

stevenj
stevenj commented about California Theatre on Jun 1, 2022 at 11:13 am

A proposal to build “approximately 15 stories” of new housing behind the theater’s facade cleared an early hurdle this month.

An article in Berkeleyside Here

stevenj
stevenj commented about Odeon Lakeshore Theatre on May 25, 2022 at 2:30 pm

New Toronto is a neighborhood of Toronto. It is in the SW corner of Toronto. Easily found on Google maps by the Canadian zip code (since the Apple maps here have not been working for weeks). There is also an Old Toronto neighborhood. Normally the locations of theaters at the top of the overview is listed by city though, then neighborhoods, districts, boroughs etc.

stevenj
stevenj commented about Century 21 on May 18, 2022 at 5:29 pm

Preliminary plans submitted for renovation of Century 21. From the Hoodline aticle linked below:

“At this point, it’s unclear what the old theater will be reused as, but there are several options on the table. Despite not yet having a specific use, the developer and owner, Federal Realty Investment Trust, plans to renovate the building in a flexible way so that it can cater to several different types of businesses. According to a preliminary proposal obtained by the Mercury News, “the design team will include provisions to accommodate the ability to support office, kitchen, cafeteria, gym, and small data center.” It could also become a restaurant or a performing arts center.”

Hoodline

stevenj
stevenj commented about Castro Theatre on Mar 18, 2022 at 7:10 pm

Hoodline article from March 17 has some of the architectural plans for orchestra level seating removal that are larger and viewable at this link:

Hoodline

stevenj
stevenj commented about Castro Theatre on Mar 16, 2022 at 7:02 pm

Thanks for the link MOOse1111. Lots of photos of the theatre inside and out are included in the Page and Turnbull proposal (a local architectural firm with experience in notable old buildings) as well as the plans for a second floor lobby concession bar and HVAC air filtration system. I would have happily provided a direct link to the plans but your link will only allow for a downloaded file.

It is unfortunate that the sloped orchestra level will be partitioned and leveled for standees at concerts and temporary seating for other events. Wondering what that will do to sight lines for films or stage events when seated (except for those seated in the front row of each section)?

I googled Page and Turnbull and what came up first is the link below to EverGreen Co. which has been retained by Page and Turnbull “to conduct historic finishes investigations of painted finishes within the Castro”.

EverGreen Co

stevenj
stevenj commented about Castro Theatre on Mar 9, 2022 at 10:41 am

mOOse1111…the marquee looks the same today as the photo I posted on July 2, 2021 (“Happy 99th Birthday”) in the photo pages.

stevenj
stevenj commented about Castro Theatre on Mar 8, 2022 at 7:05 pm

Walking by the Castro today I noticed that the marquee has not been restored - yet. The very faded and peeling paint are still there. The neon on the vertical blade though appears to have been repaired after a naked man climbed it last August and damaged it.

stevenj
stevenj commented about Embarcadero Center Cinema on Feb 4, 2022 at 12:44 pm

SF Chronicle Datebook article on the closing of the Embarcadero Cinemas after 26 years in SF.

Embarcadero

stevenj
stevenj commented about Castro Theatre on Jan 28, 2022 at 12:02 pm

Another article from Hoodline yesterday and more comments from Another Planet CEO Gregg Perloff addressing the Castro’s history and future. Emotions have been running high over the Castro. Possibly these statements will qualm some fears over the amount of film presentations and community input but physical changes inside are likely regarding (some flexible front orchestra) seating, organ installation, sound upgrades, lighting, HVAC and marquee rehab and more.

Hoodline

stevenj
stevenj commented about Castro Theatre on Jan 22, 2022 at 10:34 am

“Castro Theatre will still show movies, new operator Another Planet assures distraught film fanatics”.

“People are making assumptions that are unfounded,” he (Greg Perloff, CEO and founder of Another Planet) said on Thursday, Jan. 20. “What we have talked about is doing a little of everything. The intention is to have film and film festivals, along with music and comedy and lectures. Ultimately, the public will tell us what they want to see.”

Here is G. Allen Johnson’s SF Chronicle article on the changes coming to the Castro and the importance of the Castro Theater to film lovers and film makers as a special place for cinema.

Castro

stevenj
stevenj commented about Castro Theatre on Jan 19, 2022 at 3:51 pm

another article here on Another Planet taking over operating the Castro at sfist:

Castro

stevenj
stevenj commented about Basilone Theater on Jan 19, 2022 at 10:48 am

Added to Photos - an image capture from Google maps from June 2021.

stevenj
stevenj commented about RKO Warner Twin Theatre on Jan 7, 2022 at 7:48 pm

A reminder on how to link to another site in your comment… Between these brackets [ ] type in a name or title for the link (as MSC77 did with “this link”). Between these parentheses ( ) copy and paste the web address. There is no space between ] and(. After you click on Add Comment your link should go live.

stevenj
stevenj commented about Castro Theatre on Dec 2, 2021 at 8:10 pm

The Castro’s website shows that films are back starting with Nightmare Alley (2021) tonight and a free showing of Spielberg’s West Side Story Dec 12 among others this month.

stevenj
stevenj commented about Rivoli Theatre on Nov 19, 2021 at 6:16 pm

In addition to Mike (saps) find in Variety, on page 4 of the photos for the Rivoli, I noticed a newspaper ad grindhouse uploaded in Aug 2020 during the run of West Side Story that exclaims about ¾ of the way down “EXCLUSIVE ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENTS For Your Convenience in the New York and New Jersey Areas”.

stevenj
stevenj commented about Opera Plaza Cinema on Nov 17, 2021 at 10:20 am

“Landmark’s Opera Plaza Cinema, whose future was uncertain to due to the pandemic and which a property owner at one point wanted to convert into office space, is set to reopen Friday, Nov. 19, with a couple of San Francisco classics and some new art house fare on its screens.”

The SF Chronicle story here: OperaPlaza