Castro Theatre
429 Castro Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94114
429 Castro Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94114
64 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 185 comments found
Look at this place! Both the exterior and interior are fantastic, and the programming is unlike any other in the country. And why? Because gays are responsible for the operation and maintenance of this theater. We appreciate what we have and what we may lose if we let people “develop” these theaters out of existence. I wish I could have lived in SF when all the neighborhood theaters were still in operation. Thank you, everyone, for keeping this theater a viable, exciting venue for movies. I live for movies and going to movies in “vintage” theaters like the Castro!
The Castro Theatre will be home to a stop on TCM’s “Road to Hollywood”. Tickets became available yesterday for the screening of “The Pink Panther” with guest Robert Wagner and hosted by Robert Osbourne on April 16th
Tickets (should any be left) are available at TCM’s website via the “Road to Hollywood” link.
One hopes that having TCM “in the house” will help along the fundraising for the Mighty Wurlitzer.
Major efforts are underway to save the San Francisco Castro Theatre’s Mighty Wurlitzer. Please visit our CODA (Castro Organ Devotees Association) 501©(3)’s website at: http://www.sfcoda.org to make a tax-deductible donation via PayPal and/or sign up for our newsletter to keep up-to-date on our progress. Thanks!
Thanks Ian- great photographs- thanks for sharing. I hope that the powers that be here will put something on the main page so more people learn about the plight and also can contribute.
A couple more photos of the Castro in 2000 here including a stage one showing the top of the organ. Sad it might be moved out of such a fitting setting :–(
CASTRO EXTERIOR
CASTRO STAGE
Some very sad news broke today regarding the Mighty Wurlitzer’s future at the Castro theatre.
I wasn’t even aware that the theatre didn’t own it. They do not. So the person who owns it is moving out of the organ and has designs to take with.
But if the money can be raised- the organ can stay- but it’s going to need alot of work.
There’s information about fundraising in the enclosed link below. If someone can make this news a bit more prominent on the site and make sure as many people as possible can see it, that would be great.
A movie at the Castro Theatre without the Mighty Wurlitzer wouldn’t be the same.
http://castrobiscuit.com/2013/03/27/castro-theaters-famous-mighty-wurlitzer-needs-funds-your-help/
Castro Theatre making the 2013 A-List of “Indie Cinemas” in the Bay Area…
http://sf.cityvoter.com/best/indie-cinema/arts-and-entertainment/bay-area/slideshow?page=1
WOW, great photo – thanks for sharing this.
A rescued (from an under-exposed negative) photo of the Castro interior taken in March 2000, showing a part of this magnificent theater :–
CASTRO SPLAY WALL
The March 2013 calendar has hit the streets and oh look, no empty days this month.
It’s filled with a screening of “Les Miserables”, 70mm showing of “The Master”, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, Palm Sunday (3/24), “The Ten Commandments” and an appearance by Ru Paul Drag Race start “Latrice Royale” for a screening of Paris is Burning.
http://castrotheatre.com/coming-soon.html
Another great turn out for today’s “Silent Film Festival” (2/16/13) Twitter posting photos show a full house. Frank Buxton of the SF Silent Film Festival said “ this is where silent film ought to be shown”
July 18-21 is the summer silent film festival- also announced today was the “Hitchcock 9”, nine Hitchcock silent classics from June 14-16
The calendars for Feb 2013 are up on the Castro Theatre’s website.
Great Oscar winners and contenders and great mix of what has made the Castro for 90 years.
and oh look, they’re only “dark” two days that month as well.
Yet another blog post (including some great photographs) from Noir City
http://sfciviccenter.blogspot.com/2013/01/peggy-cummins-and-gun-crazy-at-noir.html
More history being made at the Castro Theatre today as a part of the annual “Noir City” festival.
Today (1/27/13) sees for the first time in 11 years, a DCP presentation of a restoration of “Sunset Blvd”.
This is such a great festival, let’s hope that some of those on this board whom live in San Francisco are attending this event and might be providing first hand reports.
As if it needed to cement itself as a true Cinema Treasure, the Castro did itself proud last evening (1/25/13) during the annual Noir City event- the screening of “Gun Crazy” had a special guest of star Peggy Cummins.
Miss Cummins received no less than 4 standing ovations and according to Brian Darr of “Hell on Frisco Bay” she gave a splendid interview and was particularly overwhelmed by seeing this film on the big screen of the Castro and her warm welcome.
Reports also stated she clapped along during the organ’s playing of the iconic “San Francisco” ( which something I feel not doing should result in outster)
I was at the screening of “Gypsy” as well, and the picture quality was great. I didn’t stay for “Love with the Proper Stranger” as I hadn’t eaten yet ( I dashed right over to the Castro after a morning showing of Lincoln at the Century)
During my visit to SF in Nov of 2012. I was at the Castro a total of 4 times. Each time was a good experience with the projection and of course the Mighty Wurlitzer.
Only gripe was when I attended “Lawless” the audience was a bit like the usual movie going experience ( talking, texting, etc) and that put me off.
I also was wondering why it was in 1.33, since I know that when it was released to theatres, it was in 1.85. Maybe it was the full-screen edition for television. But they announced from the stage prior to the showing that it was a DVD.
I wonder where they got a DVD of that movie as it’s never officially been released in that format anywhere in the world. Also, it should have been 1.85 widescreen.
They announced that there was no 35mm print available, but they got permission to show the collectors edition DVD. It was in 1.33:1 and masked properly on the sides, but was slightly out of focus.
The Castro installed its first digital projector in 2009. The Castro remains capable of showing film in many formats, including 70mm.
The showing of “Love with Proper Stranger” was part of of a tribute to Natalie Wood series of films and it is possible that a good quality 35mm print was unavailable (something that, sadly, is going to be increasingly the case) and perhaps the Castro felt it was better to project a DVD version rather than totally disappoint patrons since the event had been publicized for at least a month prior.
Does the theater even have a 2k or 4k digital projector for new films? Because if it doesn’t, then the DVD is projected thru what I will call the slide projector and I would never pay a nickel to see it that way. For that matter, I’m not interested at all in movie theater projection of DVDs. Some movies are being put on 2k or 4k, and that’s a different discussion.
I visited this beautiful theatre yesterday for the Natalie Wood film festival. GYPSY was in 35mm scope, and the projectionist did an outstanding, making sure every reel was in sharp focus. But the second feature, LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER, was on DVD and was a little out of focus throughout. I know DVD projectors can be focused, because I have operated them. Why then, did he take extra care on GYPSY, but for LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER he just turned the projector on and didn’t fine-tune the focus?
In the above mentioned article, please to note that the seating capacity is 1407..(not 1500)
Viz….“. Built in 1922 with a Spanish Colonial Baroque façade, its 1407 seats make this the ideal location to see a movie with 1406 of your favorite friends. ”
There’s always alot of debate when Top 10 lists are released. Knowing the SF Weekly as I do, someplace that offers alcohol getting preference comes at no surprise.
No shame in being number 2 on this list…
Quoting them
“Maybe the perfect theater? Nay, the perfect movie palace. Fantastic, varied programming, exciting special events, breathtaking interior. ”
Read the rest at the link below.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/exhibitionist/2012/08/top_10_bay_area_movie_theaters.php?page=2
Keith Arnold has been doing a tremendous job in making this amazing theatre palace, a TRUE definition of a Cinema Treasure (as opposed to some indescript soulless multiplex) as it celebrates it’s 90th birthday.
As tremendous as this past month of August has been, September kicks off with a 70mm screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”(on real film)– that has been recently named the best movie of all time. Advance tickets for this event are available here….
http://www.ticketweb.com/snl/VenueListings.action?venueId=10297
The Sing-A-Longs schedule includes the “The Little Mermaid” October 12-19 and “West Side Story” on November 11th.