Veyoung. I heard the Cinerama people when they bought out the CineMiracle system destroyed most of the photos of the 3 or 4 USA installations. You never see any photos of the CineMiracle curtains or screen anywhere around. You can see some photos of the CM booth setup in old Boxoffice mags. Can you imagine the El Capitan/ Paramount Hollywood from it’s 70mm Roadshow days with a big wrap around curved screen. The El Cap doesn’t seem as wide or deep as the guys across the street at the Graumens Chinese Hollywood. The only way they can do it is start the big curve more on the stage then bring out a little to the sides. I hear from a friend Ted from THS he saw the CineMiracle set up at the Chinese in 1958 and it was so big and curved he said that it took along time just for the curtains to open. Must have looked nice. Someone has photos; one of these days they will turn up. Cinerama Stanley Warner was so upset that someone came along ‘National General’ and made a better Cinerama type system. To bad they ran out of money and had to sell out fast with only one film.‘Windjammer'ended up at most Cinerama Theatres after the CineMiracle limited run. In off Disney times the El Capitan needs to run a 70mm week of films and curve the screen a little. Bring back the Roadshow days for a new generation to see. Gone are the days of 6 Track Mag Sound, Intermissions, Programs, and Pre show music on the film track with Exit music. I can’t believe the people at Sony just released a DVD of Columbia’s 'Funny Girl’ taken from the Roadshow print I guess; and they go and put 3 or 4 minutes of BLACK screen over the new Dolby Digital 5.1 mix open Overture. Why didn’t they put in some curtains at the start of the video and open them like they did when the movie played at the theatres. I know a lot of people bought the new DVD and didn’t know about the pre show music open and tried to return the DVD saying it was bad. No picture but had sound at the top. Wake up Sony! Go out and film some Theatre curtains (If you can still find some) and re do the opening on some of your roadshow Columbia prints to video. At least the new younger crowd that buys a DVD can see what went on in the 50’s and 60’s In the Roadshow Theatres like the El Capitan. I will never forget the time I saw ‘Funny Girl’ on the new big curved D-150 screen down the street at the Egyptian. I think It was a 70mm scope blowup and looked and sounded great.
William can you tell me why when I saw the Pirate movie at the El Capitan the surrounds didn’t have any volume to them. I sat downstairs in the mid section? But up in the Bay Area I saw the same movie in two mega multiplex theatres and the surround was up and clear with great split surround effects. I don’t think the projection people turned up the surrounds at these theatres but the balance was better then at the Hollywood El Capitan; they seem to have all the sound from the stage speakers and not from the effect surrounds. The balcony surrounds are even lower. The Chinese still can have some pre show entertainment even if it doesn’t have a stage. They can put something up on the right and left sides or put something in front of the screen that goes up and down. Iam sure Warner Bros or Paramount (The Mann People) can go to Las Vegas and see what they do with moving stages. I don’t think they want to spend any money to make money. They are only interested in the candy counter $ that’s why they wrecked the whole back of the downstairs to make the refreshment stand and lobby bigger. You can see the great lights that used to be in the back of the Chinese now above the popcorn machine. At least they have some color lights in them as the same lights in the main theatre when the movie is dark. Are they trying to save money by not having any color lights on low during the film showing? A few little blue/green or red lights on the ceiling or sides would look great. Does anyone have any photos of the Cinemiracle curved screen at the Chinese from 1958? I saw many 70mm prints shown at the El Capitan but the screen seemed flat or may have had a slight curve to it. The old projection booth at the El Capitan was way up above the balcony at that time of roadshow 70mm films with a long way down to the Cinemascope screen. They still run video at times from the original booth; but most films or video are projected downstairs with no keystone.
Yes I was down in Hollywood just a few weeks ago on a HOT Sat afternoon for my bad/good time at the Hollywood Vine Theatre. I suggest going with some fun friends and going by the Frolic Room for some tropical drinks then hit the Vine for some fun. Check this Grindhouse out. It is so bad you will have fun. Don’t anger the candy/manager he will ask you to leave. Wait till you hear the projector grinding away from the booth with no glass hole. The bad hum and pop sounds on the Dolby system they have is worth the $7 to get in! The place even has surround sound. Watch out for dark filmed scenes in the movie you go to see; you won’t see much on the dirty screen at 30% light level. Check it out Shatter and let me know what you think. Watch your wallet! Don’t go on a hot day. Good place to hit on a rainy weekend. If it ever rains in Hollywood go visit the Vine. One of the only Theatres still showing second run double bills. Next time I am bringing 6 friends from Northern CA around Xmass time; they can’t believe the stories I tell them about this place. It may be bad but for some reason It has a dumpy charm. Enjoy It why you can; the night club people will be moving in soon! Then only three movie theatres will be left on Hollywood Blvd.
Eric******Thanks for the info on the Vogue. Iam glad it is still open. The UA/Regal Stonestown will take to much $$ to fix up, Regal won’t spend the money. They are almost out of San Francisco.
Santa Cruz had a drive in and still does. It was a small distance from the Starlite in Watsonville. It was called the Encina DI in the 50’s and 60’s. The new name is the Starview I think now and is still open. Do you know If the Encina was run by the same people that ran the long gone Starlite in Watsonville? They also has a DI in Boulder Creek CA in the 50’s had a name like the Starview I think? This was run by the same people that ran the Burl Theatre in Boulder Creek CA. At least Santa Cruz still has a Drive In with two screens and a flea mrkt on the weekends. Why is it not listed on Cinema Treasures? Can you do some checking and get the Encina or it’s new name up in the Santa Cruz listing. Looking forward to the big THS conclave in 2008 in this area. Wait till the people on the tour see the Delmar in Santa Cruz and the State Theatre in Monterey.
Thanks to Jim who runs this great theatre in Surf City Santa Cruz. The best thing ever to happen to downtown Santa Cruz after the 89 earthquake was UA getting out of the theatre business in Santa Cruz. Now they are back up the street with the Regal/UA 9. When they put a wall down the middle of the Delmar to make more money the Delmar lost most of it’s charm. But now the wall is gone with the downstairs theatre almost just as it was with waterfall curtains with purple/red lights on them with deco lights on the side walls. New seats and Dolby Digital. The neon marquee has been fixed up. I heard a rumor that when UA ran the theatre they cut the wires to the marquee rather then fix it. If your in Califoria check out the Delmar. About 90 min down the coast from San Francisco. All the best art films play now on the big screen downstairs, up stairs has two small cinemas in the old balcony. The Delmar is were I saw The High & The Mighty on the big Cinemascope screen with 4 track mag stereo in the 50’s. I was very young but I will always remember the surround stereo sound coming from the sides and back when the plane in the film had trouble. My parents sat in the balcony as the downstairs was sold out. The Delmar is back! Check it out.
I went past the New Marina Theatre last week. The new marquee is on the right side. A very lame looking thing in the same style as the drug store sign that San Francisco has so many of the same name. No neon or title banner. Bring back the big old Marina Theatre neon marquee, long gone I guess.
With the new Alameda Theaters do to open sometime soon with it’s main huge theatre the Grand Lake is going to loose many customers. You watch as soon as the Alameda opens watch Allen re open up to the movie public his semi private auction art deco auction theatre in Alameda. The Grand Lake will have some competion for the first time since the Jack London Sq Theatre opened that Regal just remodled.
The United Artists in downtown SF never had a curved scrren for it’s roadshow 70mm movies. I saw The Bible a D150 film at the UA on a flat large 70mm screen. Same at the Alexandria it had a 70mm screen that had a small curve to it, not the Todd-Ao full wrap around curve. To bad the Alexandria showed most of the Todd-Ao prints on a almost flat screen.Can you imagine seeing the movie Cleopatra on a big curved screen inside the Alexandria. I had to see it run flat when it played at this great SF roadshow house. Right theatre to show this film in, you felt like you were on the Nile.
John***Check out the SF Cron today they have the Vogue listed under new management. Opening Aug 24 2007. No UA/REGAL logo. Do you know what is going on?
Thank God they have left most of San Francisco. The UA circuit in the last few years in SF ran their theatres in not the best ways. You can go to the same art movie in San Jose and hear the surrounds from time to time. The UA Stonestown is a chop up house. It’s days are numbered. I think when the lease runs out with the Stonestown people they are out of San Francisco. Once a great circuit in the 50’s they got money hungrey in the 60’s and 70’s and did the big cut job on their big houses. I am surprised they did’t go for a 4 plex at the UA Stonestown. The manager told me many years ago they keep the surrounds low because you can hear them in the next theatre. Many people just stay home and they can turn up or down their Dolby Digital sound system the way they want as the UA Stonestown sits empty. Good place to go for Halloween look for the dust on top of the surround speakers and cobwebs up high. They are real! The UA/Regal Stonestown now books any thing that they can get not just art films.
the Paramount only has a few more months before they see the big Fox Oakland down the street take over what they are not doing. They don’t show movies and run the place very stuffy. The Paramount needs to put in a bar on the main level and let people drink inside the theatre. Book the place for all the Bay Area. Don’t forget the seniors. If the New Fox Oakland is going rock music shows be smart and book classic shows that they will not book. Both theatres will bring new people into the downtown Oakland area. Just take Bart to the door. See what other big former theatres are doing like the Fox Atlanta. Fox Saint Louis and the Fox Detroit. Bring in the Radio City Rockettes for a Oakland Paramount Xmass show like the Fox Detroit does, it sells out 4,000 seats! If you can’t manage the place and bring in money look to getting a booking company that can and stop crying about the Fox Oakland coming into town!
If you had seen the big large curved Todd-Ao screen this theatre had in the mid 50’s with 6 track mag sound I will never forget the day my parents took me to see Around The World In 80 Days. The flashback is so vivid I can remember our seats on the right side of the theatre. The UA Coronet is now just a pile of dirt but the memories will be with me. UA/Regal must be proud of all the theatres they have sold for the land money and destroyed. They are even selling off many of their cheap tiny multiplex cinemas to get the most money they can. They are not in the movie business but quick money land people.
Soon the Cinema 21 opens up with it’s real name The Marina Theatre. With a tiny twin up in the old balcony. How small will it be? I hope Mr Lee has kept the old San Francisco black light walls upstairs. Gone will be the giant curved screen that was downstairs and curtains. Will the Lee’s put curtains up in the new Marina? The big grand opening is coming soon.
Someone needs to bring back the Laurel Theatre. The area doesn’t have any movie theatres. Bring in the guys that run the El Cerrito and have food,drinks and movies. Across the streets sits the old Hopkins, another old Oakland neighborhood house that has been many things since it’s movie days. Bring back Mrs A to manage the New Laurel. Is she still around. A real class manager for the UA circuit. Always had a flower in her hair, says my friend Ed Jacklich who worked for her in the late 60’s.
In todays SF Chronicle looks like the Vogue has new owners. Did UA/REAGAL sell off the lease. Shows A SFNTF THEATRE wwwvoguesf.com Opening under new management Aug 24 2007. This is good news. UA sells all they can to make money on the land that theatres sit on. But for the San francisco UA/REGAL VOGUE lools like It has a few years left?
I took a private tour of the Fox Oakland a few months ago. Had to put on a hard hat! This will be a super fine remodel. The place doesn’t look to bad on the inside. I took some photos, will try to post some next week.
To bad the Landmark people don’t close the two tiny theatres they run The Lumiere and Opera Plaza. They can take over the long closed Galaxy. A big improvement over what they call art theatres now. Some people have bigger screens on the home screens. The old UA Galaxy needs some work but will go the way of many San Francisco Theatres. Condos will go up some day.
The stereo surrounds are never up. They are on so low you won’t hear them. Turn down the stage speakers and turn up the surrounds. As you know surround sound speakers are never to up to hi, they are just a effect channel. But on many Disney movies the whole surround experience is lost, is the theatre to wide for you to hear the surrounds if your in the middle? Please Pacific/Disney bring in some Dolby THX guys and do a sound balance. Don’t let the surrounds not be heard. I can’t believe at a a big opening some of the Disney sound guys must be in the house, they worked hard on the stereo soundtrack, don’t they notice things are off at this Disney showcase. Probably some old lady complained the surrounds were to loud and some projection guy turned them way down. This is a class showmanship Theatre. Look across the street and the poor Chinese can’t compare. No stage show at the Chinese, sometimes they don’t even close the Chinese main curtain, Mann theatres is to busy running boring adds up to feature time. Long live the El Capitain, turn up the surrounds!, and don’t forget the balcony surrounds!
Thanks Simon for your great report. I seem to remember the story of the paint junk the Blumenfields put on the front and it flooding the marquee. One of these days I hope someone will come along and paint the front of the Castro and the Marquee. The stale light color it is now doesn’t show off the front like the Castro needs. Bring on the greens, oranges, red, yellow and pink. Make it look like a art deco Miami Theatre in San Francisco. I think they have a law in SF, no flashing neon. Seems the front did flash neon at one time? Now the inside, have you ever been to the Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto CA. check out the dark blue lights up in the ceiling during a film showing. This is what the Castro needs. Also on the bottom of the curtain a small border light tray, with a variety of color you can change per movie theme. I remember as a kid going to all the Golden State Theatres in California when they closed the curtain between previews and the main feature they had a dark blue/red light on the curtains as they moved, some of this light went on the bottom of the screen, it was the best in showmanship. Next time I see the Nassers I will talk to them again about adding some color inside. Maybe when no one is watching we can change some bulbs if they don’t!
What a great time this past weekend at the Castro for the 85th anniversary. I have met with both Nasser brothers many times in the past year and have told them about having some color added to the indoor lights. I even offered to by the blue, green and red bulbs. Didn’t hear a word. The whole place is lit up in the main theatre with gold and yellow lights on the curtains. The bulbs under the balcony lights need to be blue during the movie. Most are not working. The best place for some dark blue/red bulbs is on either side of the stage on the bottom of the organ loft curtains during a film showing. They have speakers blocking the side curtains. I wait for the day when the main big light on the ceiling can be re lit. Blue during the film on low with the intermission setting green, yellow and orange red combo. The same in the lobby, the candy counter is so dark I don’t see how the help can make change. More ceiling lights need to be added above the consession stand. And the two big art deco lights in the lobby in place of boring white lights (always turned way to low) replace with some color lights. In the summer put in Blue on the bottom row Green on the next then Yellow on the top. In the winter put in Red on the bottom Orange on the next row top off with Yellow. These lights need to turned up, they are way to low now. The Nassers told me last year they are about to re do the electric in the theatre. Many times I have gone In and found the main theatre in the dark. Someone had to do something with the fuse box? Let’t bring back some color at the Castro. With the new seats, great projection, Dolby Digital and 70mm this is a first class house. Thanks to Bill Longen for helping get this great San Francisco theatre back on track. When he brought back a 70mm print of It’s A Mad Mad World last year he made special masking for the big screen so it fit. This is real showmanship!
When I went to the Rivoli I think In the 80’s they had removed the giant curved D-150 curved screen. The sign above the Rivoli out side said A D150 Theatre. That is what I went to see the screen not the movie. I had a big fight with the UA manager. I wanted my money back and told him it was false advertising to advertise a screen you did'nt have. He gave me my money back after I told him I’d call the police. To bad I missed it by just a few weeks.
The first Cine Capri I think had a D-150 big curved screen? The new one does not have the wrap around curve look on the screen,just a small curve. At least they have a curtain! Long live the Cine Capri!
Yes this area of East 14th was the place to be on Friday and Sat nights. The Stadium had a big screen tower as the Oakland DI was not as big. Went by last week and found the Prings Coffee Shop has changed to a new name and food type served. The Oakland Police tried to stop the cars on the weekend but when both Drive Ins let out it was one big party. If you had a GTO like I did the cruise got HOT. With the Bal Theatre down the street Prings Burgers and a Bowling Alley in the same few blocks it was teen heaven in the 60’s. Drive Ins are coming back around the USA. Can you imagine the Century people bulldozing their new Multiplex nearby at puting in a big Drive In with 5 screens? Bring on the Hot Dogs and Pizza!
Veyoung. I heard the Cinerama people when they bought out the CineMiracle system destroyed most of the photos of the 3 or 4 USA installations. You never see any photos of the CineMiracle curtains or screen anywhere around. You can see some photos of the CM booth setup in old Boxoffice mags. Can you imagine the El Capitan/ Paramount Hollywood from it’s 70mm Roadshow days with a big wrap around curved screen. The El Cap doesn’t seem as wide or deep as the guys across the street at the Graumens Chinese Hollywood. The only way they can do it is start the big curve more on the stage then bring out a little to the sides. I hear from a friend Ted from THS he saw the CineMiracle set up at the Chinese in 1958 and it was so big and curved he said that it took along time just for the curtains to open. Must have looked nice. Someone has photos; one of these days they will turn up. Cinerama Stanley Warner was so upset that someone came along ‘National General’ and made a better Cinerama type system. To bad they ran out of money and had to sell out fast with only one film.‘Windjammer'ended up at most Cinerama Theatres after the CineMiracle limited run. In off Disney times the El Capitan needs to run a 70mm week of films and curve the screen a little. Bring back the Roadshow days for a new generation to see. Gone are the days of 6 Track Mag Sound, Intermissions, Programs, and Pre show music on the film track with Exit music. I can’t believe the people at Sony just released a DVD of Columbia’s 'Funny Girl’ taken from the Roadshow print I guess; and they go and put 3 or 4 minutes of BLACK screen over the new Dolby Digital 5.1 mix open Overture. Why didn’t they put in some curtains at the start of the video and open them like they did when the movie played at the theatres. I know a lot of people bought the new DVD and didn’t know about the pre show music open and tried to return the DVD saying it was bad. No picture but had sound at the top. Wake up Sony! Go out and film some Theatre curtains (If you can still find some) and re do the opening on some of your roadshow Columbia prints to video. At least the new younger crowd that buys a DVD can see what went on in the 50’s and 60’s In the Roadshow Theatres like the El Capitan. I will never forget the time I saw ‘Funny Girl’ on the new big curved D-150 screen down the street at the Egyptian. I think It was a 70mm scope blowup and looked and sounded great.
William can you tell me why when I saw the Pirate movie at the El Capitan the surrounds didn’t have any volume to them. I sat downstairs in the mid section? But up in the Bay Area I saw the same movie in two mega multiplex theatres and the surround was up and clear with great split surround effects. I don’t think the projection people turned up the surrounds at these theatres but the balance was better then at the Hollywood El Capitan; they seem to have all the sound from the stage speakers and not from the effect surrounds. The balcony surrounds are even lower. The Chinese still can have some pre show entertainment even if it doesn’t have a stage. They can put something up on the right and left sides or put something in front of the screen that goes up and down. Iam sure Warner Bros or Paramount (The Mann People) can go to Las Vegas and see what they do with moving stages. I don’t think they want to spend any money to make money. They are only interested in the candy counter $ that’s why they wrecked the whole back of the downstairs to make the refreshment stand and lobby bigger. You can see the great lights that used to be in the back of the Chinese now above the popcorn machine. At least they have some color lights in them as the same lights in the main theatre when the movie is dark. Are they trying to save money by not having any color lights on low during the film showing? A few little blue/green or red lights on the ceiling or sides would look great. Does anyone have any photos of the Cinemiracle curved screen at the Chinese from 1958? I saw many 70mm prints shown at the El Capitan but the screen seemed flat or may have had a slight curve to it. The old projection booth at the El Capitan was way up above the balcony at that time of roadshow 70mm films with a long way down to the Cinemascope screen. They still run video at times from the original booth; but most films or video are projected downstairs with no keystone.
Yes I was down in Hollywood just a few weeks ago on a HOT Sat afternoon for my bad/good time at the Hollywood Vine Theatre. I suggest going with some fun friends and going by the Frolic Room for some tropical drinks then hit the Vine for some fun. Check this Grindhouse out. It is so bad you will have fun. Don’t anger the candy/manager he will ask you to leave. Wait till you hear the projector grinding away from the booth with no glass hole. The bad hum and pop sounds on the Dolby system they have is worth the $7 to get in! The place even has surround sound. Watch out for dark filmed scenes in the movie you go to see; you won’t see much on the dirty screen at 30% light level. Check it out Shatter and let me know what you think. Watch your wallet! Don’t go on a hot day. Good place to hit on a rainy weekend. If it ever rains in Hollywood go visit the Vine. One of the only Theatres still showing second run double bills. Next time I am bringing 6 friends from Northern CA around Xmass time; they can’t believe the stories I tell them about this place. It may be bad but for some reason It has a dumpy charm. Enjoy It why you can; the night club people will be moving in soon! Then only three movie theatres will be left on Hollywood Blvd.
Do they have curtains on the screens? Curved screens? Big Candy counter? Easy Bathroom Crowd Control? NO NO NO NO!
Eric******Thanks for the info on the Vogue. Iam glad it is still open. The UA/Regal Stonestown will take to much $$ to fix up, Regal won’t spend the money. They are almost out of San Francisco.
Santa Cruz had a drive in and still does. It was a small distance from the Starlite in Watsonville. It was called the Encina DI in the 50’s and 60’s. The new name is the Starview I think now and is still open. Do you know If the Encina was run by the same people that ran the long gone Starlite in Watsonville? They also has a DI in Boulder Creek CA in the 50’s had a name like the Starview I think? This was run by the same people that ran the Burl Theatre in Boulder Creek CA. At least Santa Cruz still has a Drive In with two screens and a flea mrkt on the weekends. Why is it not listed on Cinema Treasures? Can you do some checking and get the Encina or it’s new name up in the Santa Cruz listing. Looking forward to the big THS conclave in 2008 in this area. Wait till the people on the tour see the Delmar in Santa Cruz and the State Theatre in Monterey.
Thanks to Jim who runs this great theatre in Surf City Santa Cruz. The best thing ever to happen to downtown Santa Cruz after the 89 earthquake was UA getting out of the theatre business in Santa Cruz. Now they are back up the street with the Regal/UA 9. When they put a wall down the middle of the Delmar to make more money the Delmar lost most of it’s charm. But now the wall is gone with the downstairs theatre almost just as it was with waterfall curtains with purple/red lights on them with deco lights on the side walls. New seats and Dolby Digital. The neon marquee has been fixed up. I heard a rumor that when UA ran the theatre they cut the wires to the marquee rather then fix it. If your in Califoria check out the Delmar. About 90 min down the coast from San Francisco. All the best art films play now on the big screen downstairs, up stairs has two small cinemas in the old balcony. The Delmar is were I saw The High & The Mighty on the big Cinemascope screen with 4 track mag stereo in the 50’s. I was very young but I will always remember the surround stereo sound coming from the sides and back when the plane in the film had trouble. My parents sat in the balcony as the downstairs was sold out. The Delmar is back! Check it out.
I went past the New Marina Theatre last week. The new marquee is on the right side. A very lame looking thing in the same style as the drug store sign that San Francisco has so many of the same name. No neon or title banner. Bring back the big old Marina Theatre neon marquee, long gone I guess.
With the new Alameda Theaters do to open sometime soon with it’s main huge theatre the Grand Lake is going to loose many customers. You watch as soon as the Alameda opens watch Allen re open up to the movie public his semi private auction art deco auction theatre in Alameda. The Grand Lake will have some competion for the first time since the Jack London Sq Theatre opened that Regal just remodled.
The United Artists in downtown SF never had a curved scrren for it’s roadshow 70mm movies. I saw The Bible a D150 film at the UA on a flat large 70mm screen. Same at the Alexandria it had a 70mm screen that had a small curve to it, not the Todd-Ao full wrap around curve. To bad the Alexandria showed most of the Todd-Ao prints on a almost flat screen.Can you imagine seeing the movie Cleopatra on a big curved screen inside the Alexandria. I had to see it run flat when it played at this great SF roadshow house. Right theatre to show this film in, you felt like you were on the Nile.
John***Check out the SF Cron today they have the Vogue listed under new management. Opening Aug 24 2007. No UA/REGAL logo. Do you know what is going on?
Thank God they have left most of San Francisco. The UA circuit in the last few years in SF ran their theatres in not the best ways. You can go to the same art movie in San Jose and hear the surrounds from time to time. The UA Stonestown is a chop up house. It’s days are numbered. I think when the lease runs out with the Stonestown people they are out of San Francisco. Once a great circuit in the 50’s they got money hungrey in the 60’s and 70’s and did the big cut job on their big houses. I am surprised they did’t go for a 4 plex at the UA Stonestown. The manager told me many years ago they keep the surrounds low because you can hear them in the next theatre. Many people just stay home and they can turn up or down their Dolby Digital sound system the way they want as the UA Stonestown sits empty. Good place to go for Halloween look for the dust on top of the surround speakers and cobwebs up high. They are real! The UA/Regal Stonestown now books any thing that they can get not just art films.
the Paramount only has a few more months before they see the big Fox Oakland down the street take over what they are not doing. They don’t show movies and run the place very stuffy. The Paramount needs to put in a bar on the main level and let people drink inside the theatre. Book the place for all the Bay Area. Don’t forget the seniors. If the New Fox Oakland is going rock music shows be smart and book classic shows that they will not book. Both theatres will bring new people into the downtown Oakland area. Just take Bart to the door. See what other big former theatres are doing like the Fox Atlanta. Fox Saint Louis and the Fox Detroit. Bring in the Radio City Rockettes for a Oakland Paramount Xmass show like the Fox Detroit does, it sells out 4,000 seats! If you can’t manage the place and bring in money look to getting a booking company that can and stop crying about the Fox Oakland coming into town!
If you had seen the big large curved Todd-Ao screen this theatre had in the mid 50’s with 6 track mag sound I will never forget the day my parents took me to see Around The World In 80 Days. The flashback is so vivid I can remember our seats on the right side of the theatre. The UA Coronet is now just a pile of dirt but the memories will be with me. UA/Regal must be proud of all the theatres they have sold for the land money and destroyed. They are even selling off many of their cheap tiny multiplex cinemas to get the most money they can. They are not in the movie business but quick money land people.
Soon the Cinema 21 opens up with it’s real name The Marina Theatre. With a tiny twin up in the old balcony. How small will it be? I hope Mr Lee has kept the old San Francisco black light walls upstairs. Gone will be the giant curved screen that was downstairs and curtains. Will the Lee’s put curtains up in the new Marina? The big grand opening is coming soon.
Someone needs to bring back the Laurel Theatre. The area doesn’t have any movie theatres. Bring in the guys that run the El Cerrito and have food,drinks and movies. Across the streets sits the old Hopkins, another old Oakland neighborhood house that has been many things since it’s movie days. Bring back Mrs A to manage the New Laurel. Is she still around. A real class manager for the UA circuit. Always had a flower in her hair, says my friend Ed Jacklich who worked for her in the late 60’s.
In todays SF Chronicle looks like the Vogue has new owners. Did UA/REAGAL sell off the lease. Shows A SFNTF THEATRE wwwvoguesf.com Opening under new management Aug 24 2007. This is good news. UA sells all they can to make money on the land that theatres sit on. But for the San francisco UA/REGAL VOGUE lools like It has a few years left?
I took a private tour of the Fox Oakland a few months ago. Had to put on a hard hat! This will be a super fine remodel. The place doesn’t look to bad on the inside. I took some photos, will try to post some next week.
To bad the Landmark people don’t close the two tiny theatres they run The Lumiere and Opera Plaza. They can take over the long closed Galaxy. A big improvement over what they call art theatres now. Some people have bigger screens on the home screens. The old UA Galaxy needs some work but will go the way of many San Francisco Theatres. Condos will go up some day.
The stereo surrounds are never up. They are on so low you won’t hear them. Turn down the stage speakers and turn up the surrounds. As you know surround sound speakers are never to up to hi, they are just a effect channel. But on many Disney movies the whole surround experience is lost, is the theatre to wide for you to hear the surrounds if your in the middle? Please Pacific/Disney bring in some Dolby THX guys and do a sound balance. Don’t let the surrounds not be heard. I can’t believe at a a big opening some of the Disney sound guys must be in the house, they worked hard on the stereo soundtrack, don’t they notice things are off at this Disney showcase. Probably some old lady complained the surrounds were to loud and some projection guy turned them way down. This is a class showmanship Theatre. Look across the street and the poor Chinese can’t compare. No stage show at the Chinese, sometimes they don’t even close the Chinese main curtain, Mann theatres is to busy running boring adds up to feature time. Long live the El Capitain, turn up the surrounds!, and don’t forget the balcony surrounds!
Thanks Simon for your great report. I seem to remember the story of the paint junk the Blumenfields put on the front and it flooding the marquee. One of these days I hope someone will come along and paint the front of the Castro and the Marquee. The stale light color it is now doesn’t show off the front like the Castro needs. Bring on the greens, oranges, red, yellow and pink. Make it look like a art deco Miami Theatre in San Francisco. I think they have a law in SF, no flashing neon. Seems the front did flash neon at one time? Now the inside, have you ever been to the Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto CA. check out the dark blue lights up in the ceiling during a film showing. This is what the Castro needs. Also on the bottom of the curtain a small border light tray, with a variety of color you can change per movie theme. I remember as a kid going to all the Golden State Theatres in California when they closed the curtain between previews and the main feature they had a dark blue/red light on the curtains as they moved, some of this light went on the bottom of the screen, it was the best in showmanship. Next time I see the Nassers I will talk to them again about adding some color inside. Maybe when no one is watching we can change some bulbs if they don’t!
What a great time this past weekend at the Castro for the 85th anniversary. I have met with both Nasser brothers many times in the past year and have told them about having some color added to the indoor lights. I even offered to by the blue, green and red bulbs. Didn’t hear a word. The whole place is lit up in the main theatre with gold and yellow lights on the curtains. The bulbs under the balcony lights need to be blue during the movie. Most are not working. The best place for some dark blue/red bulbs is on either side of the stage on the bottom of the organ loft curtains during a film showing. They have speakers blocking the side curtains. I wait for the day when the main big light on the ceiling can be re lit. Blue during the film on low with the intermission setting green, yellow and orange red combo. The same in the lobby, the candy counter is so dark I don’t see how the help can make change. More ceiling lights need to be added above the consession stand. And the two big art deco lights in the lobby in place of boring white lights (always turned way to low) replace with some color lights. In the summer put in Blue on the bottom row Green on the next then Yellow on the top. In the winter put in Red on the bottom Orange on the next row top off with Yellow. These lights need to turned up, they are way to low now. The Nassers told me last year they are about to re do the electric in the theatre. Many times I have gone In and found the main theatre in the dark. Someone had to do something with the fuse box? Let’t bring back some color at the Castro. With the new seats, great projection, Dolby Digital and 70mm this is a first class house. Thanks to Bill Longen for helping get this great San Francisco theatre back on track. When he brought back a 70mm print of It’s A Mad Mad World last year he made special masking for the big screen so it fit. This is real showmanship!
When I went to the Rivoli I think In the 80’s they had removed the giant curved D-150 curved screen. The sign above the Rivoli out side said A D150 Theatre. That is what I went to see the screen not the movie. I had a big fight with the UA manager. I wanted my money back and told him it was false advertising to advertise a screen you did'nt have. He gave me my money back after I told him I’d call the police. To bad I missed it by just a few weeks.
The first Cine Capri I think had a D-150 big curved screen? The new one does not have the wrap around curve look on the screen,just a small curve. At least they have a curtain! Long live the Cine Capri!
Yes this area of East 14th was the place to be on Friday and Sat nights. The Stadium had a big screen tower as the Oakland DI was not as big. Went by last week and found the Prings Coffee Shop has changed to a new name and food type served. The Oakland Police tried to stop the cars on the weekend but when both Drive Ins let out it was one big party. If you had a GTO like I did the cruise got HOT. With the Bal Theatre down the street Prings Burgers and a Bowling Alley in the same few blocks it was teen heaven in the 60’s. Drive Ins are coming back around the USA. Can you imagine the Century people bulldozing their new Multiplex nearby at puting in a big Drive In with 5 screens? Bring on the Hot Dogs and Pizza!