Grand View Theatre

DirectedBy on July 19, 2016 at 12:20 pm

At age 10-12 … I lived in the Mission District in the late 60’s, early 70’s and would go alone (kids could walk Mission Street back then without fears) to the GRAND to see whatever was playing on weekends.

The Grand was a huge old place. They served every kind of concession stand food available and them some.

I recall they even baked Pizzas.

And oh — the variety of ilms they presented … a terrible picture called ‘ALASKAN SAFARI’ … another time, a faded print of a scratchy 007 picture, another time, an old science fiction — or a mystery or … or … or …

… wait — oh yes — there was a pink-orange mostly out of focus print of Liz Taylor’s CLEOPATRA ….

In short, I’d go and watch whatever was there — 2 or 3 times in a row.

But at night — especially the weekends, it was a communal get together location from the local melting pot of the Mission.

So, they ran the films always — with the house lights always up. People of all languages just yammering away. Some came with their own picnic baskets — some just to read a book or a newspaper. It was a strange and wonderful time for this then adolescent boy.

I often think of my days at ‘The Grand’ … and in fact, miss them.

D.A.