Only in San Francisco, at the Castro Theatre. In this era of the multiplex and high-def/3D TVs, the theatre is wildly, adorably anachronistic. It's a reminder of a day gone by, and yet, it somehow feels current, at times even cutting edge. In the parlance of Hollywood, the Castro simply has that "it" factor--something unique, not entirely definable, and enduring. Perhaps the best thing about this theatre is that I often feel a strong sense of community with the audience. We applaud together, we hiss the villains together. In contrast, the only hissing in a multiplex occurs when someone won't stop talking on his cell phone.
I've loved movie palaces since I was a boy. I used to hop on a bus at Friendly Shopping Center in Greensboro, ride it downtown, and go to a matinee at the beautiful Carolina Theatre--which still shows films as well as hosts live performances. My parents didn't know I was doing this, of course. So maybe a trip to the Castro puts me back in touch with that feeling of boyhood adventure, independence, and mischief.
But really, going to the Castro is about seeing great movies on a wide screen instead of a TV; spotting things you never noticed before in those movies; and experiencing the film as the director intended. At the Castro, I've had the extreme pleasure of watching favorite movies I'd only seen on television: Hitchcock's The Birds and North by Northwest; The Wizard of Oz (that tornado is awesome on a large screen), and many others. And I've seen some excellent independent films that rarely played beyond the festival circuit, such as Loggerheads, a touching movie set in North Carolina.
Very few people are San Franciscans. Most everybody escaped from someplace else. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat brings back some memories... The Empire in West Portal, the Parkside on Taraval, the Balboa, not to mention all of the big movie houses on the north side of Market Steet (the Fox, the Warfield, the Orpheum, Golden Gate). That was a long time ago
ReplyDeleteJames,
ReplyDeleteI only was in San Francisco once in my lifetime. It was a short weekend visit in the late 70's. I was immediately impressed by the "it" factor of The Castro and San Francisco itself. This was one place that lived up to its hype. Most other places I've visited (not that much really), I usually had the "Is that all there is feeling" once I put my feet on the ground. Not so with San Francisco. I regret that I have never made the time for a return visit.
Oh Jim, you have touched upon so many of my memories, Friendly Center, The Carolina Theater and The Castro. And here I sit in Boston. What a small world it is. How happy I am to have found your blog.
ReplyDeleteThere was a place in my hometown that's still open. A massive cinema, compared to the tiny things they build nowdays, with plush seating and a screen that curves out and away giving the movies shown a further sense of depth. They also show old movies and I think the equivalent ticket in US currency is 80c at the current exchange rate!
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