The Best Way to Save SF’s Neighborhood Theaters
If you’re a movie lover, chances are that in the past five years you’ve noted with sadness the passing of several unique neighborhood movie theaters you loved. Yes, the astronomical rent increases that hit the city hard circa 2001 was one factor, but lower than profitable attendance is another key factor — and one that you can personally influence.
Rather than lamenting the loss of another great SF theater, why not get involved with the SF neighborhood theater effort, or just make an effort to go out and see indie and foreign films on the big screen? Yeah, you can wait for them to come out on Netflix, but even with a great projector setup at home, it’s not the same as sitting in an audience full of movie lovers. And instead of heading out to a mega plex, why not go see a blockbuster at the Coronet — it *is* the biggest screen in SF after all.
So, keep an eye on what these neighborhood theaters are playing, and help save us from a megaplex-only future:
- The 4 Star
- The Balboa
- The Bridge
- The Castro
- The Clay
- The Coronet
- The Lumiere
- The Metro
- The Red Vic
- The Roxie
- The Vogue
Thank you to Gary Meyer of the Balboa Theater for reminding me (via a recent newsletter) of the moviegoer’s part in the plight of the local theater.
I’ve not been around long enough to speak for her mad skillz, but apparently theater programmer Anita Monga was fairly beloved by fans of The Castro. Until she got fired by the theater’s owners…with no notice and no explanation.
Here’s an article I found about it:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/11/03/DDG6L9K75G1.DTL
And here’s an article on how to contact The Castro if you’re one of many disgruntled theatergoers who fear for the future of its programming:
http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/10/1699549.php
She’s gained a new home at the Balaboa, apparently. The below comes from a Balboa email newsletter sent out on 11/20:
The recent disturbing turn of events at the Castro has resulted in the important people who have kept it in the spotlight for the past 16 years departing. One of the nation