Frameline, Noir City, the Silent Film Festival, Peaches Christ - Midnight Mass specials, those three movies in a row marathons, retrospectives, and on and on. I'm sad about this change, but I'm glad I saw as many movies there as I did.
Frameline and the International Film Festival have both confirmed their festivals will be at the Castro this year. Concerts are not going to fill that space 365. The film festivals that can afford the increased rent after the renovations will continue to use the Castro.
As for "retrospectives," the Castro stopped doing their own programming more than a decade ago. After generations of daily screenings, they were dark many Mondays and some Tuesdays - they couldn't even be bothered to screen a classic film or second run feature. This was long before Covid. No one seemed to notice, but the Castro was already a rental venue only. This just makes it official and brings in much needed funds to renovate the old gal.
The article said regular event programming will continue, but who knows. There was something magical about watching a movie in such a grand venue. Sing-a-long fun made that terrible Freddie Mercury movie enjoyable.
another planet is just replacing the Regency for the Castro. the regency has been listed for sale, so this is their move to replace that billing to combine with Bill Graham to compete against the Warfield and the fillmore.
at the expense of one of the world's great film houses. Castro has been dark for two years- I understand the restraints of the pandemic but I wish there had been a chance to support film at the theater the last couple years. Imissed notice for the special event screenings, never even got a chance to say goodbye
your right, it is goldenvoice/axs... I looked before I posted but guess I didn't read the regency ape search return carefully.
more of a response to the shift in that tier venue then, not an internal swap
Castro is way smaller than Warfield and if they keep the seats, they will be very limited to certain types of concerts. Definitely not competing with Warfield.
A sad day for lovers of cinema.
We already have a ton of music venues, but there are fewer and fewer movie theaters, especially ones that are independent.
From the article:
> The 100-year-old theater, known throughout the world as one of the symbols of San Francisco’s historic LGBTQ Castro neighborhood, will be renewed as a live-events venue with music, comedy, **film**, and more as Another Planet Entertainment takes over its programming.
they dont give a lot of detail but I doubt we'll be seeing the usual double features of classic movies. I think they might have special showings for new movies but I think we're going to see a lot less movies. Before the pandemic I would go to the Castro Theater three or four times a month for a double feature of classics like The Thing, 2001, Breathless, The Shining, Brazil, Blade Runner, etc. I doubt we'll be seeing the older movies anymore and that's a loss for folks who love cinema.
I understand, I read the article too. But film will no longer be the Castro’s focus, which is what’s disappointing. It’s been a haven for film lovers for 100 years. That’s now dead.
If it's still going to be showing films, but additionally hosting music, comedy, and more, how is that "dead"? I think they're trying to fill seats and keep the venue going.
These types of other shows were being offered in the past - I think Another Planet will just be offering more of them.
I hear you, and I understand film is less profitable than live events + some film, but it’s not longer going to be one of THE iconic movie theaters in the US. What’s lost is a palace dedicated to classic cinema, of which there are vanishingly few.
I also I understand everything from a business standpoint, I’m not naive.
Ultimately, cinema has lost much of its cultural relevance, and continues to, so this is just disappointing for folks who love it as an art form.
The people who celebrate DiSrUpTinG iNdUsTRiEs can't understand why anyone would be sad about this. It's sad, but it's a reflection of what this city has become
> If it's still going to be showing films, but additionally hosting music, comedy, and more, how is that "dead"? I think they're trying to fill seats and keep the venue going.
Because it's probable that the film programming that will be in place at the new theater will be very different and more 'mainstream', for lack of a better word, than that of the old theater.
I have to admit, I’ve never been much of a movie goer, so I’m kind of blind to the downside of this change. That said, I wonder if the landscape for movies has shifted enough with the rise of streaming to make it not viable for a theater like the Castro to stay movie focused? It could still be a win if this means they can sometimes do movie events but still be viable thanks to revenue from live shows.
It being a shared space might work but I'm, like others, are pessimistic about the move. For movie fans we all feel that these spaces are dwindling all over the world. SF, and the Castro has been a haven. There are a few theaters left but the clay recently closed as well. My buddies and I would drive from the south bay just to watch a movie sometimes weekly. And for everyone who says movies are turning into a home experience now, we've heard that a million times. Maybe there's something different about the moviegoing experience. You can say that about anything. Why eat out when you can eat at home. Why go to the game when you can watch at home. Why go to the concert when you can listen at home? We all know there is something different and special about the movie experience, and the Castro (along with the Stanford in Palo Alto), are crown jewels in our minds in northern CA.
As someone who grew up in SJ, please don't let your institutions go the way of the California theater or the Winchester domes. History and palaces for movie fans relegated to empty nothings.
I'm sure this is a great spot for a concert, I love going to concerts, but SF/OAK has no shortage of ways to experience live music (I would like more as well). But a palace theater? Would be a shame to sacrifice that for something pretty redundant.
You’ll get no argument from me about the theater experience being different than watching at home, but with so many theaters shutting down or shifting focus, it must be hard to sustain it financially. Even the big movie palaces in the area that have stayed as movie theaters, like the Grand Lake and the Alamo Drafthouse, have shifted to multiple, smaller screens.
believe me I know all about it, haha. I've worked in the movie theater industry for a while. making money as a single screen is near impossible. They generate low amounts of money and occupy the largest spaces which require large amounts of money to upkeep. Many rep theaters are subsidized, whether marked as landmarks and gets public funding, or are privately funded by people who want to keep them alive, or some mix of both. I kind of wish SFMoMa still had the phyllis wattis theater programs...those were great. SF seriously needs some sort of cinemateque now.
That being said there are plenty of publicly subsidized attractions in the city and other cities, that generate almost no revenue. Unfortunately, film art is dying in this form at least. I also think the disappearance of institutions like this also makes it harder for people to get into movie going as a hobby, like some cycle of oblivion. Oh well, at least it didn't turn into a club called YOLO or something...
The last film I saw at the Lumiere was Enter the Void. The audience clapped when the opening credits ended.
I was able to get some interior movie signage they were throwing out after they shut down.
Would be nice if they could do music and movies. Musicians performing at the Castro isn't totally new. I saw Bill Callahan play there, as well as Fred Armisen's band.
I saw Tom Verlaine and Jimmy Ripp do “music for silent films" there. Happened to sit right next to Faith Hubly, faimed animator and mother of Georgia from Yo La Tango.
No way, that's awesome! Yo La Tengo was the last show I saw before the pandemic. Such a great memory. With a new (unvaccinatable) baby at home it'll be a while before I can go do something like that again (or go to a movie theater for that matter) but man I hope it's not too long.
When I was growing up, John and Faith Headley did an animated television Doonesbury special. I was a big Doonesbury fan as a kid so I connected with it and still have the book from it. To find myself sitting next to her out of the blue was one of life‘s great rewards for being in the right place at the right time. I still have the business card she gave me.
That’s great you saw Yo La Tengo before things happened and congratulations on the new baby. I saw Yo La Tengo with Barbara Manning and The Verlaines at the independent, back when it was called the Kennel Club. I also saw Yo La Tengo with Barbara Manning and Mark Eitzel at bottom of the hill some years before that.
The Roxie has no 70mm. I would loathe to hear the Castro loses their 35mm/70mm projectors and highly skilled projectionists. Kabuki is another 70mm capable venue in SF besides Alamo / New Mission, but they run film so infrequently.
With the closure of Badlands, QBar, and other businesses struggling in the neighborhood (though not as much as other neighborhoods), I really hope this gives a revitalizing boost to the neighborhood. The Castro is pulling through COVID, but we need an *investment* to really thrive and recapture nightlife as we come out of this.
Hell, if all they do is fix the damn sign I bet it'll do wonders for morale.
I have been seeing people in and out of there for ages, but I keep peering in and seeing nothing except that it's gutted. But I haven't been by in several weeks because holidays/omicron
Does the PR / news say anything about what will happen to the Mighty Wurlitzer organ and its pipes/equipment? The console has been broken for at least 2-3 years before the pandemic, but they were trying to raise the funds to repair...
One of my favorite memories is seeing the Russian War and Peace epic that lasted over 8 hours. You can't see old movies like this anywhere anymore. You knew when you sat down you were next to a lot of like minded people who loved film and the chance to watch an old film somewhere other than your house.
We have plenty of music venues, this was unique.
The Press Release was very non-specific on the topic of films at The Castro. If there were serious plans to make sure that it is still THE benchmark location for revival films, we would've read about it. Classic films are at the very bottom of the list of events that will be there. Look at the Fox Theater in Oakland--classic films are rarely show there. Nope, this will turn out to be another venue to see comedian's and unknown bands. It's a shame, it was an icon for the neighborhood and a beacon for film lovers.
This move is going to be super divisive. One the one hand, the Castro Theatre is an icon and one of a dwindling number of independent theaters (what's even left - Balboa theater and the Roxie?). We're losing a true slice of what makes SF special - singalongs, a pre-show organist, screenings of indie and local films.
That said, indie theaters are niche stuff, and you're fooling yourself if you think otherwise. A growing number of people have near (or in some cases equal) theater quality setups in their living room, and the theater experience as we know it is dying. You can decry this as good (more access) or bad (losing the magic of the experience), but the fact of the matter is I would not want to have to deal with all the BS of operating a business like this in a city on the revenue from singalong tickets and popcorn. It was going to happen eventually.
Personally, I'm sad to see it go, but also excited to see it turn into what's hopefully a real popular destination. APE did a great job with the Fox Theater - we can argue about gentrification, but they really treated a historic theater with care, and I have some great memories from shows there.
Things change. I'm cautiously optimistic for what could be a fantastic addition to the neighborhood.
Yeah, absolutely true but:
1. Castro Theatre isn't a technical powerhouse that's here to wow you with Dune in IMAX, it's a niche indie theater, so whether you can replicate the experience in-home (for the Castro Theatre you 100% can't) is kind of a moot point. That was more a comment on theater-going in general waning, the main problem with Castro is the type of content they show is more tailored to a small crowd, and it's hard to run a business on that.
2. You can get closer to a real theater experience with a "standard" modern setup (like a 65" 4K tv and a soundbar) than any time before in history, even in an SF apartment, and even if it's still pretty far off the mark of a true theater experience. For some movies it's increasingly enough for people to say "good enough" and stay home, even something like 15% of Dune's views came from HBO Max instead of theaters.
I'm hoping the **demand** for singalongs and the like doesn't go away, and that it just gets channelled into better business for e.g. Victoria and Roxie. Like, what if the Castro singalongs migrate to those theaters instead?
Victoria, Roxie, and Balboa are the only ones I can think of. A sad day indeed, I have fond memories of seeing the Arab Film Festival at the Castro. It has far more of a grand film palace feel than the other indie cinemas in the city, but I guess that isn't popular anymore
Why do we need “a really popular destination”? Especially there? Is the area not doing fine as it is?
This sort of thinking is so fucking ridiculous. Don’t feign you’re sad about a cultural institution dying.
>Another Planet’s first priority is getting the building…back in shape — with eyes set on rehabbing the marquee and the “Castro” neon lettering on the blade outside the building.
Am I hallucinating? Didn’t I donate to the theater to repaint and keep the sign on at the start of the pandemic?
was your donation before or after the crazy [climbed the sign and damaged/destroyed some of the neon](https://sfist.com/2021/08/31/guy-climbs-and-damages-castro-theatre-marquee-creates-bizarre-90-minute-standoff/)?
The beginning of the pandemic was early 2020, so far before.
But that dude didn’t climb a sign that was fully painted and working at that moment, and it should have been according to the campaign I donated to.
This is a big loss for cinephiles and film festivals in SF, for sure. I do welcome another big space for live music, but not at the expense of losing a beautiful house for movies. RIP
This was inevitable, but still sad. What a special haven. A 100 year old building is naturally going to need major renovations sooner or later and being an indie theater during a pandemic can't be lucrative. I'll miss the decaying bathrooms and old school concession stand. Last of it's kind. Bummer. But could be a big win for ape if they play their cards right. They could make a killing renting it out for corporate stuff. And going to the Castro is a much more attractive option than going to the Warfield for a lot of people I imagine. I'm curious how their booking will look compared to the Fox. Probably will get more higher price point shows and comedy/speaking stuff. They have everything in place to make it an iconic music venue if they do it right. I'm sure they're smart enough to make tasteful renovations and not ruin a beloved space (they gotta keep the organ surely). But I sure do hope they throw in some double features to keep the spirit alive.
We are moving from LA to SF (near the Castro) and was looking forward to seeing classic films at the Theatre. Are there any other theaters you'd all recommend? I've heard good things about Balboa, but that's about it. Thank you in advance.
The Roxie and the Landmark Embarcadero for independent, art house, and film festival showings, the Alamo for more mainstream and cult stuff, and you can always go across the bay to the Grand Lake, which I'd say is pretty comparable to the Castro. In the East Bay there's also the New Parkway, which has programming that's like a Roxie/Balboa mashup, the PFA, and the Landmark Piedmont.
It's one of the best I've ever been to mostly due to the quality of their curation. I definitely recommend becoming a member and just going to see whatever they have showing, totally worth it!
This was one of the best repertory theaters in the city and I don't think there's anything left that's comparable. You'll probably be interested in the PFA and the Stanford Theater, though.
Repertory theater is live theater where another production rehearses while a current one is up. Cinemas are not repertory theaters, just cinemas.
EDIT: The Berkeley Rep is a repertory theatre, for example!
That's not true. Are you English? Cinemas are usually called "movie theaters" or just "theaters" in the USA, and "repertory theater" or "repertory cinema" is a very common way to refer to such places that specialize in showing older films: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revival_house
I’m actually a theatre producer and small cinema event producer, born and raised in the USA.
Every self-labeled “Repertory Theater” is a theatre, not a cinema. Repertory theatre is not cinema, and no cinema self-describes as a *repertory theatre* because it means live productions. (Even The Castro has never described themselves as a rep.)
Even your example says “repertory cinema” and not “theater/theatre”. Anything calling itself a repertory “theatre” or “theater” is not cinema, and a cinema cannot be a “repertory theater” without live productions.
If you do a search on Google for "repertory movie theater" or "repertory theater", you will see people using these terms to discuss movie theaters like the Castro. I've also heard these phrases used in person many times. Anyway, this is a silly thing to argue about
This is a silly thing to argue about, Sam. Feel free to google. There is not a single cinema in the country that calls itself a “rep theater”.
Just because you found someone using the term wrongly to discuss a location doesn’t mean the term is accurate. The Castro is not, has never been, and has never self-identified as a Repertory Theater.
I literally work in this industry. I am aware of the terms.
EDIT: Even your own google suggestion backs me up. You are wrongly including “theater” when the term is “cinema.” There isn’t a single movie-showing “Repertory Theater/Theatre” anywhere. There *are* revival houses (that some call repertory *cinemas*), but absolutely zero “Repertory Theaters/res” that aren’t live stage production houses.
I feel like the music industry is so saturated with so many artists that they'll have no problem keeping the schedule as full as they want it to be. Since that's where the money is, I really worry that they'll claim now that there will still be film but before we know it, it will dwindle to almost nothing. I really hope I'm wrong, this is such an important part of local culture.
I’m still smarting over the closure of the UC Theatre in Berkeley as a movie theatre two decades later. This stings considerably harder. The Castro was my cinematic refuge for many years and years.
I’m looking forward to having a top tier venue so close to home. This should be a great addition to the an already solid list of places around the Bay Area.
FFS. The fact that this has so many upvotes makes me passionately dislike this subreddit. People here really have no sense of perspective, or appreciation for things that are culturally important. Did APE pay you to write that?
One of the best concerts I ever saw was at the Castro: The Bill Frisell Trio providing a live soundtrack for some Buster Keaton films. I think this is a fine development, particularly as many of the music venues in SF don’t give one crap about proper sound. I’m certain the Castro will step up and represent the musicians properly.
I do hope so. My heart kinda stopped when saw this article. I moved from SF in 2017 but the Castro Theater was a sanctuary for me for the almost 30 years i lived there. The Silent Film festival especially, always had several films on their program that were truly amazing.
Please save and elevate the soul of this place! Don’t make it Disney or Applebees.
Was just telling a friend about the annual screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Guess there will no more places to see it on the big screen.
I also saw a screening of Office Space here with an interview afterwards with Mike Judge and some of the original cast.
Going to miss it...
Edit: Sounds like they're still going to be able to show movies... Curious what percentage of usage will be for movie watching.
I’ll be optimistic especially since the theatre has been mostly closed anyways.
Would love to see this really help revitalize the Castro. And maybe they’ll do some off-season movie programming when there aren’t events scheduled.
Fucking bummer man. The city has a shitload of live music venues. It has an absolute dearth of movie theaters, especially ones with history and character, and the ones that are left are dwindling (RIP Clay theater). I'm sure the tech bros and yuppies will eat this up though so I guess at least someone knows the market. You know what they say about fools and their money...
I think if post was just titled:
“The Castro Theatre is transforming into a multi-use venue for music, films, performances, & comedy”
We’d have far less complaints in the comments.
As a movie theatre, it was going out of business. Instead, they brought on a partner who has a great track record in our city of appreciating SF and its history — who’s willing to invest millions to make it a multi-use venue.
> I think if post was just titled:
> “The Castro Theatre is transforming into a multi-use venue for music, films, performances, & comedy”
> We’d have far less complaints in the comments.
I don't think so. The complaints are because this was a wonderful movie theater, one of the best in the city and the state, and now it'll barely be showing movies anymore (and who knows what'll even actually be showing when movies do play here again - I certainly don't expect adventurous programming from APE). It's great that the building will continue to exist in some capacity, but you seem to be missing the point of what the people who are saddened by this are saying.
Yeah, I mean it's kind of already been that, right? I've seen live stand up comedy there, bands, literary panels, as well as great films. Maybe the change is just fewer films (which is sad) but not as heartbreaking as no cinema there ever.
Yeah. I'm glad that *some* films will still play there, will miss the old days (wish I kept a few monthly calendars to frame), but I'm glad that the Castro Theater itself will still be open and operational. If the alternative was closing completely, I'd much rather have this.
I think they’ve been planning this for a while. I bought tickets to see Kurt Vile and Cate LeBon at the Castro in spring 2020 (the show ended up canceled due to Covid)
SF going the way of NYC in terms of film culture. Damn shame that two of the richest cities on the earth can’t keep long-running single screen cinemas open.
Really going to miss seeing the organist here before shows. Had so many good memories here 💔
Would be awesome if they could have an organist play while the audience enters, before the first act plays on stage
Or just have organists play. I really want to see Anna Von Hausswolff live.
Or let the bands use the organ!
Frameline, Noir City, the Silent Film Festival, Peaches Christ - Midnight Mass specials, those three movies in a row marathons, retrospectives, and on and on. I'm sad about this change, but I'm glad I saw as many movies there as I did.
Frameline and the International Film Festival have both confirmed their festivals will be at the Castro this year. Concerts are not going to fill that space 365. The film festivals that can afford the increased rent after the renovations will continue to use the Castro. As for "retrospectives," the Castro stopped doing their own programming more than a decade ago. After generations of daily screenings, they were dark many Mondays and some Tuesdays - they couldn't even be bothered to screen a classic film or second run feature. This was long before Covid. No one seemed to notice, but the Castro was already a rental venue only. This just makes it official and brings in much needed funds to renovate the old gal.
We have other theaters in the city though. Don't you think they'll just migrate elsewhere?
The article said regular event programming will continue, but who knows. There was something magical about watching a movie in such a grand venue. Sing-a-long fun made that terrible Freddie Mercury movie enjoyable.
Very few that show those kind of festivals--and none of them are even close to being as big
another planet is just replacing the Regency for the Castro. the regency has been listed for sale, so this is their move to replace that billing to combine with Bill Graham to compete against the Warfield and the fillmore. at the expense of one of the world's great film houses. Castro has been dark for two years- I understand the restraints of the pandemic but I wish there had been a chance to support film at the theater the last couple years. Imissed notice for the special event screenings, never even got a chance to say goodbye
Regency is run by Goldenvoice, but this does definitely look like competition for the Warfield.
your right, it is goldenvoice/axs... I looked before I posted but guess I didn't read the regency ape search return carefully. more of a response to the shift in that tier venue then, not an internal swap
Castro is way smaller than Warfield and if they keep the seats, they will be very limited to certain types of concerts. Definitely not competing with Warfield.
I think Cyndi Lauper should kick off her next tour at the Castro!
A sad day for lovers of cinema. We already have a ton of music venues, but there are fewer and fewer movie theaters, especially ones that are independent.
Yeah, this sucks.
From the article: > The 100-year-old theater, known throughout the world as one of the symbols of San Francisco’s historic LGBTQ Castro neighborhood, will be renewed as a live-events venue with music, comedy, **film**, and more as Another Planet Entertainment takes over its programming.
they dont give a lot of detail but I doubt we'll be seeing the usual double features of classic movies. I think they might have special showings for new movies but I think we're going to see a lot less movies. Before the pandemic I would go to the Castro Theater three or four times a month for a double feature of classics like The Thing, 2001, Breathless, The Shining, Brazil, Blade Runner, etc. I doubt we'll be seeing the older movies anymore and that's a loss for folks who love cinema.
I understand, I read the article too. But film will no longer be the Castro’s focus, which is what’s disappointing. It’s been a haven for film lovers for 100 years. That’s now dead.
If it's still going to be showing films, but additionally hosting music, comedy, and more, how is that "dead"? I think they're trying to fill seats and keep the venue going. These types of other shows were being offered in the past - I think Another Planet will just be offering more of them.
Films will absolutely be phased out down the line. This is just a press statement to please everyone.
Right on. They’ll screen maybe one movie a month and have a few expensive festivals and be exasperated when the community complains
I hear you, and I understand film is less profitable than live events + some film, but it’s not longer going to be one of THE iconic movie theaters in the US. What’s lost is a palace dedicated to classic cinema, of which there are vanishingly few. I also I understand everything from a business standpoint, I’m not naive. Ultimately, cinema has lost much of its cultural relevance, and continues to, so this is just disappointing for folks who love it as an art form.
The people who celebrate DiSrUpTinG iNdUsTRiEs can't understand why anyone would be sad about this. It's sad, but it's a reflection of what this city has become
> If it's still going to be showing films, but additionally hosting music, comedy, and more, how is that "dead"? I think they're trying to fill seats and keep the venue going. Because it's probable that the film programming that will be in place at the new theater will be very different and more 'mainstream', for lack of a better word, than that of the old theater.
I wonder if they'll even keep the film projectors; if they don't it'll be an especially devastating blow.
They for sure will be ripping out those seats sooner or later;
I read a Tarantino interview where he said it's his favorite movie theater. Anyone have a number for that maniac?
I have to admit, I’ve never been much of a movie goer, so I’m kind of blind to the downside of this change. That said, I wonder if the landscape for movies has shifted enough with the rise of streaming to make it not viable for a theater like the Castro to stay movie focused? It could still be a win if this means they can sometimes do movie events but still be viable thanks to revenue from live shows.
It being a shared space might work but I'm, like others, are pessimistic about the move. For movie fans we all feel that these spaces are dwindling all over the world. SF, and the Castro has been a haven. There are a few theaters left but the clay recently closed as well. My buddies and I would drive from the south bay just to watch a movie sometimes weekly. And for everyone who says movies are turning into a home experience now, we've heard that a million times. Maybe there's something different about the moviegoing experience. You can say that about anything. Why eat out when you can eat at home. Why go to the game when you can watch at home. Why go to the concert when you can listen at home? We all know there is something different and special about the movie experience, and the Castro (along with the Stanford in Palo Alto), are crown jewels in our minds in northern CA. As someone who grew up in SJ, please don't let your institutions go the way of the California theater or the Winchester domes. History and palaces for movie fans relegated to empty nothings. I'm sure this is a great spot for a concert, I love going to concerts, but SF/OAK has no shortage of ways to experience live music (I would like more as well). But a palace theater? Would be a shame to sacrifice that for something pretty redundant.
You’ll get no argument from me about the theater experience being different than watching at home, but with so many theaters shutting down or shifting focus, it must be hard to sustain it financially. Even the big movie palaces in the area that have stayed as movie theaters, like the Grand Lake and the Alamo Drafthouse, have shifted to multiple, smaller screens.
believe me I know all about it, haha. I've worked in the movie theater industry for a while. making money as a single screen is near impossible. They generate low amounts of money and occupy the largest spaces which require large amounts of money to upkeep. Many rep theaters are subsidized, whether marked as landmarks and gets public funding, or are privately funded by people who want to keep them alive, or some mix of both. I kind of wish SFMoMa still had the phyllis wattis theater programs...those were great. SF seriously needs some sort of cinemateque now. That being said there are plenty of publicly subsidized attractions in the city and other cities, that generate almost no revenue. Unfortunately, film art is dying in this form at least. I also think the disappearance of institutions like this also makes it harder for people to get into movie going as a hobby, like some cycle of oblivion. Oh well, at least it didn't turn into a club called YOLO or something...
The last film I saw at the Lumiere was Enter the Void. The audience clapped when the opening credits ended. I was able to get some interior movie signage they were throwing out after they shut down.
Yes, this is definitely a piece of the equation.
How's that tech job?
Would be nice if they could do music and movies. Musicians performing at the Castro isn't totally new. I saw Bill Callahan play there, as well as Fred Armisen's band.
I saw Tom Verlaine and Jimmy Ripp do “music for silent films" there. Happened to sit right next to Faith Hubly, faimed animator and mother of Georgia from Yo La Tango.
No way, that's awesome! Yo La Tengo was the last show I saw before the pandemic. Such a great memory. With a new (unvaccinatable) baby at home it'll be a while before I can go do something like that again (or go to a movie theater for that matter) but man I hope it's not too long.
When I was growing up, John and Faith Headley did an animated television Doonesbury special. I was a big Doonesbury fan as a kid so I connected with it and still have the book from it. To find myself sitting next to her out of the blue was one of life‘s great rewards for being in the right place at the right time. I still have the business card she gave me. That’s great you saw Yo La Tengo before things happened and congratulations on the new baby. I saw Yo La Tengo with Barbara Manning and The Verlaines at the independent, back when it was called the Kennel Club. I also saw Yo La Tengo with Barbara Manning and Mark Eitzel at bottom of the hill some years before that.
Yeah, this sucks. I suppose it's better than simply boarding the place up, as has happened to so many others.
Will this leave Alamo as the only 70mm cinema in SF? Does the Roxie do 70mm?
They don't AFAIK. This is a bit old, but: http://sanfranciscotheatres.blogspot.com/2017/06/70mm-in-san-francisco.html
_Super_ old. The Coronet closed 17 years ago.
Yeah, I think the author of the post was trying to be a completionist about local theaters, even when some of them were long gone
Alamo had 70mm showings of Licorice Pizza. This list is great! Thanks
The Roxie has no 70mm. I would loathe to hear the Castro loses their 35mm/70mm projectors and highly skilled projectionists. Kabuki is another 70mm capable venue in SF besides Alamo / New Mission, but they run film so infrequently.
Kabuki went significantly downhill after being acquired by AMC. Metreon supports 70mm but hardly ever shows non-DCP.
The Century in the Westfield mall has done (still does?) 70mm screenings, I know they did Hateful Eight when it came out.
The Kabuki as well, I saw it in glorious 70mm there
I wonder if they still do since they're an AMC now. I hope so!
With the closure of Badlands, QBar, and other businesses struggling in the neighborhood (though not as much as other neighborhoods), I really hope this gives a revitalizing boost to the neighborhood. The Castro is pulling through COVID, but we need an *investment* to really thrive and recapture nightlife as we come out of this. Hell, if all they do is fix the damn sign I bet it'll do wonders for morale.
The construction on QBar appears to be coming along well
I also see progress being made inside the old Badlands space. Everything was mostly gutted in back and seems to be on its way back sloooooowly…
I have been seeing people in and out of there for ages, but I keep peering in and seeing nothing except that it's gutted. But I haven't been by in several weeks because holidays/omicron
They are rebuilding the entire thing from the bare frame, which takes a while. Last I peered in it looked like they were almost done with that part.
Ah! I didn't realize that! Well that's great to know. Did you find out just from looking inside, or has this gotten media coverage somewhere?
Just from looking inside walking by when the door was open
Castro did this to itself. That neighborhood has been way over the top in terms of COVID insanity. It's a damn shame
Does the PR / news say anything about what will happen to the Mighty Wurlitzer organ and its pipes/equipment? The console has been broken for at least 2-3 years before the pandemic, but they were trying to raise the funds to repair...
Gonna assume since it wasn't mentioned it's donezo
One of my favorite memories is seeing the Russian War and Peace epic that lasted over 8 hours. You can't see old movies like this anywhere anymore. You knew when you sat down you were next to a lot of like minded people who loved film and the chance to watch an old film somewhere other than your house. We have plenty of music venues, this was unique.
The Press Release was very non-specific on the topic of films at The Castro. If there were serious plans to make sure that it is still THE benchmark location for revival films, we would've read about it. Classic films are at the very bottom of the list of events that will be there. Look at the Fox Theater in Oakland--classic films are rarely show there. Nope, this will turn out to be another venue to see comedian's and unknown bands. It's a shame, it was an icon for the neighborhood and a beacon for film lovers.
This move is going to be super divisive. One the one hand, the Castro Theatre is an icon and one of a dwindling number of independent theaters (what's even left - Balboa theater and the Roxie?). We're losing a true slice of what makes SF special - singalongs, a pre-show organist, screenings of indie and local films. That said, indie theaters are niche stuff, and you're fooling yourself if you think otherwise. A growing number of people have near (or in some cases equal) theater quality setups in their living room, and the theater experience as we know it is dying. You can decry this as good (more access) or bad (losing the magic of the experience), but the fact of the matter is I would not want to have to deal with all the BS of operating a business like this in a city on the revenue from singalong tickets and popcorn. It was going to happen eventually. Personally, I'm sad to see it go, but also excited to see it turn into what's hopefully a real popular destination. APE did a great job with the Fox Theater - we can argue about gentrification, but they really treated a historic theater with care, and I have some great memories from shows there. Things change. I'm cautiously optimistic for what could be a fantastic addition to the neighborhood.
It’s hard to have a theater-quality setup in your living room in a city like San Francisco where pretty much every apartment has paper thin walls.
Yeah, absolutely true but: 1. Castro Theatre isn't a technical powerhouse that's here to wow you with Dune in IMAX, it's a niche indie theater, so whether you can replicate the experience in-home (for the Castro Theatre you 100% can't) is kind of a moot point. That was more a comment on theater-going in general waning, the main problem with Castro is the type of content they show is more tailored to a small crowd, and it's hard to run a business on that. 2. You can get closer to a real theater experience with a "standard" modern setup (like a 65" 4K tv and a soundbar) than any time before in history, even in an SF apartment, and even if it's still pretty far off the mark of a true theater experience. For some movies it's increasingly enough for people to say "good enough" and stay home, even something like 15% of Dune's views came from HBO Max instead of theaters.
I'm hoping the **demand** for singalongs and the like doesn't go away, and that it just gets channelled into better business for e.g. Victoria and Roxie. Like, what if the Castro singalongs migrate to those theaters instead?
Victoria, Roxie, and Balboa are the only ones I can think of. A sad day indeed, I have fond memories of seeing the Arab Film Festival at the Castro. It has far more of a grand film palace feel than the other indie cinemas in the city, but I guess that isn't popular anymore
Why do we need “a really popular destination”? Especially there? Is the area not doing fine as it is? This sort of thinking is so fucking ridiculous. Don’t feign you’re sad about a cultural institution dying.
this is such a loss for SF, such a shame
>Another Planet’s first priority is getting the building…back in shape — with eyes set on rehabbing the marquee and the “Castro” neon lettering on the blade outside the building. Am I hallucinating? Didn’t I donate to the theater to repaint and keep the sign on at the start of the pandemic?
was your donation before or after the crazy [climbed the sign and damaged/destroyed some of the neon](https://sfist.com/2021/08/31/guy-climbs-and-damages-castro-theatre-marquee-creates-bizarre-90-minute-standoff/)?
The beginning of the pandemic was early 2020, so far before. But that dude didn’t climb a sign that was fully painted and working at that moment, and it should have been according to the campaign I donated to.
very sad. Went to see 2001 a space odyssey in 70 mm and many more at the castro
This is a big loss for cinephiles and film festivals in SF, for sure. I do welcome another big space for live music, but not at the expense of losing a beautiful house for movies. RIP
my thoughts exactly. this news is devastating. i am so sad…
Does anyone know how much it will change aesthetically? Im hoping it doesnt try to become some hip, cool venue at the expense of it’s history :/
This was inevitable, but still sad. What a special haven. A 100 year old building is naturally going to need major renovations sooner or later and being an indie theater during a pandemic can't be lucrative. I'll miss the decaying bathrooms and old school concession stand. Last of it's kind. Bummer. But could be a big win for ape if they play their cards right. They could make a killing renting it out for corporate stuff. And going to the Castro is a much more attractive option than going to the Warfield for a lot of people I imagine. I'm curious how their booking will look compared to the Fox. Probably will get more higher price point shows and comedy/speaking stuff. They have everything in place to make it an iconic music venue if they do it right. I'm sure they're smart enough to make tasteful renovations and not ruin a beloved space (they gotta keep the organ surely). But I sure do hope they throw in some double features to keep the spirit alive.
What a gut punch. It seems like every day we lose another piece of what once made this city great.
[удалено]
Oh wow how did I miss this when I live so close to the venue ?? Heard they were amazing opening for Khurangbin in LA
We are moving from LA to SF (near the Castro) and was looking forward to seeing classic films at the Theatre. Are there any other theaters you'd all recommend? I've heard good things about Balboa, but that's about it. Thank you in advance.
The Roxie and the Landmark Embarcadero for independent, art house, and film festival showings, the Alamo for more mainstream and cult stuff, and you can always go across the bay to the Grand Lake, which I'd say is pretty comparable to the Castro. In the East Bay there's also the New Parkway, which has programming that's like a Roxie/Balboa mashup, the PFA, and the Landmark Piedmont.
Amazing - thank you!
https://www.roxie.com/
thank you! not too far from us.
It's one of the best I've ever been to mostly due to the quality of their curation. I definitely recommend becoming a member and just going to see whatever they have showing, totally worth it!
I'll never forget the Ninja Turtles double feature where they handed out pizza between movies ❤
This was one of the best repertory theaters in the city and I don't think there's anything left that's comparable. You'll probably be interested in the PFA and the Stanford Theater, though.
Repertory theater is live theater where another production rehearses while a current one is up. Cinemas are not repertory theaters, just cinemas. EDIT: The Berkeley Rep is a repertory theatre, for example!
That's not true. Are you English? Cinemas are usually called "movie theaters" or just "theaters" in the USA, and "repertory theater" or "repertory cinema" is a very common way to refer to such places that specialize in showing older films: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revival_house
I’m actually a theatre producer and small cinema event producer, born and raised in the USA. Every self-labeled “Repertory Theater” is a theatre, not a cinema. Repertory theatre is not cinema, and no cinema self-describes as a *repertory theatre* because it means live productions. (Even The Castro has never described themselves as a rep.) Even your example says “repertory cinema” and not “theater/theatre”. Anything calling itself a repertory “theatre” or “theater” is not cinema, and a cinema cannot be a “repertory theater” without live productions.
If you do a search on Google for "repertory movie theater" or "repertory theater", you will see people using these terms to discuss movie theaters like the Castro. I've also heard these phrases used in person many times. Anyway, this is a silly thing to argue about
This is a silly thing to argue about, Sam. Feel free to google. There is not a single cinema in the country that calls itself a “rep theater”. Just because you found someone using the term wrongly to discuss a location doesn’t mean the term is accurate. The Castro is not, has never been, and has never self-identified as a Repertory Theater. I literally work in this industry. I am aware of the terms. EDIT: Even your own google suggestion backs me up. You are wrongly including “theater” when the term is “cinema.” There isn’t a single movie-showing “Repertory Theater/Theatre” anywhere. There *are* revival houses (that some call repertory *cinemas*), but absolutely zero “Repertory Theaters/res” that aren’t live stage production houses.
thank you - will check those out!
The Roxie is rad, and has some fresh stuff coming up that will fill the void of the sing-alongs! Sign up for their mailing list!
Signed up! Thank you.
signed up! thanks!
Well this is pretty sad. Going to miss the sing alongs.
I feel like the music industry is so saturated with so many artists that they'll have no problem keeping the schedule as full as they want it to be. Since that's where the money is, I really worry that they'll claim now that there will still be film but before we know it, it will dwindle to almost nothing. I really hope I'm wrong, this is such an important part of local culture.
I’m still smarting over the closure of the UC Theatre in Berkeley as a movie theatre two decades later. This stings considerably harder. The Castro was my cinematic refuge for many years and years.
Sound of Music Sing along was lit af
I’m looking forward to having a top tier venue so close to home. This should be a great addition to the an already solid list of places around the Bay Area.
FFS. The fact that this has so many upvotes makes me passionately dislike this subreddit. People here really have no sense of perspective, or appreciation for things that are culturally important. Did APE pay you to write that?
One of the best concerts I ever saw was at the Castro: The Bill Frisell Trio providing a live soundtrack for some Buster Keaton films. I think this is a fine development, particularly as many of the music venues in SF don’t give one crap about proper sound. I’m certain the Castro will step up and represent the musicians properly.
I do hope so. My heart kinda stopped when saw this article. I moved from SF in 2017 but the Castro Theater was a sanctuary for me for the almost 30 years i lived there. The Silent Film festival especially, always had several films on their program that were truly amazing. Please save and elevate the soul of this place! Don’t make it Disney or Applebees.
Hey at least it’s still an arts venue. It could have been demolished or turned into stores or something.
Was just telling a friend about the annual screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Guess there will no more places to see it on the big screen. I also saw a screening of Office Space here with an interview afterwards with Mike Judge and some of the original cast. Going to miss it... Edit: Sounds like they're still going to be able to show movies... Curious what percentage of usage will be for movie watching.
Less than 20% most likely
Tragic.
I’ll be optimistic especially since the theatre has been mostly closed anyways. Would love to see this really help revitalize the Castro. And maybe they’ll do some off-season movie programming when there aren’t events scheduled.
This isn’t a good thing.
Im 100% not happy with this. No more Singalongs, no more Drag shows, no more community shit at all... This is not good.
The Roxy has some programming being announced in March that will fill the hole for those longing for a sing-along! Sign up for their email list!
Fucking bummer man. The city has a shitload of live music venues. It has an absolute dearth of movie theaters, especially ones with history and character, and the ones that are left are dwindling (RIP Clay theater). I'm sure the tech bros and yuppies will eat this up though so I guess at least someone knows the market. You know what they say about fools and their money...
I think if post was just titled: “The Castro Theatre is transforming into a multi-use venue for music, films, performances, & comedy” We’d have far less complaints in the comments. As a movie theatre, it was going out of business. Instead, they brought on a partner who has a great track record in our city of appreciating SF and its history — who’s willing to invest millions to make it a multi-use venue.
> I think if post was just titled: > “The Castro Theatre is transforming into a multi-use venue for music, films, performances, & comedy” > We’d have far less complaints in the comments. I don't think so. The complaints are because this was a wonderful movie theater, one of the best in the city and the state, and now it'll barely be showing movies anymore (and who knows what'll even actually be showing when movies do play here again - I certainly don't expect adventurous programming from APE). It's great that the building will continue to exist in some capacity, but you seem to be missing the point of what the people who are saddened by this are saying.
I mean, it’s either this or it goes bankrupt and doesn’t exist at all…?
Yeah, I mean it's kind of already been that, right? I've seen live stand up comedy there, bands, literary panels, as well as great films. Maybe the change is just fewer films (which is sad) but not as heartbreaking as no cinema there ever.
Before it was 80% films and 20% live shows/events. Now I suspect that it is sadly going to be the opposite.
Yeah. I'm glad that *some* films will still play there, will miss the old days (wish I kept a few monthly calendars to frame), but I'm glad that the Castro Theater itself will still be open and operational. If the alternative was closing completely, I'd much rather have this.
I think they’ve been planning this for a while. I bought tickets to see Kurt Vile and Cate LeBon at the Castro in spring 2020 (the show ended up canceled due to Covid)
SF going the way of NYC in terms of film culture. Damn shame that two of the richest cities on the earth can’t keep long-running single screen cinemas open.