Just sold Jan 13 2022 to True Investments for $1.6 million. This Art-Moderne neighborhood theatre opened in 1949 I think. The building for closed in 2019. I have no idea what the inside looks like at this time. The new owners may have no interest in turning It back into a theatre? The Preservation Action Council of San Jose will try to reach out to the new owners about future use. The former cinema is listed on the Santa Clara Country’s Historic Resources Inventory but legal protections on It’s demolition are very limited. Let’s hope they don’t tear the theatre down and build more condos.
The Drafthouse New Mission Theatre SF is starting to run 35mm/70mm films again. Now that the nearby Castro Theatre has cut way back on movies/films and going more live events the ‘New Mission’ will be a great cinema in San Francisco at least in the larger downstairs space that has film projectors to see a movie and grab some food. They just finished Licorice Pizza in a 70mm blow up print and soon have ‘Inherit Vice’ in 70mm plus ‘Mars Attacks’ with a 35mm film print. Stop by and say hello to the live projectionist Jim. He knows showmanship and curtain/masking cues.
The 35mm/70mm projectors at SF’s Castro Theatre will not be used much now that a deal has been signed for ‘Another Planet Entertainment’ to take over the management and booking at this famous SF movie palace. The Nasser family will still own the building. The Nasser’s are mainly under ‘Bay Properties’ in the real estate business. Look what they have done to the Royal Theatre on Polk St, turned the cinema property into condos same with the Alhambra Theatre on Polk ST now a gym. At least the Nasser family won’t be knocking the Castro Theatre down for apartments or condos in the Castro area. The ‘Planet’ people say they will remodel the theatre with added lobby and stage space? The only way they can enlarge the small lobby is to turn the rental stores out front to new drink bar set up spaces inside. That’s how they can afford to pay for all the long delayed fix up work by charging inflated money for booze. The same with the very small backstage, I don’t think they will spend the money knocking down the back wall parking lot and extending the stage for live events. Planet will probably put in a thrust stage and take out 8 rows of seats or maybe take out all the seats downstairs like they have done at the Fox Oakland Theatre they book in Oakland CA. The old bathrooms downstairs need a major up grade. Forget the days of paying $9 to see a classic movie or double bill in 35mm film on the giant Castro screen. Be ready to come up with big bucks to sit or stand for a live show. They say they will still show some movies but this never happened at the Fox Oakland. Planet says they will up grade the neon marquee but I bet this will be a junky LED video screen that will flash and glare all over Castro St. No more plastic marquee letters. A new sound system is also planned but I don’t think It will be a nice surround Dolby Atmos® or Meyers® system for movies. They will probably hang ugly rock/music speakers on the side stage ceiling like at the Fox Oakland? Forget the days of seeing a double bill, going to a matinee, the smell of fresh popcorn in the lobby and hearing a live pipe organ pre show before the noisy gold curtains opened. Thanks to the Nasser family for holding on as long as they could in keeping some sort of showmanship at their famous SF movie theatre. Looks like the Drafthouse ‘New Mission Theatre’ in SF not far away still shows 35mm/70mm films in the larger downstairs auditorium with curtains with my friend ‘Jim’ as a live projectionist on duty. They don’t have all the seats as the Castro has but a least they may get some film festivals or show classic movies on film or DCP video. We hope ‘Another Planet’ still keeps as promised the new giant pipe/electric organ that was to go in and many people donated money for? We wish the new managers well and hope they can bring back all the color lights that once lit up the inside along with other up grades, time will tell. We will miss seeing movies all the time at the Castro Theatre.
Thanks Rocky the land money hungry Syufy family tore this great dome curved screen D-150 cinema down a few years ago. Over the last years they cut the size of the screen way down and didn’t bother to even close the curtains. At least the Syufy’s did not twin the place like they did in Reno NV and a few domes in San Jose CA. In Pleasant Hill they put some smaller auditoriums in the back.
Thanks for the ad. Sensurround® was a great sound system only used in a few films. When I saw ‘Earthquake’ at the Fox Hollywood Chinese Theatre those Cerwin Vega® speakers shook the place. They even put gimmick nets up on the ceiling to prevent plaster from falling down. Some older cinemas did suffer from the sound shaking and deep base sounds.
Thanks for the Fox SF photo find. This was one of the few movie theatres around the USA that had two large CinemaScope® neon signs above the marquee. I often wonder what happened to these signs when they tore the theatre down? ‘Carousel’ must have looked great on the Fox’s large CinemaScope® screen plus in CinemaScope55® and 4 track mag stereo! Thanks again Steve
Thanks Mike. This was a great drive-in. Changed names later on and most of it is still up except for the large CinemaScope® screen and a small screen to the right. The local hospital that bought the ‘Encina’ land was such in a rush as many local Santa Cruz movie people tried to stop the sale the first thing they did was to tear down the screen. Just use it now for a parking area and a flea market on the weekends. The projection booth, candy counter, rest rooms and boxoffice area still remains. Time to re open and put back the screen!
The RPX® screen here at the Regal 12 in space #12 is not that big and barley curved. We like the two huge super curved XD® screens better at the Century 9 at Powel & Market in downtown SF way better along with the Dolby Cinema® wide curved screen at the AMC Metreon in SF.
Last month Aug 2021 we saw Jungle Cruise not only in 4DX in Theatre #1 but it was in 3D also. My first 4DX presentation and I enjoyed all the effects plus my back did not hurt after. The seats did move very rough at times.
Regal SF 12 now as of Sept 2021 has some seats and chairs in the lobby halls. They are also starting to show some older classic films this week in Theatre #9 in the Screen X format and just charging $7!
The large downstairs New Mission SF theatre #1 has 35mm/70mm film projectors, masking that moves plus curtains that work. So glad they have reopened. Arrive early to watch the pre show entertainment and grab a snack. The green neon marquee has been lit up again. Now they just need to put up some plastic letters to tell you what is playing inside.
The former AMC Van Ness Theatre has been fixed up with all the new gadgets like 4DX but It still sits closed after all these years. CJ CGV Cinemas I think dropped out of this SF location. Some one needs to take over this movie spot in SF. No other cinemas in this prime area of San Francisco.
I forgot to add the 4 **** Theatre has just mono sound last time I was in the cinema. Please put in a stereo surround system when you remodel the place and some color lights.
The New Mission Theatre SF re opens today Sept 10 2021 after being closed many C19 months. Just a few of the auditoriums are showing movies till they get their staff up and going.
Let’s hope the new managers of the small 4 **** Theatre in SF fix the main stage curtains to make them work again as they don’t bother fixing the curtains at the Vogue and Balboa Theatres in SF they run. Bring some showmanship back and program some 35mm movie classics. Time to rip out the tiny add on screen in the back side and make the cinema one again!
Thanks Dallas. Wish I had one of these classic satin CinemaScope® banners made by National Screen Service. You never see them up on E Bay. They came in many colors and sizes and were cheap in the early 1950’s. Some had fringe on the bottom and looked so nice blowing in the wind under a neon theatre marquee!
Thanks Ken glad they did restore this nice looking movie theatre for a new generation to enjoy! Let’s hope they can put in some color LED lights in the side scone lights shown in the photo. Time to show ‘Rio Bravo’ on the CinemaScope® screen. Or ‘Hondo’ in 3D. Bring on the cowboy western bands on weekend nights. I wonder If they have any moving stage curtains that work?
Turns out this lighted sign outside the brand new now open (May 28 2021) Regal 12 Stonestown Galleria Theatre in SF was not turned into a small fountain after all. They filled with dirt and put plants into the front of the sign. Now someone at Regal 12 SF or the Stonestown Mall needs to put some signs or arrows outside the front and inside the halls of the big mall to direct people to the second floor entrance to the brand new cinema. No one can find the entrance going for the first time from the outside parking lot area.
This RPX® auditorium has lighted Klisph® stereo surround speakers. The Dolby Atmos® system is not quite set up and tuned yet. Dolby® tech people will be coming on Tues June 1 2021 to complete the set up we have been told. Turns out after my visit today the seats do not recline in this RPX® space. Too bad they did not put in the nice electric recliner seats like they have in other parts of this brand new cinema. The new Regal Orange type electric recliners take the space of 3 regular lean back seats so I guess they put in more seats in their largest theatre #12.
Just sold Jan 13 2022 to True Investments for $1.6 million. This Art-Moderne neighborhood theatre opened in 1949 I think. The building for closed in 2019. I have no idea what the inside looks like at this time. The new owners may have no interest in turning It back into a theatre? The Preservation Action Council of San Jose will try to reach out to the new owners about future use. The former cinema is listed on the Santa Clara Country’s Historic Resources Inventory but legal protections on It’s demolition are very limited. Let’s hope they don’t tear the theatre down and build more condos.
The Drafthouse New Mission Theatre SF is starting to run 35mm/70mm films again. Now that the nearby Castro Theatre has cut way back on movies/films and going more live events the ‘New Mission’ will be a great cinema in San Francisco at least in the larger downstairs space that has film projectors to see a movie and grab some food. They just finished Licorice Pizza in a 70mm blow up print and soon have ‘Inherit Vice’ in 70mm plus ‘Mars Attacks’ with a 35mm film print. Stop by and say hello to the live projectionist Jim. He knows showmanship and curtain/masking cues.
The 35mm/70mm projectors at SF’s Castro Theatre will not be used much now that a deal has been signed for ‘Another Planet Entertainment’ to take over the management and booking at this famous SF movie palace. The Nasser family will still own the building. The Nasser’s are mainly under ‘Bay Properties’ in the real estate business. Look what they have done to the Royal Theatre on Polk St, turned the cinema property into condos same with the Alhambra Theatre on Polk ST now a gym. At least the Nasser family won’t be knocking the Castro Theatre down for apartments or condos in the Castro area. The ‘Planet’ people say they will remodel the theatre with added lobby and stage space? The only way they can enlarge the small lobby is to turn the rental stores out front to new drink bar set up spaces inside. That’s how they can afford to pay for all the long delayed fix up work by charging inflated money for booze. The same with the very small backstage, I don’t think they will spend the money knocking down the back wall parking lot and extending the stage for live events. Planet will probably put in a thrust stage and take out 8 rows of seats or maybe take out all the seats downstairs like they have done at the Fox Oakland Theatre they book in Oakland CA. The old bathrooms downstairs need a major up grade. Forget the days of paying $9 to see a classic movie or double bill in 35mm film on the giant Castro screen. Be ready to come up with big bucks to sit or stand for a live show. They say they will still show some movies but this never happened at the Fox Oakland. Planet says they will up grade the neon marquee but I bet this will be a junky LED video screen that will flash and glare all over Castro St. No more plastic marquee letters. A new sound system is also planned but I don’t think It will be a nice surround Dolby Atmos® or Meyers® system for movies. They will probably hang ugly rock/music speakers on the side stage ceiling like at the Fox Oakland? Forget the days of seeing a double bill, going to a matinee, the smell of fresh popcorn in the lobby and hearing a live pipe organ pre show before the noisy gold curtains opened. Thanks to the Nasser family for holding on as long as they could in keeping some sort of showmanship at their famous SF movie theatre. Looks like the Drafthouse ‘New Mission Theatre’ in SF not far away still shows 35mm/70mm films in the larger downstairs auditorium with curtains with my friend ‘Jim’ as a live projectionist on duty. They don’t have all the seats as the Castro has but a least they may get some film festivals or show classic movies on film or DCP video. We hope ‘Another Planet’ still keeps as promised the new giant pipe/electric organ that was to go in and many people donated money for? We wish the new managers well and hope they can bring back all the color lights that once lit up the inside along with other up grades, time will tell. We will miss seeing movies all the time at the Castro Theatre.
Thanks Rocky the land money hungry Syufy family tore this great dome curved screen D-150 cinema down a few years ago. Over the last years they cut the size of the screen way down and didn’t bother to even close the curtains. At least the Syufy’s did not twin the place like they did in Reno NV and a few domes in San Jose CA. In Pleasant Hill they put some smaller auditoriums in the back.
Thanks for the ad. Sensurround® was a great sound system only used in a few films. When I saw ‘Earthquake’ at the Fox Hollywood Chinese Theatre those Cerwin Vega® speakers shook the place. They even put gimmick nets up on the ceiling to prevent plaster from falling down. Some older cinemas did suffer from the sound shaking and deep base sounds.
Thanks for the Fox SF photo find. This was one of the few movie theatres around the USA that had two large CinemaScope® neon signs above the marquee. I often wonder what happened to these signs when they tore the theatre down? ‘Carousel’ must have looked great on the Fox’s large CinemaScope® screen plus in CinemaScope55® and 4 track mag stereo! Thanks again Steve
Great 70mm ad. The movie is just a blow up from 35mm scope. May look good on the giant Fox Village screen. 70mm is back in a few theatres at least.
Thanks Mike. This was a great drive-in. Changed names later on and most of it is still up except for the large CinemaScope® screen and a small screen to the right. The local hospital that bought the ‘Encina’ land was such in a rush as many local Santa Cruz movie people tried to stop the sale the first thing they did was to tear down the screen. Just use it now for a parking area and a flea market on the weekends. The projection booth, candy counter, rest rooms and boxoffice area still remains. Time to re open and put back the screen!
Thanks Apple what a great curved screen!
The RPX® screen here at the Regal 12 in space #12 is not that big and barley curved. We like the two huge super curved XD® screens better at the Century 9 at Powel & Market in downtown SF way better along with the Dolby Cinema® wide curved screen at the AMC Metreon in SF.
Last month Aug 2021 we saw Jungle Cruise not only in 4DX in Theatre #1 but it was in 3D also. My first 4DX presentation and I enjoyed all the effects plus my back did not hurt after. The seats did move very rough at times.
Regal SF 12 now as of Sept 2021 has some seats and chairs in the lobby halls. They are also starting to show some older classic films this week in Theatre #9 in the Screen X format and just charging $7!
The large downstairs New Mission SF theatre #1 has 35mm/70mm film projectors, masking that moves plus curtains that work. So glad they have reopened. Arrive early to watch the pre show entertainment and grab a snack. The green neon marquee has been lit up again. Now they just need to put up some plastic letters to tell you what is playing inside.
The former AMC Van Ness Theatre has been fixed up with all the new gadgets like 4DX but It still sits closed after all these years. CJ CGV Cinemas I think dropped out of this SF location. Some one needs to take over this movie spot in SF. No other cinemas in this prime area of San Francisco.
I forgot to add the 4 **** Theatre has just mono sound last time I was in the cinema. Please put in a stereo surround system when you remodel the place and some color lights.
The New Mission Theatre SF re opens today Sept 10 2021 after being closed many C19 months. Just a few of the auditoriums are showing movies till they get their staff up and going.
Let’s hope the new managers of the small 4 **** Theatre in SF fix the main stage curtains to make them work again as they don’t bother fixing the curtains at the Vogue and Balboa Theatres in SF they run. Bring some showmanship back and program some 35mm movie classics. Time to rip out the tiny add on screen in the back side and make the cinema one again!
Thanks film nice photo, liked the ceiling light, must have looked great If they lit in blue or red bulbs.
Thanks Dallas. Wish I had one of these classic satin CinemaScope® banners made by National Screen Service. You never see them up on E Bay. They came in many colors and sizes and were cheap in the early 1950’s. Some had fringe on the bottom and looked so nice blowing in the wind under a neon theatre marquee!
Thanks Kino nice lighting.
Great neon at the Fremont Theatre still open in San Luis Obispo CA. The town also has a working outdoor drive in theatre.
Thanks Ken glad they did restore this nice looking movie theatre for a new generation to enjoy! Let’s hope they can put in some color LED lights in the side scone lights shown in the photo. Time to show ‘Rio Bravo’ on the CinemaScope® screen. Or ‘Hondo’ in 3D. Bring on the cowboy western bands on weekend nights. I wonder If they have any moving stage curtains that work?
Turns out this lighted sign outside the brand new now open (May 28 2021) Regal 12 Stonestown Galleria Theatre in SF was not turned into a small fountain after all. They filled with dirt and put plants into the front of the sign. Now someone at Regal 12 SF or the Stonestown Mall needs to put some signs or arrows outside the front and inside the halls of the big mall to direct people to the second floor entrance to the brand new cinema. No one can find the entrance going for the first time from the outside parking lot area.
The new 4DX® screen in Theatre #1 is now open showing movies May 29 2021.
This RPX® auditorium has lighted Klisph® stereo surround speakers. The Dolby Atmos® system is not quite set up and tuned yet. Dolby® tech people will be coming on Tues June 1 2021 to complete the set up we have been told. Turns out after my visit today the seats do not recline in this RPX® space. Too bad they did not put in the nice electric recliner seats like they have in other parts of this brand new cinema. The new Regal Orange type electric recliners take the space of 3 regular lean back seats so I guess they put in more seats in their largest theatre #12.