Discovering this theater in the Summer of ‘99 was a dream come true for me. I can’t top what’s already been said about the beauty and physical charm of the theater itself, but for me, it’s the finest movie house in California, if not the entire country. It’s allowed me to compress a lifetime of film study into just a few years. I was drop-dead astounded when I first came to understand what this place is, what it stands for and who stands behind it. It was an absolute thrill getting to meet Eva Marie Saint, chat for a moment and get her autograph. She’s a very warm, down to earth lady, and the years have been very kind to her. My wife and I were completely blown away by Charlie Chaplin’s “The Gold Rush” — astonished by the ingenuity of the set pieces and delighted with the pathos associated with the little tramp. The organist played brilliantly. Standing ovation at the close of the show. Now I understand why Chaplin is considered the granddaddy of all cinema. Thank heaven for David Packard. His efforts have brought the experience into sharp focus by helping us understand, in several dimensions, what personally experiencing the golden age of cinema really is. And why it was the golden age. To call this place a treasure is an understatement in the extreme.
Discovering this theater in the Summer of ‘99 was a dream come true for me. I can’t top what’s already been said about the beauty and physical charm of the theater itself, but for me, it’s the finest movie house in California, if not the entire country. It’s allowed me to compress a lifetime of film study into just a few years. I was drop-dead astounded when I first came to understand what this place is, what it stands for and who stands behind it. It was an absolute thrill getting to meet Eva Marie Saint, chat for a moment and get her autograph. She’s a very warm, down to earth lady, and the years have been very kind to her. My wife and I were completely blown away by Charlie Chaplin’s “The Gold Rush” — astonished by the ingenuity of the set pieces and delighted with the pathos associated with the little tramp. The organist played brilliantly. Standing ovation at the close of the show. Now I understand why Chaplin is considered the granddaddy of all cinema. Thank heaven for David Packard. His efforts have brought the experience into sharp focus by helping us understand, in several dimensions, what personally experiencing the golden age of cinema really is. And why it was the golden age. To call this place a treasure is an understatement in the extreme.
Ken Zowal
Fremont, California