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Metro Theatre
2055 Union Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94123
2055 Union Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94123
15 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 59 comments
I saw Dangerous Liaisons here in 1988! Wonderful memories. UA did a better job in upkeep than the Col Alex or Coronet! Spacious yet comfortable. Employees swore it was like a second home. I MISS YOU METROPOLITAN!
Kubrick’s A CLOCKWORK ORANGE opened here fifty years ago today
Hello-
many thanks to Eric for your reply. interestingly I even thought the name of the theater I was looking might have been the Cinema or Century 21. I had no idea of the name change. this site apparently lists theaters by their current names and not the name they were known by for the majority of their existence.
The large theater across the street from the Presido theater with the large screen and THX sound was the Cinema 21. Both were operated by Century theatres. Titanic showed at both these theaters for long runs. Both theaters are still there, but have since been split into smaller auditoriums. Cinema 21 is now known as the Marina.
Hello-
to stevenj thanks for your reply. I did see a film at the Presidio on a subsequent visit. the theater I saw Titanic at was a large theater so it definitely wasn’t the Presidio. plus it was on the opposite side of the street that the Presidio is on. I remember the theater I saw Titanic at was the 1st theater in S.F. with a certifies THX sound system.
bigjoe59….If I remember correctly, Titanic opened around Christmas time in 1997 at the Presidio on Chestnut St and had a fairly long run of several months. You probably saw it there.
Hello from NYC-
when I was vacationing in San Francisco the Spring of 1998 I saw Titanic for I think the 12th time. I think this might have bee this theater. I remember it was at a decent size theater om Union or Chestnut Sts.
Also uploaded the April 23rd, 1924 as Metropolitan.
This reopened as Metro on June 7th, 1941. Ad in the photo section.
“The Graduate” opened here fifty years ago today. The film went on to play (a venue record?) 46 weeks. And to commemorate the classic film’s golden anniversary, here’s a new retrospective article which includes some exhibition history (and other) details.
The facade of the Metro is essentially finished. It, and the marquee and vertical are repainted in two shades of taupe, and all the neon is back in place. Construction still continues inside. The 1920s ticket lobby ceiling in the entrance has either been preserved or carefully replicated. Through the new entry doors, one can see that the central one-third of the stenciled lobby ceiling has been faithfully replicated.
An article about the proposed plans for the conversion of the Metro Theater into a gym. View link
Here is a quote from the Landmark Designation Report for the Metro Theatre, regarding the involvement of architect Otto A. Deichmann in the 1941 remodeling of the house, and his professional relationship with Timothy Pflueger:
Click this link to download a PDF file of the Landmark Designation Report. It has a fairly extensive history of the theater.I managed the UA Metro around 1990. Of all the theatres I ran for UA in San Francisco, it was my favorite. Such a beautiful building, mostly unchanged from it’s opening state. Huge Lalique-style murals on the walls. a Todd-AO projector with 70mm capability and very decent sound. Among the movies that screened there during my tenure: • MEMPHIS BELLE in 70mm • BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES in 70mm • NOTHING BUT TROUBLE with Chevy Chase (total bomb. averaged 8 admissions per day. got a lot of gum scraped off the seats that fortnight) • PARIS IS BURNING (a documentary about transvestite “balls” in New York. The SF Chronicle reviewer said up front that it had no business playing at the Metro, and should have opened at the Castro. With seven shows a day and sellouts every night, I totally cleaned up.) • PRESUMED INNOCENT
Very nice maybe someone can open it back up.
Here is a March 2010 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ygms9l6
The Metro in slightly better days – from spring 1996:
View link
Save the Metro! See the Video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRaM9ODJ-tU
Here are a few shots from the exterior taken in January 2008
Metro Theater
The SF Landmarks Board will consider landmark status for the Metro Theater next Wed., Feb. 6 at 12:30 pm in Room 400, City Hall. See www.sfntf.org for more info or email Alfonso Felder at … the Metro item is #14 of a 14-item agenda so it will be later in the afternoon . .
Does anyone know what is currently happening with the theater? Are they planning on using it as a theater or for alternative uses? It is a shame that it is not in use, because it is such a beautiful theater. Who is the current owner of the property, and what is their contact information?
It seems like an upscale neighborhood. I can’t imagine it will be vacant for much longer.
Wow, it’s real sad to see it all boarded up and dormant like that. I bet the residents and businesses on/near Union Street now wish they had tried to save it and keep it open.
Here are some photos from September 2007:
http://tinyurl.com/2paltn
http://tinyurl.com/348zpk
http://tinyurl.com/2vvgge
http://tinyurl.com/ynvbvd
http://tinyurl.com/2ad9a2
http://tinyurl.com/22emcq
http://tinyurl.com/28j3c2
http://tinyurl.com/25uznw
I am looking tp photograph some interior shots of the Metro. If anyone has access to the Metro and knows the importance for archival documentation please email me or post a comment I would love to help.