Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Film and Theater
San Francisco has an avid film-going community, and newly
released blockbusters often get shown at neighborhood
theaters. In keeping with its reputation as a center of the arts,
San Francisco really excels at film festivals. In addition to the well-
known International and Mill Valley festivals, there are annual
celebrations of the best of Native American, Asian-American,
Women's, and Gay and Lesbian film and video productions.
Theater offerings are much less varied and more expensive
than films, and at any one time there may be only a handful of
productions from which to choose. Mainstream theaters,
which host a range of touring Broadway productions as well
as those by local companies, are concentrated in the Theater
District
(see p118)
, along Geary Street just west of Union
Square. The Fort Mason Center
(see pp74-5)
is another
theatrical nexus, with a more avant-garde reputation.
Film Festivals
Held at the Kabuki complex
for two weeks in May, the
San
Francisco International Film
Festival
usually has some
commercial hits. Generally,
however, it shows independent
and foreign releases that might
not otherwise get shown.
The tickets sell extremely fast,
and you will need to book
three or four days in advance.
The
Mill Valley Film Festival
,
held early in October, is also
a mainstay of the circuit, as is
the increasingly high-profile
Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
held each June at the
Castro
,
Roxie
, and the
Yerba Buena
Center for the Arts
.
First-Run Films
For an enjoyable multimedia
experience, head to the
Metreon
, a 15-screen complex
plus IMAX. There are shops,
restaurants, special programs,
and other attractions. The
AMC
Kabuki
Japan Center
(see p130)
and the modern
Embarcadero
and
Presidio Theatre
are other
excellent movie houses for first-
run films; the Embarcadero also
excels at foreign and indie films.
Prices for all first-run venues are
roughly the same.
Other popular venues include
the
AMC Van Ness 14
and
AMC Loews Metreon 16
. The
Century San Francisco Centre
is located in the Westfield
Shopping Centre and has
luxurious seats and a gourmet
snack bar. Programs usually
start around noon, with shows
every 2 hours until around
10pm. On occasion, there are
midnight shows on weekends.
Half-price tickets may be
available for at least the first
showing, although this varies
greatly from theater to theater.
The Kabuki offers its best
discounts every day from
4pm to 6pm.
Mainstream Theaters
Many residents of San
Francisco show apparent
disdain for the international
commercial successes, which
On Location
Many places in and around San
Francisco have played starring
roles in films:
Foreign Films and
Art Houses
Main venues for first-run foreign
films are the
Clay
in Pacific
Heights and
Opera Plaza
, a
four-screen complex. Both of
these are owned and operated
by the Landmark chain, which
sells a discount card that gives
five admissions for a saving of
30 percent.
The
Castro
(see p138)
, San
Francisco's finest older theater,
shows Hollywood classics as
well as unusual newer films,
with programs changing daily.
The chic
Roxie
, an independent
rep house in the Mission
District, the historic
Victoria
Theater
, and the
Bridge
Theater
also screen forgotten
classics and unusual
new releases.
More obscure but intriguing
fare is at
Cinematheque
, which
has programs on Sunday nights
at the San Francisco Art
Institute, and on Thursday
nights at the
Yerba Buena
Center for the Arts
.
Alcatraz
is the famous high
security prison in
Bird Man of
Alcatraz
and
Escape from
Alcatraz.
Alta Plaza Park
is
where Barbra Streisand drove a
car down the steps in
What's
Up Doc?
Bodega Bay
, on the coast
just north of San Francisco, is
the small town in Hitchcock's
The Birds
.
Chinatown
as tourists don't
usually see it is the setting for
Chan is Missing
,
The Dead Pool
,
Dim Sum
, and
Hammett
.
Fillmore Auditorium
's final
week, with footage of the
Grateful Dead, is the theme
of
Fillmore
.
Mission District
featured
in the violent cop thriller
The Laughing Policeman
.
Presidio
is where a brutal
murder takes place in the
crime thriller
The Presidio
.
Union Square
is the scene
for the key sequence of
The Conversation
.
Film Ratings
Films in the US are graded as
follows:
G
General audiences, all ages
admitted.
PG
Parental guidance
suggested. Some material
unsuitable for children.
PG-13
Parents strongly
cautioned. Some material
inappropriate for children
under age 13.
R
Restricted. Children under 17
need to be accompanied by a
parent or adult guardian.
NC-17
No children under
17 admitted.
