San Francisco - Alison Bing [160]
Bridge Theater Map
415-267-4893; www.landmarktheatres.com; 3010 Geary Blvd; adult/senior, child & matinee $10.50/8; 18, 38
One of the city’s few remaining single-screen theaters, the Bridge shows an international lineup of independent films. Weekends in summer, at midnight, the Bridge hosts Midnight Mass, featuring camp, horror and B-grade movies, such as Showgirls and Mommie Dearest, with each screening preceded by a drag show spoofing the film. Local celeb Peaches Christ (see the boxed text, above) wrangles the always-raucous crowd; reserve ahead.
Castro Theatre Map
415-621-6120; www.thecastrotheatre.com; 429 Castro St; adult/senior, child & matinee $9.50/7; 24, 33, K, L, M, Castro St
The Mighty Wurlitzer organ rises from the orchestra pit before the evening performance, and the audience cheers and whistles as the organist plays classics from the Great American Songbook. If there’s a gay cult classic on the bill, such as Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, expect full audience participation. Otherwise, the crowd is well behaved and rapt. San Franciscans are wary of the seat beneath the giant chandelier, but film fests and Fellini tributes fill every available chair. Note: sound is echoey in the balcony.
Clay Theater Map
415-267-4893; www.landmarktheatres.com; 2261 Fillmore St; adult/senior, child & matinee $10.50/8; 22
In business since 1913, the single-screen Clay regularly screens a mix of both independent and foreign films. The crowd is quite civilized: the Clay is in fancy Specific Whites…err, Pacific Heights. On Saturdays (and occasionally Fridays) at midnight, look for classics like Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Embarcadero Center Cinema
Map
415-267-4893; www.landmarktheatres.com; top fl, 1 Embarcadero Center; adult/senior, child & matinee $10.50/8; & Embarcadero
Blockbusters do nothing for the cinephile crowds at the Embarcadero – instead, people queue up for the latest Almodóvar film and whatever won best foreign film at the Oscars. The snack bar caters to discerning tastes with good local coffee, fair-trade chocolate and popcorn with real butter. Spoiler alert: aficionado audiences discuss reviews before and after films.
Four Star Theater
Map
415-666-3488; www.hkinsf.com/4star; 2200 Clement St; single & double feature/matinee $9/7; 1, 2, 29, 38
Long before John Woo, Ang Li and Wong Kar-wai hit multiplex marquees, they brought down the house in the Four Star’s postage-stamp-sized screening rooms. This diminutive cinema is still the audience testing ground for emerging Hong Kong and Taiwan cinema, and also shows double features.
Lumiere Theater Map
415-267-4893; www.landmarktheatres.com; 1572 California St; adult/senior, child & matinee $10.50/8; 19; California
Right off Polk St, the rough-at-the-edges Lumiere has one large screening room and two smaller rooms, all with seats that need replacing. But we love the programming – a mix of first-run art-house, foreign and documentary films.
Red Vic Movie House
Map
415-668-3994; www.redvicmoviehouse.com; 1727 Haight St; adult/senior & child/matinee $9/6/7; 6, 7, 33, 37, 43, 71, N
Collectively owned and operated for decades, the Red Vic has preserved a funky ’70s vibe right down to the dilapidated couch seating and popcorn served in faux-wood snack bowls with optional brewer’s yeast. Surfer flicks, punk rockumentaries and movies by local filmmakers pack the place, so get in line if you hope to avoid the too-deep seats with busted springs.
Roxie Cinema
Map
415-863-1087; www.roxie.com; 3117 16th St; admission prices vary, generally around $10; 14, 22, 33, 49; 16th St Mission
The Roxie carries major clout with cinemaniacs for helping distribute and launch Hong Kong films Stateside, and for showing controversial films and documentaries banned elsewhere in the US. You never can predict the Roxie. Matt Groenig may show up to introduce a Simpsons film festival, and the audience will likely throw popcorn during the screening of the Academy Awards.
Sundance Kabuki Cinema
Map
415-929-4650;