It seems that an Indiana-based Midwestern theater chain called Motion Picture Heritage is in talks with the Parkway’s owners about reopening the beloved Oakland theater. See this Chronicle article for details.
Category: Theaters
The Cerrito is Gone, but Thrillville Lives On
The Cerrito is gone (hopefully temporarily), and so is Speakeasy Theaters (definitely permanently), But Thrilleville lives on…at least for a bit. Will Viharo, who booked the two Speakeasy theaters and ran Thrillville there, as found a home for the next scheduled event. On June 18, at 7:30, thrill seekers will convene at the Camera 3 … Continue reading The Cerrito is Gone, but Thrillville Lives On
The Castro’s New Digital Projector
Note: I made a slight alteration to this post on June 30, at the request of a Castro employee. The Castro has a new digital projector. I’m not talking about the kind you might use for conference presentations, then bring home to watch DVDs. I’m talking about the kind of big, 2K projector that’s becoming … Continue reading The Castro’s New Digital Projector
Cerrito Closed for a Week
I just got the announcement. The Cerrito will be closed from May 20 through the 28th. Let's hope it opens on the 29th.
More Thoughts on the Cerrito
I find myself wondering if the Castro's business model, or something like that, would work at the Cerrito. By that I mean revival series built around a theme (a director, a composer, or a genre), occasional first run, and renting the place out for film festivals. Few major festivals have an East Bay venue, and … Continue reading More Thoughts on the Cerrito
It’s Official: Speakeasy Backs Out of Cerrito Theater
The following statement just went out to the Speakeasy Theaters mailing list: As many of you know, Speakeasy Theaters has been experiencing extreme financial difficulty since opening the Cerrito Theater. We learned much from the closing of the Parkway. Of most importance, we learned that our patrons would have preferred more warning of its impending … Continue reading It’s Official: Speakeasy Backs Out of Cerrito Theater
More Bad News for Speakeasy Theaters
Less than two months after Speakeasy Theater's flagship, the Parkway, suddenly closed, the chain may lose control of the Cerrito, as well. Last night the El Cerrito city counsel met publicly to discuss the fate of the city-owned, Speakeasy-operated theater. According to a report from Friends of the Cerrito Theater (which had encouraged its members … Continue reading More Bad News for Speakeasy Theaters
Revolutionary Road and the New Shattuck
My wife and I saw Revolutionary Road at the newly refurbished Shattuck tonight. I’ll start with the film, then tell you about the theater. After a romantic prologue where an attractive couple meet and fall for each other, Revolutionary Road plunges you into a severely unhappy marriage--all the worse because the couple clearly still love … Continue reading Revolutionary Road and the New Shattuck
Shattuck Theater Getting Remodeled
Landmark Theater's is remodeling the Shattuck, adding "Landmark’s exclusive Screening Lounge™ auditoriums and other upscale amenities." I suspect that's a trademarked name for what other theater chains have been doing for years. I found a description of another "Screening Lounge" theater on Landmark's site; it should give you an idea of what it means. Basically, … Continue reading Shattuck Theater Getting Remodeled
Shine a Light
Rock concert documentary Directed by Martin Scorsese Martin Scorsese’s Rolling Stones concert film bombs horribly in the first half, but rights itself in the span of one song and sails on to to a glorious but too-soon finish. If the first half had been as good as the second, Shine a Light would sit next … Continue reading Shine a Light
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