General Admission: $9.00, Senior (60+) or Child (11-): $6.50
(First matinee show of each movie is bargain price: $6.50)
YOUR BIRTHDAY? BE OUR GUEST.
WHAT’S IN THE NEWS: Showtimes, Dear Friends, Wild At Heart with Barry Gifford in Person, Remembering Playland at the Beach, Date Night, SF International Film Festival, Win Tickets to Ballet Folklorico, Theater Information.
SHOWTIMES - through Thursday, April 22, 2010 |
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THEATRE #1 |
THEATRE #2 |
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THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (NR but has violence and sex not appropriate for young audiences) |
DATE NIGHT (PG-13) |
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SHOWTIMES - Friday, April 23 - Thursday, April 29, 2010 |
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THEATRE #1 |
THEATRE #2 |
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REMEMBERING PLAYLAND AT THE BEACH (NR) |
DATE NIGHT (PG-13) |
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SPECIAL EVENTSWILD AT HEART (X-Rated Version, 35mm Archival Print) with BARRY GIFFORD AND FRIENDS IN PERSON |
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COMING SOONMay 7: IRON MAN 2 May 14: ROBIN HOOD May 28: SEX AND THE CITY 2 |
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TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS. BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS.
I spent much of Tuesday flying to New York. The plane had a good selection of movies and TV shows to watch on demand. But what a tiny screen, smaller than a laptop. Can you guess what more than half the people were watching?
AVATAR!
On that miniscule screen? Not in 3-D and with those terrible low-fi earbuds they give out. AVATAR was great and it defines the theatrical movie-going experience. What a shame this is how thousands of people will remember it.
We installed a very special 5 channel stereo sound system for the GRATEFUL DEAD concert film this week. It was quite an amazing audio experience. The speakers and set-up were from Meyer Sound in Berkeley, a company that has long been one of the most innovative in creating great sound environments for live performances. They have now developed a major leap forward in sound for the movies. And they have agreed to allow us to keep it for our upcoming IRON MAN 2 engagement. Check them out at www.meyersound.com/.
PLAYLAND IS BACK!
Unfortunately not the actual place but the record-breaking film REMEMBERING PLAYLAND will open a regular engagement starting Friday. Don’t miss the thrills and laughs of the roller coaster, fun house, dark rides, Diving Bell, Funtier Town and IT’S IT to name a few of the things you will learn about. And there will be a teriffic exhibit of memorabilia in the lobby. For lots of cool details check below.
BARRY GIFFORD AND FRIENDS
Next Wednesday another very special event at the Balboa when author Barry Gifford and friends will celebrate the publication of his Sailor and Luna stories being published in one volume. There will be readings, conversation, book signings and a screening of David Lynch’s WILD AT HEART. We will show the studio print of the uncut, X-rated version. Details below.
MOVIES YOU MGHT HAVE MISSED
At our recent Oscar Party Reed Kirk Rahlmann, our master of ceremonies, asked audience members to suggest favorite movies. He sent us the list with this note “There are 55 movies, and the audience came through as I hoped, which was to generate a list of interesting films. There are plenty I hadn't heard of, and some that I had forgotten about. They are a mix of the classic, quirky, underrated and overlooked. I will be using the list next time I go to Le Video.” We suggest that you take the list with you and visit the incredible collection of films at Le Video, 9th Ave and Irving. www.levideo.com
WIN MOVIE AND CONCERT TICKETS
Only the Balboa Theatre offers our loyal friends a chance to win free tickets to a variety of events. Last week we offered tickets for this Friday’s Arlo Guthrie concert at Zellerbach. Many of you enjoyed the show THE RAT PACK. Cal Performances is offering five pairs of tickets for BALLET FOLKLORICO and you can learn how to enter below.
This weekend before selected performances at the Balboa we will be giving away tickets to films at the San Francisco International Film Festival. For suggestions of movies to catch at the Festival please click here.
VOTE FOR THE BALBOA ON BAYLIST
The voting is in full swing and we want to thank all of you who have voted for the Balboa. We currently stand at #1. If you haven’t done it yet, please go to:
http://baylist.sfgate.com/balboa-theater/biz/13806
Sincerely,
Gary
An evening of readings, conversation, and film with Barry Gifford, Robert Mailer Anderson, Eddie Muller, Jim Nisbet, Sin Sorracco, and more tba. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Balboa Theatre box office, City Lights bookstore, or online at BrownPaperTickets.com. Admission is $10.00. Proceeds go towards renovations for the Balboa Theater, one of the last remaining independent movie houses in the city. Join Barry Gifford and friends as they celebrate the 20th anniversary of the novel Wild At Heart with a 35mm screening of the Palme d'Or–winning film adapted for the screen by director David Lynch. This evening will be celebrating the release of Sailor & Lula: The Complete Novels published by Seven Stories Press. This new collection presents all of the novels and novellas that comprise the saga of Sailor Ripley and Lula Pace Fortune, "the Romeo and Juliet of the South": Wild at Heart, Perdita Durango (also made into a feature film), Sailor's Holiday, Sultans of Africa, Consuelo's Kiss, Bad Day for the Leopard Man, and The Imagination of the Heart. Barry Gifford will be on hand with local writers who will be reading excerpts from the Sailor and Lula cycle. The readings will be followed by a talk and book-signing by Barry Gifford, as well as a screening of a fresh 35mm print of David Lynch's Wild At Heart - X-Rated Version! Event hosted by City Light's Peter Maravelis . |
Barry Gifford is a poet, novelist and playwright. He is known for his distinctive mix of American landscapes, Film Noir and Beat influenced work. He is the author of over two dozen books of fiction and non-fiction which include: Wild At Heart, American Falls: The Collected Short Stories, Out of the Past: Adventures in Film Noir, The Rooster Trapped in the Reptile Room, and many others. He co-wrote the screenplays for Lost Highway, Perdita Durango, and Hotel Room. His novel Wild at Heart was adapted for film by David Lynch.
After sold out sneak preview screenings of Tom Wyrsch’s film, REMEMBERING PLAYLAND AT THE BEACH, the fascinating documentary about one of San Francisco’s favorites destinations will open a special one week engagement at the Balboa Theatre on Friday, April 23. The theater is a dozen blocks from the site of the beloved amusement park. The full length documentary tells the history of San Francisco's famous 10-acre seaside amusement park, Playland at the Beach. Located next to Ocean Beach, it was torn down in 1972 to make way for a condominium development. Gone now for more than 3 decades, it remains one of the city's lost treasures. Go back in time to see Laffing Sal, the Fun House, the Carousel, the Big Dipper, the Diving Bell, Dark Mystery, Limbo, Fun-tier Town, and much, much more, all through the eyes of the people who were there. The first and only documentary ever made about Playland, it features 12 interviews, 20 minutes of archival footage, 187 photographs and original music. The film was written and directed by Tom Wyrsch.
The famous ice cream sandwiches created at Playland, IT’S IT, will be for sale at the Balboa snack bar. Hockey Haven across the street from the Balboa will be serving Playland drink specials after the show where fans will gather to remember their own experiences at Playland. |
"Wyrsch’s film lovingly re-creates some of the spectacle of this 365-day-a-year carnival with old pictures and film footage plus lots of interviews, many of them with members of a group dedicated to maintaining a museum of Playland relics." "The film is a giddy nostalgia trip for those who remember the place and a pop history lesson for others." "The Playland documentary was better than one could have hoped for. Thank you to all that helped make those memories live forever." "Allows everyone to experience Playland for themselves, if only vicariously. Go back in time to see Laffing Sal, the Fun House, the Carousel, the Big Dipper, the Diving Bell, Dark Mystery, Limbo, Fun-tier Town, and much, much more, all through the eyes of the people that were there." "Wyrsch has turned Playland at the Beach into a twilight zone all its own by unearthing historic film footage and photos that vividly re-create the unique look and feel of the seaside attraction." "Conjures the joys of summers past through a season’s pass worth of archival footage and photographs, abetted by a slew of choice interviews." "For those of us who loved Playland, this superb film brings to life again an unforgettable part of our lives. If you never experienced Playland, this wonder-filled look at a vanished part of San Francisco will give you a taste of what was and what must never be forgotten."
Take a look at the first sneak preview’s crowd. Read an interview with George K. Whitney about his family’s operation of Playland. Other articles and home movies on the Western Neighborhoods Site Playland-Not-At-The-Beach is a wonderful museum of fun dedicated to the real thing. WE URGE YOU TO VISIT IT IN PERSON. It is the perfect site for a party unlike any you’ve ever attended. |
Claire and Phil Foster are a suburban couple slogging through their daily lives and marriage. Even their "date nights" of dinner and a movie have become routine. To reignite the marital spark, they visit a trendy Manhattan bistro, where a case of mistaken identity hurtles them through the city at breakneck speeds, into non-stop adventure. Remembering what made them so special together, Phil and Claire take on a couple of corrupt cops, a top-level mobster and a crazed cabbie as their date becomes a night they'll never forget. |
"A romantic comedy with action, edge and genuine chemistry between its leads, Date Night scores a home run."
- Lael Loewenstein, Variety
"Steve Carell and Tina Fey make a terrific comic pairing in this entertaining comic thriller."
- Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
"Everything works in Date Night, a brilliantly conceived comedy in which boring, everyday reality morphs into a thrilling fantasy drenched in danger."
- Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
"This is the rare screwball comedy that is superbly paced, cleverly plotted and hilarious from start to finish."
- Claudia Puig, USA Today
"The movie's stars, Steve Carell and Tina Fey, are exactly what they seem. They're perfect casting in a short, sweet comedy that makes the most of their genial gifts."
- Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
Read interview with stars Tina Fey and Steve Carell and director Shawn Levy. - Movies Online
Watch stars Tina Fey and Steve Carell interview each other. — Moviefone Unscripted
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Tickets for the festival will be given away at select shows this weekend at the Balboa!
Gary suggests:
There are a lot of exciting programs to see starting April 22. We asked the festival’s directors to select some special events and films they want to urge audience to explore. See below.
I wanted to make my own recommendations of films I have already seen and can strongly urge you to consider. I am just listing titles as I don’t have time to describe them. You can get a program guide at the Balboa, around town and online at www.sffs.org.
All of the special awards nights with Walter Salles, Robert Duvall, James Schamus, Don Hertzfeldt and the Midnight and Golden Gate Awards are worth considering. I am biased about the Mel Novikoff Award because I am on the selection committee. This award in memory of San Francisco’s pioneering art house exhibitor is given to people whose enthusiasm for cinema enhances our love and appreciation of the art. This year the award goes to Roger Ebert and it will be a very special evening.
You should seriously consider the conversation with music producer T-Bone Burnett and Walter Murch’s “State of Cinema” address. Both will be one-time-only events as will Sam Green’s multimedia UTOPIA IN FOUR MOVEMENTS. Ever been to Porchlight? This storytelling series will have a special “Behind the Scenes” theme. And also unique will be the rarely seen silent 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA with live music by Stephen Merritt of Magnetic Fields.
The films I urge you to see? Opening Night features Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s (AMELIE, CITY OF LOST CHLDREN, etc) MICMACS. Follow with BUDRUS, CYRUS, EVERYONE ELSE,14-18: THE NOISE AND THE FURY, HENRI-GEORGE CLOUZOT’S INFERNO, LEBANON, LOURDES, THE MUSIC ROOM, NENETTE, NORTHLESS, THE OATH, PIANOMANIA, LA PIVELLINA, RESTREPO,SON OF BABYLON, WILD GRASS and WINTER’S BONE.
This is a group of challenging and entertaining films. Try a few out and look through the other choices. Take chances and be adventurous. This is San Francisco.
SFIFF53 staff suggests these films of particular interest:
All About Evil (Dir. Joshua Grannell, USA, 2009)
A meek librarian turns sanguinary filmmaker after inheriting an old movie palace in this hilarious tribute to ’80s slasher films by Bay Area impresario Joshua Grannell—aka Peaches Christ—who’ll be on hand with special guests for a live prescreening spectacular. Keep your eye out for Balboa staff as extras during the climactic scene!
In Search of On the Road (a Work in Progress) (Dir. Walter Salles, Brazil, 2010)
In a rare look inside an artistic labor of love, SFIFF tributee Salles fashions this cinematic essay on his ongoing quest to adapt Kerouac’s mythic novel On the Road, drawing on a treasure trove of material, including screen tests, interviews, archival footage and candid personal reflections.
Linha de Passe (Dir. Walter Salles & Daniela Thomas, Brazil, 2008)
A triumph of neorealist storytelling, Linha de Passe conveys the memorable and moving story of a mother and her four fatherless sons struggling to find their way in the challenging metropolis of São Paulo.
The Music Room (Dir. Satyajit Ray, India, 1958)
A turn-of-the-century aristocrat whose wealth is dwindling continues to spend money on lavish concerts in his music room in this rueful, ironical film that stands as one of the greatest in Indian cinema. This classic of Indian cinema will be seen in a print restored by the Academy Film Archive.
The Practice of the Wild (Dir. John Healey, USA, 2010)
Beautifully attuned to the cycles of nature and the transcendent power of the written word, this warm portrait of Beat poet Gary Snyder and his cantankerous compadre Jim Harrison intertwines Bay Area bohemia, Zen Buddhism and musings on ecology and spirituality with the complex simplicity of a perfectly crafted stanza.
Senso (Dir. Luchino Visconti, Italy, 1954)
Alida Valli stars as an Italian countess who betrays both family and country in a desperate affair with Farley Granger’s charming but dissolute officer from the Austrian occupying forces in 1866 Venice. Visconti’s first color has been beautifully restored by StudioCanal, Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia/Cineteca Nazionale, Cineteca di Bologna/L’Immagine Ritrovata.
State of Cinema Address: Walter Murch (Live & On Stage)
Acclaimed film editor, sound designer, intellectual maverick and nine-time Academy-Award nominee Walter Murch will deliver a fascinating reading on the cultural origins of cinema in the 19thcentury, with special consideration paid to the legacies of Beethoven, Flaubert and Edison.
Utopia in Four Movements (Dir. Sam Green & Dave Cerf, USA, 2010)
Following a triumphant debut at Sundance, this live documentary performance with live music by the Quavers explores the battered state of utopian thinking at the dawn of the21st century, finding new possibilities in a humorous and touching look at contemporary disaffection with the future.
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For more information on the show and how to buy tickets.
Enter to win two tickets on Sunday, May 2 @ 3pm at Zellerbach Hall A. We have 5 pairs to give away.
To qualify for our random drawing, send an email to balboafans (at) yahoo.com (change (at) to @, we are trying to avoid spam) no later than April 27 @ noon
You must include:
1. Your full name as it appears on a photo I.D.
2. Your email address in the body of the email.
3. Clever comments always appreciated but they won’t sway the random drawing.
4. The Subject Line must state BALLET FOLKLORICO.
Please do not enter if you cannot attend. You may only enter once. If we see duplicates, each entry will be disqualified.
3630 Balboa Street (@ 37th Ave)
San Francisco 94121
(415) 221-8184
www.BalboaMovies.com
Bike Rack in front of the Balboa
Muni Bus #31 Balboa or #18 46th Ave stop at Balboa & 37th.
Also #5 Fulton and all 38 Geary Street buses stop two (long) blocks from Balboa.
Relatively easy Parking
San Francisco's Favorite Neighborhood Theatre
Voted by the Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, SF Gate's A List
and San Francisco Magazine
General Admission: $9.00
Seniors (60+) and Children (11-) $6.50
Bargain Matinees: All seats $6.50 for shows in ( )
SCHOOL NIGHT - Mondays are School Days and Nights. With proof of being a student, faculty, or staff member, your admission is only $6.50 on Mondays.
On Your Birthday, You Are Our Guest. That’s right. You get in free with proof of your birth date.
And at all other times you can get the “I’d Rather Be At the Balboa” Discount Card. What a deal! 5 tickets to the Balboa for $32.50. That is only $6.50 per show. Good every day and night. And two people can use the card at once. You can go on a date even when you are low on cash with your Balboa Card. A savings of up to $12.50! Makes a perfect gift as well. And every Discount Card comes with a FREE POPCORN!
The Balboa is Wheelchair and Handicapped Accessible.
One of the strengths of the Balboa is our neighborhood. Other than the bank, all the businesses are family owned and operated. The restaurants are especially wonderful. On the outer Balboa strip there are 24 eating establishments by my count. You can eat Chinese, Japanese, Egyptian, Italian, American, Mexican, Seafood and Vietnamese cuisines. The foods are fresh, distinctive and all reasonably priced. The media food critics have only discovered a few of them but the locals know a good thing. We encourage you to enjoy a meal at one of these fine eateries while visiting the Balboa. All are within easy walking distance. And please send us reviews and recommendations we can share with our other guests. Send reviews to balboafans (at) yahoo.com . (Change (at) to @. We are trying to avoid spam.)
We love it when you send us a review of a neighborhood restaurant you've enjoyed. We encourage you all to write about your culinary adventures in the Outer Richmond.
Check out the Menu Book in our lobby and our COMPLETE RESTAURANT LIST.
City Lights Bookstore in conjunction with the Balboa Theater present:
82 minutes.
A large lobby display of Playland at the Beach photographs, posters, articles, and other memorabilia will be on exhibit during the engagement. Also on display will be original Playland items, like a “Dark Mystery" ride car, Playland tickets, signs, and a few surprises. The perfect addition for seeing the movie and going back to Playland again!
“I laughed at the varied reactions each patron had to the different rides. Wyrsch treats each major attraction with fragile respect, as if their memories might break if we rushed through. As someone who wasn’t even alive when it was open, I found myself nostalgic for something I’d never know…I suspected most of the audience did know. As they featured each ride, collective gasps and chuckles of familiarity took over the theater.”
Rated PG-13 for sexual and crude content throughout, language, some violence and a drug reference. 88 minutes.
The 53rd San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF53) returns April 22-May 6 with more than 100 unique programs of the finest independent, documentary and international cinema, combining a range of marquee premieres, international competitions, digital media work and star-studded gala events into the best two weeks of the year. The Festival will honor film icons including Robert Duvall and Roger Ebert, open with Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s dazzling caper Micmacs, feature the original score and live performance of Stephin Merritt to the silent epic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, celebrate a comedic legend on Closing Night with the documentary Joan Rivers - A Piece of Work, with Rivers in attendance—and so much more. For tickets and information, visit 
Earning standing ovations from Cuba to Malaysia, Quetzalli is one of Mexico's most popular exports, regularly offering up a "heady rush of tapping heels, dazzling costumes, and insistent rhythms!" (Kansas City Star). For more than 20 years, the group has thrilled international audiences with its visual fiesta of culture and folklore, which spotlights regional dances of old Mexico, in particular the company's home state of Veracruz. The music, performed live on authentic stringed instruments, provides a thrilling accompaniment to the precise movement, colorful costumes, and driving rhythms of these superb artists, to delight young audiences as well as their parents.