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BALBOA THEATRE NEWSLETTER | |||||||||
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General Admission: $9.00, Senior (60+) or Child (11-): $6.50 WHAT’S IN THE NEWS: Showtimes, Dear Friends, Eat Pray Love, Peepli Live, Remembering Playland at the Beach, Rescue the Hitchcock 9, Win Tickets to Dreamgirls, Photos in the Lobby: Remembering Playland, Theater Information. | |||||||||
SHOWTIMES - through Thursday, August 12, 2010 |
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THEATRE #1 |
THEATRE #2 |
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INCEPTION (PG-13) |
JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK (R) |
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SHOWTIMES - Friday, August 13 - Thursday, August 19, 2010 |
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THEATRE #1 |
THEATRE #2 |
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EAT PRAY LOVE (PG-13) |
PEEPLI LIVE (NR) (separate admission) |
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UPCOMING EVENTSSaturday, September 11 @ Noon: |
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This is a big week for us with two new movies opening. EAT PRAY LOVE is the studio blockbuster based on the best-selling book and starring Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem and James Franco. For fans of GLEE, you are in for a treat as the hit TV show’s writer/director, Ryan Murphy, was at the helm of this movie. He also wrote and directed the NIP/TUCK series.
We have some special EAT PRAY LOVE goodies to give away while supplies last. Also at the 8:15 show on this Friday and Saturday night, we will give away a pair of tickets to the hit stage show DREAMGIRLS. See below for another way to win tickets and how to save money when you buy tickets for the play.
Feeling in an Italian mood when you come for EAT PRAY LOVE? Have some of our delicious Café Trieste coffee and biscotti.
In the spirit of both of this week’s films, we’ll have savory samosa snacks at the concessions bar.
HOW I DISCOVERED A GREAT INDIAN MOVIE
Last winter I was lucky enough to be invited to the Mumbai Film Festival. It was my first trip to India and the experience was overwhelming. One sees, hears, and smells new experiences and adventures. The traffic congestion meant a cab ride of 10 miles took 2 hours. But what we saw out the window was fascinating, making the slow pace a blessing in disguise. Places like you saw in SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE sit adjacent to upscale shopping malls. One can even take a SLUMDOG tour. Between films at the festival I preferred walking and found myself in the midst of amazing market places selling every imaginable item. Sometimes when I entered a market a young man would approach me offering to help find what I wanted. But I was just looking at the atmosphere, taking pictures of the scene and being tempted by the street food. One day I decided to ask for help finding old movie posters.
"Follow me please," as my guide led me from one alley to the next, around corners, into large buildings and down long hallways into tiny ones. If one thing was certain, I would need help getting back to my hotel... or even a main street. Finally we came to a shop. "Here you are." I looked around and only saw souvenirs.
"No...Bollywood movie posters?"
"Yes, yes. I have another cousin who sells them."
But it was another trinket shop.
"I think I will just wander on my own."
"No... I thought you’d be interested in these things. Now I take you to movie posters."
Again we wandered through a maze of wonderment. I tried to ditch him. It should be easy in the masses of people. But within minutes he found me again and again, never suspecting that I was trying to get lost... from him. He assured me we were close. And then he delivered me to a tiny stall selling large blowups of Bollywood movie stars. Not what I wanted but closer. I thanked him and said I needed to leave to see a movie.
"Now I know what you want. Please follow me."
At least he might eventually agree to help me back to a street with cars. As we walked I saw a man artfully filet fish, another slaughter a chicken hidden from view in a basket and then cut it up for a customer, dozens of middle men negotiating for produce from the trucks so they could then resell the goods to the stall owners who couldn’t leave their business. I saw the most astonishing and beautiful fabrics, thousands of rolls. And almost all of the women wearing saris made from the materials. Even a beggar looks elegant in her sari.
And then, "Is this what you want?"
And there were hundreds of movie posters. Printed on cheap paper, they were fragile and the titles were their Hindi names I could not recognize. So I just started looking. Most weren’t great but a few, especially horror films, were garish and great fun. And I found a few that "looked" like possible classic films. I asked for a few titles like a favorite recent film, OM SHANTI OM. They didn’t have it but my "friend" assured me if I come back the next day he’d get one for me. As if I had any idea where to meet him. I bought 6 posters and probably overpaid at $2 each. And I saw that two blocks away was a boulevard I recognized. I could escape. I handed over a tip with my thanks and set off. immediately realizing I was on the street of my dreams. Every stall was a movie poster dealer but I could not stay.
The next night, dinner had been arranged at the home of major director/producer Vinod and film writer Anupama Chopra. Anu’s Berkeley based brother Vikram Chandra had arranged the meeting. We enjoyed a leisurely and delicious meal and hours of film conversation on their rooftop with American director Paul Schrader joining us. One of Bollywood’s superstars, Aamir Kahn was supposed to arrive but couldn’t get through the traffic by the time we had to leave. Aamir, a huge movie star whose film LAGAAN was Oscar-nominated and a hit in the U.S., wants to put his success to work helping first time filmmakers get their own movies made. He is producing for them and asked if we would go to the editing studio of Anusha Rizvi, a young woman who had just finished her first dramatic film.
The next day, a car took us to a small office building where we were warmly greeted by several people but not Anusha. She would join us after the film if we wanted. We had no idea what to expect. All week we had seen mediocre and sometimes bad movies, 4 or more each day. They were dramas, comedies, and documentaries from all over India in various languages. Only a few were memorable (when we could see them via the worst projection I’ve ever experienced, but that is another story).
What could we be getting ourselves into? A three-hour epic with huge musical numbers at inappropriate times?
It was explained that we’d see a digital projection of a rough cut needing color correction, music, and some final edits.
"Oh no! A Bollywood musical without the songs over the musical numbers," we thought.
Less than two hours later, we had seen a movie that made the whole trip worthwhile, PEEPLI LIVE, a biting satire on government bureaucracy, politics and the media. The film may be set in the rural Indian village of Bhadwai in Madhya Pradesh but the themes and humor are international.
We asked the director if she had been influenced by the fantastic ACE IN THE HOLE with some similar themes. Ms. Rizvi answered that she had never heard of the Billy Wilder film until people started to come to early screenings of PEEPLI LIVE. She had since rented it and thought it was terrific.
I said that if the film came to America, I would play it at the Balboa. In January, PEEPLI LIVE was the first Indian film ever to be invited to the competition at the Sundance Film Festival. Following a series of international film festivals, it will finally open in theaters in both India and America on Friday. The finished version is even better and while there are still no musical numbers, the musical score is fabulous.
I urge you to come to the Balboa’s exclusive San Francisco engagement to help prove to other distributors that we are a great place for art films to show.
As I finish writing this, reviews are starting to arrive online. Here is Kelly Vance in the Express.
Look below for more. And thanks for your loyal support.
Sincerely,
Gary
#1 ON BAYLIST
Thanks for your many kind words about the Balboa winning #1 Indie Theater on BayList.
We love all the comments on the list too.
AND SAN FRANCISCO MAGAZINE
The readers of San Francisco Magazine also love us. We came in number 2 and can’t complain about the company.
A woman who once made it her goal in life to marry and rear a family finds her priorities suddenly shifting in Ryan Murphy and Jennifer Salt's adaptation of author Elizabeth Gilbert's best-selling memoir. In the eyes of many, Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) was a woman who had it all -- a loving husband, a great career, and a weekend home -- but sometimes one realizes too little too late that they haven't gotten what they truly wanted from life. On the heels of a painful divorce, the woman who had previously looked forward to a contented life of domestic bliss sets out to seek her true destiny by traveling first to Italy, where she learns to appreciate nourishment; then to India, where she discovers the power of prayer; and finally to Bali, where she unexpectedly finds the meaning of true love. "If there is one constant in Eat Pray Love, the beautifully rendered adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir on a year of heartbreak and healing starring Julia Roberts — it is this: There will be tears." "The film offers an easygoing and generous blend of wish fulfillment, vicarious luxury, wry humor and spiritual uplift, with a star, Julia Roberts, who elicits both envy and empathy." "Elizabeth Gilbert's phenomenally popular memoir was funny, insightful, and well-written. Amazingly, so is the film." "It provides a gorgeous escape, exquisitely photographed and full of female wish fulfillment. Yet it also offers sufficient emotional heft and self-discovery to make you feel as if you've actually learned something." "Watching the relationship between Liz and Felipe evolve from a comforting friendship to a love that's both companionable and sexy is gratifying." "A sensuous and emotionally cathartic adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's spiritual journey to personal transformation and love." "Director Ryan Murphy, who has his own pop culture phenomenon in television's GLEE, and ace cinematographer Robert Richardson bring visual energy to the already gorgeous sights, not all of them epic landscapes. It seems a dollop of parmesan cheese looks even better when it falls on pasta like a mini snowstorm. (If you don't come to Eat Pray Love hungry you'll definitely leave hungry.)" Watch interview with star Javier Bardem. Read interview with star Julia Roberts. |
Natha, a poor farmer from Peepli village in the heart of rural India is about to lose his plot of land due to an unpaid government loan. A quick fix to the problem is the very same government’s program that aids the families of indebted farmers who have committed suicide. As a means of survival, Farmer Natha can choose to die! His brother is happy to push him towards this unique "honor" but Natha is reluctant. Local elections are around the corner and what might’ve been another unnoticed event turns into a cause celebré with everyone wanting a piece of the action. Political bigwigs, high-ranking bureaucrats, local henchmen and the ever-zealous media descend upon sleepy Peepli to stake their claim. The question on everyone’s lips - "Will he or Won’t he?" As the mania escalates what will be the fate of Farmer Natha?
Official Website "Both funny and sobering, this film, produced by Bollywood icon Aamir Khan (the Oscar-nominated 'Lagaan'), aims beyond Indian audiences. A satisfying comic gem." "A peppy screwball comedy with elements of social satire, 'Peepli Live' suggests a rural Indian take on Billy Wilder's 'Ace in the Hole.'" "In her debut feature, Anusha Rizvi entertains with a bawdy take on the rural class struggle as she examines a serious injustice in India today. Her comedy is as wildly funny as it is outrageous." Read an interview with Director Anusha Rizvi, Producer Aamir Khan, and Star Omkar Das Manikpuri Blast Interviews Aamir Khan at Sundance |
This 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.
"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. |
The British Film Institute (BFI) would love your personal support and help in spreading the word about our worldwide fundraising campaign to rescue Alfred Hitchcock's nine surviving silent films. Click the image for more information.
Click here for more information on the show and how to buy tickets. Enter to win two tickets on Tuesday August 31 @ 8pm at the Curran Theatre. We have 3 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 Tuesday August 17 @ noon Please do not enter if you cannot attend. You may only enter once. If we see duplicates, each entry will be disqualified. Winners of Balboa prizes in the past three months do not qualify. If you missed your chance to win tickets, you can save BIG on $50 tickets for Orchestra, Loge and Mezzanine seating for the following performances: Tues Aug 31 at 8pm, Wed Aug 25 & Sept 1 @ 8pm, Thu Aug 26 & Sept 2 @8pm, Fri Aug 27 & Sept 3 at 8pm. Use promotional code 3EFFIE when purchasing tickets at http://shnsf.com/shows/dreamgirls. Restrictions apply. Offer available for select Orchestra, Loge and Mezzanine seating. Tickets subject to availability. Convenience fees apply. Offer not available on previously purchased tickets. No refunds, cancellations or exchanges. Offer Expires 9/3/10. |
All materials from the collection of Tom Wyrsch and Joe Mirante. |
3630 Balboa Street (between 37th and 38th Avenues)
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.
Rated PG-13 on appeal for brief strong language, some sexual references and male rear nudity. 2 hours 13 minutes.
Not Rated. 1 hour, 46 minutes.
60 minutes, plus an additional 25 minutes of brand new footage preceding the film!
"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."
DREAMGIRLS is coming to San Francisco’s Curran Theatre August 24 to September 26, and Balboa Theatre customers can enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets. Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, DREAMGIRLS tells the story of an up-and-coming, 1960s singing girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. Balboa Theatre customers can enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets on Tuesday, August 31 at 8pm!
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, Playland tickets, signs, and a few surprises. The perfect addition for seeing the movie and going back to Playland again!