Actually, some of the posters came from my auctions as well! I went with Jose to see David Packard, and we walked into the theater and he was playing an incredible restored organ, just like what was in silent movie palaces. He was a really nice, down to earth guy who loved old movies.
Bruce On Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 11:29 PM, channinglylethomson < [email protected]> wrote: > When I was a kid, the Stanford was my childhood movie house for a few > years. I saw innumerable kiddie matinees as well as first runs of Planet of > the Apes, To Sir With Love, Tony Rome, The Jungle Book and many many more. > My family lived in one of those ultra-cool mid-century Modern Eichler homes > in Palo Alto and i would take the bus to University Ave. to see movies at > the Stanford. Fond memories from a long time ago. Thanks for the reminder, > Evan! Channing Thomson > > P.S. The theatre never looked as good as it does now -- David Packard did > a remarkable renovating the place. All of the classic posters came from the > store Cinemone (which I ran with Jose Carpio) and from Sothebys auctions. > > > On Jun 18, 2009, at 9:25 PM, Evan Zweifel wrote: > > If you are looking for a good revival house -- check out the Stanford >> Theater in Palo Alto: >> >> http://www.stanfordtheatre.org >> >> Thats quite a schedule for this summer! >> >> Evan >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Franc" <[email protected]> >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 5:43:18 PM GMT -07:00 US/Canada Mountain >> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Never a bigger year for Hollywood than 1939 >> >> >> You may be talking about the Phoenix or the Variety which are both gone or >> the Theatre St. Mark's which is also gone. Gone also are the New Yorker and >> the Thalia uptown, which sucked as a theater because it had rear-screen >> projection, but was a revival house nonetheless. Leonard Nimoy funded a >> Thalia screening room at Symphony Space but it's selection of films leaves >> something to be desired. I stopped going to MOMA to see films but the >> museum staff ran the film program so unprofessionally and their house prints >> were the pits. There's really no place to see any classic films in NYC on >> an on-going basis. At least in Hollywood, the Egyptian is dedicated to >> preserving some of the history of the town. FRANC >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Richard Halegua Comic Art [mailto:[email protected]] >> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 6:30 PM >> To: Franc; [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Never a bigger year for Hollywood than 1939 >> >> I'm sad to hear that Franc.. It's one of the things I miss about "back >> home" in NYC that we had all those little theatres that showed French movies >> and such. >> >> there used to be a theatre on - I want to say 13th street - about 1st/2nd >> ave that showed that stuff (it was to be sure between 8th st & 14th street >> area).. Of course I'm talking 30 years ago. I used to see one of my >> favorite films "A Film About Jimi Hendrix" - once or twice a year at that >> theatre..it was very small, maybe 300-400 seats. I also saw Claire's Knee >> there with my first girlfriend back when I was 17 or so.. >> >> I have no illusions that it's still there >> >> >> At 03:19 PM 6/18/2009, Franc wrote: >> >> >> There used to be a lot of really good revival houses in NY that showed the >> classics as well as lesser known titles. Do you know how many are around >> today? NONE. There's the Film Society of Lincoln Center but their choice of >> films has gotten extremely precious and eclectic, I suspect because nobody >> was going to see titles they could watch on DVD. It's too bad because >> watching films on television is just a different experience from watching >> films on big screens such as the one at Radio City Music Hall, which also >> does not show movies anymore. Too bad. Generation X doesn't have any idea >> what they're missing. FRANC >> -----Original Message----- >> From: MoPo List [ mailto:[email protected] ] On Behalf Of >> David Kusumoto >> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 5:09 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Never a bigger year for Hollywood than 1939 >> >> From: MoPo List [ mailto:[email protected] ] On Behalf Of >> David Kusumoto >> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 5:09 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Never a bigger year for Hollywood than 1939 >> >> ** Interesting theory, but I'm not quite buying it, unless it's an east >> vs. west coast cultural thing. Last year I went to a Bette Davis centennial >> tribute hosted by AMPAS and Olivia de Havilland made a surprise visit, >> flying all the way from Paris to answer questions about her relationship >> with Bette -- and the place was packed even though there was no film to >> show, just a bunch of primo Bette clips; I also remember a screening of "The >> Graduate" that had lines snaking around the block at the AMPAS Samuel >> Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills (not to be confused with the Kodak Theater >> in Hollywood), even though the event sold out weeks in advance. The >> stand-by line was ridiculous; that picture has been re-cycled on DVD many >> times and the audience was a mix of young and old; of course, for film >> buffs, the presence of theater director Mike Nichols and co-star Katherine >> Ross could've been a draw, but I remember being a little disappointed that >> Dustin Hoffman didn't show. >> >> ** No, there's gotta be something else at play especially when L.A., >> which is hardly a mecca for high culture -- can outdraw NY for these vintage >> film beauties screened in an high quality environment. The Goldwyn Theater >> is massive and everytime I go to these things, nearly every seat is filled; >> the sound system is great and people are polite. This theater has >> magnificent one-sheets of the Best Picture winners on display, some >> linen-backed, and some not. And there's always a roped off section for >> celebrities who show up -- upper middle center of the theater. Probably the >> same set-up in NY, which I have to think is a superior experience to L.A. >> with its traffic problems and lack of live theater etiquette already >> prevalent mid-town. >> >> ** With Robert Osbourne of TCM hosting the 1939 series in NY, I'm >> flummoxed. I don't pay much attention to the present-day interests of >> Generation X, Y or the New Millennials because I'm optimistic that if they >> like films at all, they'll eventually come around to appreciating the >> classics. I remember as a pre-teen somewhat detesting B/W films until I saw >> Casablanca -- and that got the ball rolling. $5 to see a pristine GWTW or >> Wizard of Oz print with big-time sound in a luxurious theater? Shoot, I'd >> pay $20 or more for the same experience. >> >> -d. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:37:55 -0400 >> From: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: Never a bigger year for Hollywood than 1939 >> To: [email protected] >> >> I think it's more than the economy. It's the availability of these titles >> on DVD and Generation X. My father-in-law loves these movies but he'd just >> as soon watch them on his miniscule analog TV set at home and Generation X >> wouldn't know a good movie from StarTrek. FRANC >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: MoPo List [ mailto:[email protected] ] On Behalf Of >> Toochis Morin >> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 3:20 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Never a bigger year for Hollywood than 1939 >> >> From: MoPo List [ mailto:[email protected] ] On Behalf Of >> Toochis Morin >> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 3:20 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Never a bigger year for Hollywood than 1939 >> >> It's a sad state of affairs in NYC. The largest industry has been hit >> hard. Maybe that's the reason for the lack of enthusiasm. I wish I were >> there to watch it! >> >> Toochis >> >> -----Original Message----- >> >> From: David Kusumoto [email protected] >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 11:56:07 AM >> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Never a bigger year for Hollywood than 1939 >> >> From: David Kusumoto [email protected] >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 11:56:07 AM >> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Never a bigger year for Hollywood than 1939 >> >> Thanks to all who wrote private notes about my post last night re: >> Hollywood's Greatest Year, 1939. Honestly, I got the press release >> announcing the L.A. version of the 1939 series with clean prints and super >> sound -- and I thought I had a jump on everyone else -- but NO. The tickets >> for the most popular showings were sold out online within minutes; I would >> LOVE to see most of these films on a big screen, which include shorts, >> cartoons, newsreels and other period pieces; it's the best buy anywhere. >> I'm thinking that film buffs in in NY aren't interested in this thing >> because of traffic or whatever, I mean, some of the showings are on a >> weekday; but the public transit system can't be beat out there -- and the >> GWTW showing is on a Saturday afternoon with an intermission. I was just >> puzzled, that's all. -d. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:16:04 -0700 >> From: [email protected] >> Subject: Never a bigger year for Hollywood than 1939 >> To: [email protected] >> >> ** Amazingly -- the AMPAS 1939 Best Picture series in New York is -- as of >> this moment -- just two days before opening -- NOT sold out! What's wrong >> with you guys back east? >> >> ** Here in Southern California, the two most popular pictures nominated >> for Best Picture sold out instantly (GWTW and Wizard of Oz). The tickets >> are dirt cheap, the accommodations are clean and spotless, the Academy >> screen is gigantic; the prints are the best -- with the only downside being >> no refreshments allowed inside (but that's always been a plus and THE policy >> at all AMPAS screenings; I prefer silence to to listening to tourists >> unwrapping candy bars or eating their smelly, nitrate-filled hot dogs). >> Anyone in the Tri-state area should get out of work early and treat >> themselves for a great night at the movies. For more info on the NYC >> screening at the Lighthouse International on 111 E. 59th St., visit: >> >> >> http://www.oscars.org/events-exhibitions/events/2009/mnwo-bestpics1939.html >> >> ** Like others out here, I've attended numerous AMPAS screenings -- and >> they are a spectacular value -- and they almost always have an extra bonus, >> e.g., surviving cast or crew members in a post-screening chat, sometimes >> autographs, etc. Well worth attending for only 5 bucks -- you can even >> order your tickets online. It's probably the only chance to see these 1939 >> beauties on a big screen with clean prints! >> >> ** Thinking out loud -- I can't think of another year (1939) that comes >> closest to boasting a list of films that at least have a "ringing >> familiarity" to MoPoers.... >> >> ** 1946 comes closest for me with The Postman Always Rings Twice, It's A >> Wonderful Life, Gilda, Best Years of Our Lives, The Killers, Notorious, The >> Razor's Edge, The Big Sleep, The Yearling, My Darling Clementime, Great >> Expectations, The Stranger, Brief Encounter (which had a 1946 release in the >> U.S.), Dark Corner, Somewhere in the Night, Diary of a Chambermaid, Bringing >> Up Father, To Each His Own, The Strange Love of Martha Hyers, and for Alan >> Ladd fans -- Two Years Before the Mast and the Blue Dahlia -- with Miracle >> on 34th Street sneaking under there but not really cuz it's a 1947 SUMMER >> release but I always lop it in there because 1946-1947 were great years for >> post-war Hollywood (where box-office attendance reached its peak, never to >> be topped again in America). >> >> ** I can think of these titles for 1939 alone; those listed in BOLD were >> nominated for Best Picture (back then there were 10 nominees in this >> category): >> The Women >> Young Mr. Lincoln >> Gulliver's Travels >> Wizard of Oz >> Mr. Smith Goes to Washington >> Gone With the Wind >> Beau Geste >> Dark Victory >> Destry Rides Again >> Goodbye Mr. Chips >> Drums Along the Mohawk >> Hunchback of Notre Dame >> Ninotchka >> Only Angels Have Wings >> Of Mice and Men >> Love Affair >> Stanley and Livingstone >> Roaring Twenties >> Wuthering Heights >> Alexander Graham Bell >> Stagecoach >> Gunga Din >> Hound of the Baskervilles >> On Borrowed Time >> >> That's a list would ordinarily cover several decades of greatness, let >> alone a single year. Some films released that year were of course way >> better than others, and some aren't even classics; but I bet most MoPoer's >> will recognize nearly every title above -- which I think is remarkable when >> you consider "nearly" NONE of us were alive in 1939. I'm an Oscar >> nut/amateur historian and I have to think really hard just to come up with >> the Best Picture nominees for 2005 -- off the top of my head are Brokeback >> Mountain, Good Night, Good Luck, Capote (my fave that year) and Crash and I >> come up one short; I could look it up at IMDB but that would be cheating. >> -d. >> >> Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com >> ___________________________________________________________________ >> How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List >> Send a message addressed to: [email protected] >> In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L >> The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. >> >> >> >> Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com >> ___________________________________________________________________ >> How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List >> Send a message addressed to: [email protected] >> In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L >> The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. >> Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at >> www.filmfan.com___________________________________________________________________ >> How to >> UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: >> [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF >> MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. >> >> Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com >> ___________________________________________________________________ >> How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List >> >> Send a message addressed to: [email protected] >> In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L >> >> The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. >> > > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com > ___________________________________________________________________ > How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List > Send a message addressed to: > [email protected] > In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L > The author of this message is solely > responsible for its content. > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
