Things To Do SF for Movie Buff
When we think of movies, we immediately think of Los Angeles or Hollywood. But, true movie lovers know, San Francisco is a movie lover’s paradise.
Life In San Francisco
Natives of San Francisco are unique. They have a spirit and a love for life that is unquenchable, They expect a certain quality of life, and will settle for nothing less. Homes in San Francisco are always in high demand. This is why people who expect the highest quality and state of the art facilities migrate to places like Carmel Rincon San Francisco.
Carmel Rincon San Francisco
These luxury apartments allow residents to have the highest quality of life in an area of San Francisco that is famous for fun things to do and great places to dine, With each apartment home designed based on its own shape and location, each home is as special as the family who lives there.
The Roxie Theater
The Roxie Theater is the oldest, continuously operating movie theater in California and one of the oldest in the country. Though the Roxie Theater has operated under various names over the years, it has remained a movie theater.
The Roxie Theater opened in 1909. It has operated under six different names over the years. They are:
*The Poppy 1912–1916
*The New 16th Street 1916–1920
*The Rex 1920–1926
*The Gem 1926–1930
*The Gaiety 1930–1933
*The Roxie 1933–present
The mission area went through a decline in the 1950s and in the 1960s, the theater operated as a pornography theater. But community leaders were intent on restoring and protecting this valuable theater and it was renovated in the late 1970s. By the end of that decade, the theater was restored and became a center for art and independent films. True to the spirit of San Francisco, the famous theater presented films that had been banned in the United States for more than half a century.
Places in the city where famous films were created
There are many movies that have been filmed in San Francisco. We will identify just a few of them. There have been so many films made in so many locations, that you are sure to feel “Deja Vu” when you visit,
“Dirty Harry” which starred Clint Eastwood was filmed in the city. You will recognize scenes in the Kezar Stadium and Vista Point which overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge.
“Vertigo” is considered a classic movie. It was filmed in 1958 and shows the city from the Mission District to Nob HIll (and more).
“Mrs. Doubtfire” starring Robin Williams was filmed in the city in 1993. The house used in the movie is in Pacific Heights.
“The Pursuit of Happyness” starring Will Smith and his real life son, Jaden was filmed throughout the city. Some locations include Glen Park Bart Station and Golden Gate Park.
Du-Par’s Diner appears in “Boogie Nights” starring Burt Reynolds and Mark Wahlberg.
Other places that show up in films
Moonlight Rollerway has been the location of more roller skating scenes in movies than any other rink in California. It appears in various movies and television shows.
Griffith Park has been the location for so many productions that in one year it logged 322 movie production days. You will see it in The Birth of a Nation, Terminator, and Rebel Without a Cause, to name a few.
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The San Francisco International Film Festival
The San Francisco International Film Festival is an annual event that draws people from around the world. Every year more than 200 of the best international films are showcased, from more than 50 countries. The attendees often number over 70,000.
Walt Disney Family Museum
Few people have had an impact on the film industry and the lives of people around the world like Walt Disney. This museum has artifacts from his early years with the notes, tools, and displays that began the works of Walt Disney.
This museum is entertaining, educational, inspirational, and magical.
The San Francisco Film Museum
For more than 130 years, San Francisco has had a major impact on the film industry, There is a rich cinema history in this beautiful city that unlike any other. The San Francisco Film Museum is a world-class facility ran by volunteers who are passionate about the preservation of that history. The volunteers are primarily artists, filmmakers, designers, and writers who love the industry that is their heritage and their futures.
Alcatraz
You simply cannot talk about San Francisco and movies without talking about Alcatraz. This prison has been the location of multiple Hollywood movies and movie lovers flock to the site every year. Alcatraz is the dark contrast to the core values and standards of living in San Francisco. The sight both disturbs and fascinates us. Here are a few of the top movies that were filmed in this famous landmark location:
“Escape from Alcatraz” Starring Clint Eastwood filmed in 1979
“Birdman of Alcatraz” Starring Burt Lancaster filmed in 1962
“The Rock” (parts of the) movie was filmed in Alcatraz in 1996. It starred Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery
“Point Blank” starring Lee Marvin and John Vernon was filmed on location in 1967 after Alcatraz closed.
“Skidoo” with Groucho Marx, Jackie Gleason, and Carol Channing was filmed in Alcatraz in 1968.
There is so much for the movie lover to do and see in San Francisco, this list could not begin to tell it all. While in the city, you can take any of a number of movie tours which will show you locations, tell you little know facts and share some movie lover’s trivia. Maybe you will see some famous people or even a movie being filmed there.
There are websites that provide a daily list of movie and television filming locations. Or, a simple computer search can show you lists of locations where filming was done that date back to the 1920s.
One thing is certain. If you love movies, San Francisco is the place to be.
