The neon marquee sparkled against the darkening sky and the rich warble of a mighty Wurtlizer organ swelled from the entryway of the storied Stanford Theater for the first time in over two years, signifying a triumphant comeback for the historic movie house and a much-needed boost for the Bay Area’s repertory film community.
Over the weekend, the 97-year-old venue in downtown Palo Alto returned with well-attended double features of the classic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical comedies “Top Hat” and “The Gay Divorcee.” It’s just the beginning of a new summer film series showcasing Hollywood’s golden age, with Deanna Durbin-starred comedies “It Started with Eve” and “100 Men and a Girl” on the roster for July 14 and 15, and Humphrey Bogart hits “Casablanca ” and “In a Lonely Place” the following weekend.
Hundreds of people queued up in a line that snaked around the block to show their support for the theater, which shuttered because of the pandemic and held off on reopening until now in order to undergo a seismic retrofit and upgrade to a new ventilation system.
Despite recent theater closures throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, there’s still a demand for the classic moviegoing experience: live organ music precedes nightly screenings, every film is shown in 35mm courtesy of longtime projectionist Phil Krikau, and the whole night out will only set you back about $10. Tickets start at $5 for children under 18 and seniors over 65, and $7 for adults, with popcorn and drinks costing $2.50 and $2, respectively.
“Classic Hollywood directors never intended you to watch their pictures on a video screen in your living room (or while jogging),” the theater’s website reads. “The magic of the movies depends on a larger-than-life image and the shared reactions of a large audience.”
Screenings later this summer include a Judy Garland double feature – “Meet Me in St. Louis” and “The Wizard of Oz” on August 6 and 7 – and an Alfred Hitchcock retrospective – “Rear Window” and “To Catch a Thief” on July 28 and 29 and “North by Northwest” and “Notorious” on August 26 and 27. Silent film comedies from the 1920s, including “Safety Last” and “Two Tars” as well as “The General” and “Big Business,” will be accompanied by live organist Dennis James on September 1 and 2.
“We’re thrilled to be back,” the theater said on Facebook.
Check out the full schedule here.
