Alexandria Theatre

5400 Geary Boulevard,
San Francisco, CA 94121

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Showing 26 - 50 of 105 comments

Eric
Eric on March 12, 2010 at 5:59 pm

^^ Good News.

USjamesbond
USjamesbond on February 24, 2010 at 9:44 pm

Enough already. Is this beautiful theatre for sale? Who is selling it.
How much is it? I really want to know for we can get this theatre up and running again. I made a special trip from San Diego to San Francisco to see this beautiful theatre, and thru the crack in the door , I can still see the beauty within. Also some kids were hanging out behind the theatre, drinking. I planned to convert it back to it’s original beauty and play old classics there, with occasional jazz and live concerts. I am also an Architectural Designer and have many contractors and Interior Designer’s at my disposal. Please someone let me know what’s going on up there.

Thank you

Eric
Eric on February 23, 2010 at 3:18 pm

Here is another recent article about the theatre:

View link

Eric
Eric on May 29, 2009 at 3:58 pm

These photos are great! Keep them coming.

kpdennis
kpdennis on April 25, 2009 at 5:01 pm

The Alexandria in 1996 & 1997:
View link
View link

Eric
Eric on December 1, 2008 at 11:59 am

Think about it. All this time it’s just been sitting there, they could have been showing movies…

AndreasP
AndreasP on October 24, 2008 at 2:07 pm

Here’s another 2008 photo (cc-by license).

stefanyoungs
stefanyoungs on June 11, 2008 at 10:13 pm

James and Merritt Reid were the architects for the Alexandria Theater.

stefanyoungs
stefanyoungs on June 11, 2008 at 10:05 pm

Still standing! Got out and had a good look around the exterior over the weekend. Was able to see into the lobby area where lights are left on. It’s a mess in there, but no signs of a demolition at this point. Why is this not a historic building? The place is a gem!

Eric
Eric on August 23, 2007 at 2:10 am

At least it’s still standing… there’s still hope. Unlike the Coronet R.I.P.

terrywade
terrywade on August 19, 2007 at 1:58 pm

The United Artists in downtown SF never had a curved scrren for it’s roadshow 70mm movies. I saw The Bible a D150 film at the UA on a flat large 70mm screen. Same at the Alexandria it had a 70mm screen that had a small curve to it, not the Todd-Ao full wrap around curve. To bad the Alexandria showed most of the Todd-Ao prints on a almost flat screen.Can you imagine seeing the movie Cleopatra on a big curved screen inside the Alexandria. I had to see it run flat when it played at this great SF roadshow house. Right theatre to show this film in, you felt like you were on the Nile.

veyoung52
veyoung52 on August 5, 2007 at 11:11 pm

While I was stationed in Monterey in 1966/7, I saw “The Bible” at the United Artists on Market Street. At the time it seemed as if there too a deep curve screen had been replaced by a smaller one on a flat track.

terrywade
terrywade on August 5, 2007 at 4:23 pm

When Mike Todd died the TODD-AO big curved screen went with him. Like the Alex in SF they did not have the big curved Todd-Ao screen that the Coronet had up the street. Seems it had a small curve? They had in the adds TODD-AO but it was mainly flat. The Coronet removed the great curved Todd-Ao curved screen after Oklahoma and Around the World. Heard the My Fair Lady 70mm people didn’t want the curve look at the Coronet. To bad the curved curtains stayed up till it closed but a smaller scope screen was put in. Maybe they will do at the Sf Alexandria what is being done at the Cinema 21 (Marina) put in a store on the bottom with a theatre upstairs?

Eric
Eric on July 31, 2006 at 10:19 am

AWESOME PHOTO DAN. Thanks for sharing!

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on July 30, 2006 at 7:31 pm

My photograph of the ALEXANDRIA View link

Eric
Eric on May 15, 2006 at 10:33 am

Thank you ANTKNEE for verifying that info.

ANTKNEE
ANTKNEE on May 12, 2006 at 11:29 am

I just drove by last night and saw that the marquee refers to the YMCA around the corner…..the theater itself is NOT the YMCA. Just thought I’d pass that on.

fats88
fats88 on May 12, 2006 at 8:50 am

I grew up on the Presidio,( 1976-81 ) and used to sneak through a hole in the fence that put you on 15th ave. and Lake, rather than go all the way around to the Lincoln/25th ave. entrance. Through the summers of 1976-‘77 my buddies and I saw many films at the Coliseum, the Coronet, and the Alexandria. The Alexandria was a particular favorite place because of the Atari Gand prix game in the lobby. I remember seeing the Sorcerer, A bridge to far, a double feature of both the Godfather and the GodfatherII !, and more that I can’t recall at the moment. The last film I saw there was The adventures of Yellow dog in 1994. A few years ago I was walking in the richmond, and was devastated to see the coliseum just after they finished a phase, the building was gutted, no insides, no roof just the outside walls, I just stopped and stared, just seeing it like that …and just like now as I’m typing this,it made me cry. It made me remember not only the films I saw there, but also the buddies and girlfriends I went there with. Remember the line in the classic film Vertigo that the tycoon said to James Stewart’s character “ The things that mean San Francisco to me are quickly disappearing ” I guess this happens to all of us who live long enough.

magicknight
magicknight on April 6, 2006 at 3:15 am

it’s a shame with whats going on with theaters in San Francisco.

RetroFan
RetroFan on March 8, 2006 at 12:21 pm

This is the theater I really miss because it reminded me so much of the Granada Theater in Reno, NV. I loved the main auditorium so much! I thought it was beautiful. I would make special Saturday trips just to be here no matter what was playing – the 38 Geary was always fast and constant so getting to and fro was no problem. The place smelled like freshly popped popcorn (the new multiplexes DON’T).
I saw ALIEN 3, DARK CITY, THE CORE, HANNIBAL, DANTE’S PEAK…all great Saturday afternoons spent here. I would never jump theaters – I would go right down to the box office and pay for another film. That’s how much I loved this place.
Greatly missed.

Eric
Eric on March 6, 2006 at 7:46 pm

As long as it’s still standing, there’s still hope… With all the drama going on with the AMC’s right now, and with the Four Star, you never know…

magicknight
magicknight on March 6, 2006 at 5:53 am

i’m just hoping someone some day can reopen the Alexandria again as a movie theater, thats what it’s ment to be. I worked there for 6yrs and was there the day it closed and i really do hope to one day see the doors reopen. Thats one thing really missing from this City and thats our neighborhood theaters, they are all vanishing and i find that truely sad.

wayman
wayman on January 22, 2006 at 6:49 am

I was pissed when I drove by the Alexandria and saw that it’s boarded up. I only saw one movie there – “One Night Stand” with Wesley Snipes back in 1997 – but it was one of the gems in the city. Sadly now the Coronet is gone. Say goodbye to quality and hello to crammed multi-plexes.