Castro Theater San Francisco
The Castro Theater is the definitive landmark in the colorful Castro district of San Francisco. One of the few remaining movie palaces, the theater first opened in 1922. More than a building, movie theater or historic landmark, the theater may very well be considered the soul of Castro. Its imposing baroque façade and interior give it the look of a gigantic cathedral and that is fitting, since a night at the Castro is nearly a religious experience. The faithful all gather here, setting aside the differences that may normally keep them segregated by social or economic class.

They are called to worship by the massive pipe organ that rises out of the stage moments before the main feature. They participate in ways that would be unthinkable in a typical cinema. They sing, they respond verbally to the characters before them. They don't just come to watch, they come for the experience. Sitting beneath the gigantic art deco chandelier, surrounded by murals laced in mythology, they participate as one in the events that unfold before them. The subject matter ranges from campy classics, to cutting edge documentaries, to rare foreign films, to explorations of sexuality in all of its expressions. Plan to take in a film (or perhaps a double feature) while you are here. Matinees are offered several days each week.