Why the fight to preserve Bay Area movie palaces has become cultural history vs. new housing
In the golden age of California’s movie palaces, these expansive theaters – with their fine art deco interiors, towering facades and flashing marquees – were designed to make guests feel like royalty.
Thousands dressed up to go to the movies during the 1930s, often multiple times a week, lining up around the block to see the latest pictures. The theaters were temples, made to feel eternal – proof that cinema was the height of entertainment, and always would be.
But, of course, it wasn’t. Over 100 years, many of the most…