sunday in the richmond district

San Franciscans often complain that the westernmost part
of the city is just too far away,
boring and out-of touch.
It's such a shame for they are missing out on some gems.

While it's not quite the step back in time people believe,
you can pretend you are back in the 1920s
this Sunday in the Richmond District.

Step 1) Spend the afternoon at the Legion of Honor's Cartier jewelery show.
Marvel at the fabulous Art Deco diamond cuffs worn by Gloria Swanson
in Sunset Boulevard amongst many, many other pieces from the era.

Step 2) Rest your bedazzled eyes on the screen at the 1926 Balboa Theater,
which will be showing the darkly German-Expressionist
The Cat and the Canary (1926) on it's 84th birthday.
Be sure to dress, their parties are quite the deal-
short features, live vaudeville acts
and birthday cake.

Have a lovely time, darlings! I'll add pictures next week.

further erosion/corrosion

La maschera del demonio (1960)
directed by Mario Bava









Alice in Wonderland (1903)
directed by Cecil Hepworth
and Percy Stow












Murder! (1930)
directed by Alfred Hitchcock

While hauntingly beautiful, I'm sure these are not the images
these directors wanted to
leave in our minds.

If films by these important and influential directors
are eroding and corroding,
what else are we losing?

parallel lines

...even down to the gloved fingers on the stairway railing.

Sudden Fear (1952)
directed by David Miller
cinematography by Charles Lang

shanghai art deco, sorta

Stowaway (1936)
directed by William A Seiter
cinematography by Arthur C Miller

I was anticipating some gooey, gorgeous Art Deco within a film
made in the 1930s and set in present day Shanghai. One set of
a cafe made the grade but was ultimately
too uninspiring to include here.

I have much higher hopes for the new exhibit opening
this weekend at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco:
Shanghai

They are promising Art Deco furniture, paintings, posters,
fashions and film clips as well as the
sounds of the Chinese jazz age.

And hopefully more Zhou Xuan than Shirley Temple.

art deco living in san francisco

930 Sutter Street, San Francisco

I should have called earlier.

An apartment in this building opened up last month. I tried to find pictures
but it has already been rented.
I did, however, find this video of
the building's public spaces.

Apparently there is a link to Vertigo
but I don't remember seeing it in the film.
Does anyone know? Leave a comment.

At least the penthouse in the legendary building
filmed for Dark Passage
is still available - for purchase.
The sputtering economy is not reflected
in that pricing.
The Malloch Building, 1360 Montgomery Street, San Francisco
Go look and try not to drool.