Four Star

2200 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121
(415)666-3488

Review by NancyThompson on 10/02/07

I saw Halloween, the Rob Zombie film, at the Four Star Cinema in San Francisco. I can honestly say it is one of the worst theaters I’ve ever been in.

The evening started out right, a layer of fog looming overhead, the chilly air made the hairs on the back of neck stand up and I was psyched about seeing a gritty horror movie in a musty old dingy theater. I arrived at the theater money in hand to discover the ticket price was $8.50, which is cool that it’s below the corporate Cineplex price. I crossed the threshold in the popcorn-aroma-filled quant little lobby where the concession prices seemed reasonable then eagerly made my way to theater number two. I was completely prepared for a small theater with the old style stiff low back seats, no THX, but I was not prepared for the Four Star.

I entered into the tiniest theater I’ve ever seen. I know that at one time this was a one screen theater that is now split in two but I don’t know what they were thinking to separate a theater so small. There was barely enough room for my legs to fit into the row and I am a short person. No way could anyone above average height fit into these seats. My TV at home seemed proportionately larger than the screen that was in front of me. Once the movie started I hoped I would be emerged in the movie and the audio would kick in and I would forget about my desire to ask for my money back. When the movie did finally start the audio was very unimpressive and the volume was on the low side.

I really enjoy the old theater charm of older theater houses but I firmly believe there are some new advances that need to be made to make the customers feel comfortable. The Four Star Cinema had a cheap, slap it together and the people will pay feeling that deserves them nothing more than F.

Cinema Grade = F