If you were making plans to see “It’s a Wonderful Life” at the Stanford Theatre this Christmas Eve, you’ll have to settle for watching the holiday classic at home again this year.
The Stanford Theatre, which has been the go-to place for classic films for decades, has been closed since March 2020 and is not expected to reopen until summer 2022. The initial closure, of course, was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but with case numbers dropping and vaccination levels high, you might have expected the University Avenue theater to reopen as other cinemas have in recent months.
No such luck. The Stanford Theatre Foundation, which operates the theater, took advantage of the forced hiatus to do a major renovation to the ventilation system as well as seismic upgrades to the building, which opened in 1925. The target date for completion is June or July 2022, but it depends on how long the work takes.
The theater was a mainstay in Palo Alto for decades before neglect took its toll by the late 1960s. Following the death of Fred Astaire in 1987, David W. Packard arranged a two-week festival of his movies at the theater which was successful enough to spur the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to purchase the theater and fund a $6 million restoration that took two years to complete. In 2017, the theater closed for three months while its carpet was replaced, paint was touched up and the 1,000-plus vintage mohair-covered seats were refurbished at a Southern California company that specializes in the trade.
Both times the theater reopened with a screening of “The Wizard of Oz,” so I know what I’m betting the first movie will be next summer.
VIVA LOS TIBURONES: The San Jose Sharks will once again transform into our beloved Los Tiburones on Oct. 30 for their 4 p.m. game against the Winnipeg Jets at SAP Center. And that means special jerseys that artistically celebrate the region’s diverse Latino community designed by San Jose artist Claudia Blanco, whose grandfather worked at the arena and would bring home souvenirs.
Her colorful design incorporates key elements from Mexican culture, including the “corazón sagrado,” or sacred heart, and the azulejo pattern used to decorate ceramic tiles on the shark body itself. Her design was worn by Sharks players during warmups before the Los Tiburones Night game held May 5, 2021 — but because attendance was limited at SAP Center because of COVID-19 protocols, the team postponed a giveaway of “shirseys” to all fans in attendance until Saturday’s game.
During Saturday’s warmups, the team will wear four different mashup jerseys celebrating the artists who have designed Los Tiburones logos the past four years: Jesse Hernandez, Spaik, Abel Gonzalez and Claudia Blanco.
CINEQUEST STREAMS AGAIN: The Cinequest film festival is returning with another online edition next week, with a lineup of independent features and shorts, plus online discussions with filmmakers and stars, running Nov. 4-14.
Like two previous virtual editions held in the past year, there are nightly “Spotlight” features, as well as a slate of “Showcase” films that can be watched anytime during the festival run. There will also be screening parties, where anyone can join in to chat online about a film as it’s being watched.
Opening night on Nov. 4 will spotlight the drama “Gossamer Folds” from director Lisa Donato, as well as “Hide,” a short film starring Mena Suvari, who will take part in a conversation before the screening. You can buy tickets to individual films, a 10-pack “Showcase” pack or an all-access pass (which at $129 is a great value for movie lovers). Go to www.cinequest.org for the full schedule and all the details.
Source: www.mercurynews.com