Theater owner Ed Landberg and film critic Pauline Kael form an unlikely team in 1950's San Francisco.
The Cinema-Guild and later Studio brought in foreign films, indies, and old movies people had heard about, yet had never viewed. Things like Citizen Kane, or Casablanca, or Brief Encounter, or The Bicycle Thief.
Kael wrote reviews and columns in the program guide, before relocating to New York.
At less than 20", this short effectively captures what it was like in the pre-VHS rental days.
There was either late-night television reruns of old movies, or the revival house.
The latter was almost exclusive to the largest cities.
By the 70's, repertory cinema houses dotted the Los Angeles landscape.
They always showed a double-feature. The hippie chick and I attended two or three times a week.
After we moved away, we discovered what a hinterland the rest of the country was.
Almost.
Aside from museums, there were film societies.
One subscribed, and a $35.00 yearly ticket got you one movie a month.
French, German, Cassavetes, etc ... Pure arthouse fare.
At the end of the season, members were given a list of 50-60 prospective titles and we voted on what we wanted to see next season. The Top 12 were ordered.
