Clay Theatre

Oh, the MIGHTY CLAY!!!!

Probably San Francisco's best movie theatre, with wonderful matinees, passionate and creative theme weeks (for example "Celluloid Casket - Violence in Movies" or "Mushy Morals - 8 films about questionable decisions"), as well as wonderful pre-movie Stage Shows for those who want to participate in a real theatre experience.

This theatre is more than just a cinema - it is almost a hybrid form of improv theatre sometimes! Hats off to the management for building out the Clay to be the No. 1 "off-commercial" destination for movies in San Francisco!

I do my best to avoid the butter-stained unwashed mobs of the giant cineplex compounds, and it seems that places like Clay are my last refuge. These theatres are my only way to express my undying gratitude to directors who still make FILMS, not movies, and who still bring intense turmoil, not KABOOM entertainment into the two or so short cinema hours. I’d rather be outraged than indifferent.

So the Clay Theatre is one of a chain of small movie houses in SF that hasn't fallen victim to the movieplex chains. This smaller independent chain, Landmark Theatres (http://www.landmarktheatres.com), includes The Embarcadero, The Opera Plaza, The Lumiere, and The Bridge.

These theatres are smaller, sometimes older, historical buildings that show lower budget independent and foreign films. And it's good to know these places still exist.

The Clay is a no-frills theatre. It's really beautiful on the inside but there aren't any reclining seats or high-tech digital audio. It's right in the heart of the Fillmore district. So it's a great place to go before or after grabbing a bite on Fillmore. Also fun to grab a cup of coffee at Peet's or Tully's afterwards to discuss the film.

The biggest draw of the theatre is the quality of films it brings. Because it's part of this circuit of smaller theatres, you can be sure that once it leaves the Clay, it's showing in another. Also, if a film is really good it'll hang out in the theatre for a while as long as the film is still making money.

It means that the manager of this theatre is intent on making the business successful. Kudos to the Clay.

Support your local independent movie theatre.