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Red Vic Movie House
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Haight-Ashbury
1727 Haight St
(between Cole St & Shrader St)
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 668-3994
1727 Haight St
(between Cole St & Shrader St)
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 668-3994
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- Hours:
Mon-Tue. 6:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Wed. 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wed. 6:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri. 6:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sat-Sun. 1:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
- Good for Kids:
- No
200 reviews for Red Vic Movie House
Name me another theater with:
1) plushy benches so you can cuddle up with your sweetie
2) real mugs for your hot tea
3) nutritional yeast for adding to your popcorn
You can't, can you??
Wonderful place to see a movie! Locally-owned and run (not a large corporation). They have such interesting and unique films showing--this weekend (Aug. 2) they're showing The Great Muppet Caper!
I like how they're environmentally conscious. Popcorn is given in wooden bowls and soda is given in plastic cups. The seats are also comfy--some seats in front are padded "benches" and paired in two so you can sit with your sweetie.
They have a printed out calendar of films and it's on their website too! The films are so unique but also sometimes a common movie. Very nice theater.
This is a FUN movie experience. The theater, employees, and audience have a lot more personality than anything you'll find in the mega-theaters downtown, plus they played the trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles before the movie alongside a funny homemade no-smoking warning.
They also play not only new movies but also the classics...The Warriors was just on the big screen last month, for those of us who missed out when we were little. I like the place so much I don't even worry about whether the bowls and cups are clean...instead I think it's great that they're not using throw-aways. Now that says something!
Great movie experience! You have to try this original SF location at least once!
Saw a movie here last month
Very friendly employees. The lovely lady at the door even tried to tell us a joke.
Well, we didn't really laugh, but at least she cared to make one.
Will definitely come back later.
Awesome little movie theater. The benches were an interesting quirk, and so were the bowls for popcorn and mugs for drinks. Plus they have a great discount on Tuesdays (i recall it was 7.50 a person?). Saw "Moon" there last night, which I highly recommend you see. I plan on going back towards the end of the month to see Zombieland!
Great little movie house. Was here for the first time this weekend to see "The Room", which on a side note is a MUST SEE movie....
Meanwhile, in San Francisco....
It's a fun little place, not overpriced. Popcorn was a little weird/stale, but loved that it was served in wooden bowls.
Go. You'll have fun :)
I like how the employees actually seem to LIKE working there, unlike many of those at most major cinemas. The Vic typically runs old movies, so I only go there if it's an obscure title that I don't have or can't find on DVD.
$9.00 for adults is kind of steep for something I can get on DVD, so going to the Vic is more for the ambience than just for the flick. There's couches for couples to snuggle in. (or threesomes to squeeze into.) The bench seating definately makes the place snogging-friendly. They do have a $30.00 for for admission punch card, but it's cheaper (if your schedule allows) to take advantage of their $7.00 2pm matinees.
For my 100th review on Yelp, I thought I'd write up something on this funky little theatre.
It's small, but shows some unique and interesting films. I went here recently with my wife to see the Craig Baldwin film Mock Up on Mu. The film was okay, but I thought that this theatre had a lot of character. We will be watching the calendar for this place to see what other films they have here in the future. They show new indie stuff as well as old classics.
You know how in more corporate theatres they have that little cup on the armrest where you can put your drink? Well, they DON'T have that here, sodas are in plastic cups, and popcorn is in wooden dishes. They handwash all this stuff after the audience leaves. It's small, old-fashioned, and green. It's also nice and clean. It's cash only too--there is an ATM in the pizza place next door. There's also a Wells Fargo across the street, but drawing out money at night in that neighborhood could be risky.
If you're in the mood for something unique (not only in terms of movies but also venues), stop by the Red Vic. It's a nice place with nice films and nice folks.
Every time I come here I forget how much I like it. And how I really should be coming more often...
Good stuff:
in the evenings street parking is usually fairly plentiful and no meters to worry about...
the staff rocks! and I'm pretty sure they're all volunteer. awe!
popcorn in wooden bowls, thumbs up!
WIDE variety of carefully selected awesome films that rotate super frequently so you can almost go every other night and always catch something different.
the red vic free paper (featuring all the upcoming films they will be showing). I remember coming by when I was still in high school and grabbing one and thinking it was so, so cool. I think I may have even unfolded it and hung it up in my bedroom, I was that into it.
couches and cushioned benches. need I say more?
go!
Finally went and saw something in the Red Vic.
First impression---meh.
But the staff is all very friendly, kind, and seem like they actually want to be there. The theatre itself has padded benches in most of the rows, which makes it much more comfortable. I personally hate most movie seats, so this was a very nice pleasant surprise.
They make their own little movie intros (you know, reminders to turn off cell phones, not to leave trash on floors, etc.). Very cool and fun bonus.
Nice selection of movies.
Only drawback is the lack of food choices. The ones they do have are quite nice though--gourmet chocolates and other nicer-than-your-regularly-overpriced-movie-candy selections. I'd gladly pay their prices because the offerings are much better.
I haven't reviewed the Red Vic yet?! Unbelievable!
The Red Vic is on par with the Balboa as far as my favorite movie houses in SF.
Last night, we came here to check out Steve Martin in "The Jerk" - good times. Tuesdays were discounted for $7 so I felt I got even more of a deal than normal.
Friendly service, great selection of rare and locally-produced movies, and it's locally run. What else could you ask for?
I can't really write a yelp review stating anything new about this theater that other yelpers haven't covered yet.
The five stars is for the cozy atmosphere and the fact that if I bring a date here, we can sit in an awkwardly uncomfortable loveseat and makeout like rabid teenagers.
(FYI, Tamie and I sat in the middle loveseat but did not makeout during The Muppet Movie due to the fact there were children present.)
It's clear that this place is run with a lot of love and care, which is probably part of the reason why it's still around. I can't think of anything bad to say at all: film selection is great-- every month has something for everyone; the staff are friendly and welcoming; and yes, the bench style seats really do make it that much easier for couples to cuddle. Which, they do. (Haven't noticed anyone snogging during films, though, so I guess even audience members at the Red Vic tend to be more considerate than your average theater.)
Also: I still find their little short film with the house rules (no smoking, clean up your space, etc) amusing every time I see it.
Red Vic is a great spot, and boy do they have interesting taste for films! You cannot buy tickets for the movie until about 15 minutes before the film starts. Luckily the Alembic and Escape from New York Pizza are next door in case you arrive too early.
I've always heard my friend the Judge sing Red Vic's praises, but I always figured it was because he lived basically upstairs from the theater. Plus he's an interesting character himself, he always tells me about some goth "Blood wrestling" that I've GOT to see. I dunno about that..
Anyhow, I went a few weeks ago to catch a campy sci-fi horror movie called the Lost Skeleton of Cadavara. It was an excellent choice. And it really does showcase the Red Vic's strength, interesting titles, that probably wouldn't have very much time at a "corporate" movie theater chain.
Tickets are $8.50, and the schedule of the movies they are showing is listed on their website. Good date place, lots of close places to eat and drink, and the small intimate theater setting is nice.
Just go.
You'll feel less stupid shelling out 20 bucks for two on a movie because it's not some mega chain who pumps out every Denzel Washington blockbuster.
Great snacks! You've got the usual popcorn (no obnoxious buckets in sight!), but my boyfriend and I prefer a cup of coffee with a ginger molasses cookie.
Red Vic's is one of those nostalgic places that make you wish movie theaters still ran this way. So, 10 reasons this place is awesome?
1. Popcorn in wooden bowls (I think I ate salad out of these bowls in the 90's) & Soda in clear cafeteria-ish cups.
2. Decent comfy seats-Along with normal seats & pew seats (feels like church to me!...maybe movies are the new religion!)
3. Either I'm in a half church setting or in grandma's house holding the bowl of popcorn in my lap and soda wedged between my thighs, because sorry honey, there are no cup holders!
4. NO rude, interrupting people!!
5. Again NO rude, interrupting people!
6. Indie flicks are always such an eye pleaser.
7. As mom always said, put away your dishes @ the end.
8. SMILES :)
9. 3 Yelp stickers on the window. Hoorahh! The seal of approval!
10. I need a ten...Oh yeah...black cherry soda. Word!
Love it! The Red Vic is a very cool independent cinema with a diverse selection of films, ranging from obscure indies to commercial releases, cult classics, critically-acclaimed documentaries, local films, and foreign favorites. Sure, the regular seats aren't the most comfortable, and it might not be as cozy as other movie houses, but the experience is still totally worth it. It's usually not too packed, so my friends and I love to stretch out on the cushioned "pews." Because we can. The theatre is small enough that every seat is a good seat, and it has a friendly, intimate feel. Welcoming staff, unique concession options, mostly good films, and a great location. I nearly always start up interesting conversations with my fellow movie-goers (generally an interesting crowd anyway). I also feel totally hip when I come here.
Also, the bathroom is bright cerulean blue with little painted-on underwater creatures. Awesome.
So I came here a couple weeks ago (or was it a week ago) for the SF Shorts. I have to say it has a very nice and cozy atmosphere. When asked where I wanted to sit I was instinctively drawn I could not resist the draw of the converted church pews (and they were unusually comfy...not at all how I remember). When I sat down, I nervously looked for the nun who was going to appear out of nowhere and swat my knuckles with a ruler...
I have to say this is my favorite independent movie theater...pass the bowl of popcorn please!
You cannot beat the Red Vic Movie house for watching classic films. It has an old school movie/film ambiance, not found in theatre's today. The staff is very friendly. I love the Red Vic.
i love the red vic despite the fact that i always insist on sitting on the love seat pews that make my ass feel like what a comatose's ass must feel like when they wake up after a few years. i even love the fact that they don't take cards...i perpetually only carry three thousand dollar bills, which they won't give change for.
but what i really love about the red vic is that they serve popcorn in those big wooden salad dishes that my grandma would make us wash and dry immediately after using that always smelt of wishbone brand italian dressing, that the pop (errr, soda) is served in the larger version plastic cups that we drank milk out of at summer camp and that there is always ass loads of literature to grab on your way out for the bus ride home.
...and besides, where else can a girl go who wasn't old enough to have some guy shove his tongue down her throat and practically taste the inside of her socks when labyrinth, dr. strangelove or the muppet movie originally came me out?
This movie house plays great flicks. I went there for the annual 4:20pm showing of the Big Lebowski (on 4/20). I can't remember much of it, but I think I had fun. Some people were dressed up as characters from the flick, which is always fun.
They have real butter and yeast for your popcorn.
They showed a few retro advertisements, including an old one with John Waters telling everyone not to smoke.
Only downsides is that the seats aren't that comfortable and they don't have cupholders on the armrests, but whatever...
The Dude Abides.
Another throw back to years gone by.
As a young adult, we use to come here for the old campy movies, old comfy sofas, popcorn in a bowl and drinks in a reusable plastic cup.
Have since gone yeppy and want the comforts of cushy seats and big big screens. .
But I do highly recommend this place as its one of the few places that started the whole cycle of recycling. . .And they show great movies.
This is an old gem. I saw Terry Gilliam's Brazil from one of their red velvet couches.
Note To Self: Self, do not see a long movie here. Remember when you saw The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford and it was almost three hours long?? Remember how those incredibly lumpy seats started to hurt your ass and then your lower spine started to join in on the uncomfortableness?? Remember that??
So, they have uncomfortable seats. What else?? They have church benches, coffee served in ceramic mugs, popcorn served in wooden bowls, and home-made cookies and brownies. The theater has a DIY mentality which one would assume comes with the theater being a CO-OP. What's a co-op Bucky K. you ask?? A co-op is when a band of theater projectionists and popcorn makers band together, make weapons from speaker wire and movie posters, attack the owner, and keep him in a broom closet, and make the theater their own. It's like an American version of Stalinism with a smidge of Darwinism minus the Walrus.
The theater doesn't begin tickets sales or even open their doors til 20 mins before showtime and all tickets are $8.50. Most shows are second-run and the line-up is always interesting and borderline fringe. I dig it the most. Speaking of fringe, if you are lucky you will see some street toughs get into a fight over a weed deal gone bad while you are walking to the theater. Just consider that a free preview.
Very cool theater and I am currently flogging myself for taking so long to visit...
Saw saw an indy documentary here and had a great experience. The bench seats are comfortable and were great for sitting closer to the person next to you : ) Although after about 2 hours my butt hurt a little bit...
I would prefer to see a movie here than most theaters, it's very very small and has great atmosphere.
Why is it only in SF you can find places like this it seems?
The Vic is a great place to see a movie on a big screen before it comes to DVD that you might have missed when it first hit the theaters, or is a good place to go watch the Big Lebowski on a Saturday afternoon. They only show movies for 2 or 3 days so there is always something new going on which is nice since its just down the street from me.
A tip, if you buy a punch card you save a few bucks on the ticket price and you can use one card for up to two tickets per movie, so if youre going with friends or on a date, pick up a card and youve already got tickets for your next date while saving a few bucks at the same time (so you can buy yourself some popcorn of course).
Just came here last Friday to catch an awesome breakdancing documentary called "Planet B-Boy". The organic popcorn here is soooo good, and they clean and reuse all the cups/bowls which is eco-friendly :) Not the comfiest seats, but it wasn't unbearable. I just wouldn't watch "The Godfather" here :P
Really great, laidback staff, and the crowd was so pumped about the movie. It was nice to be around people who are psyched about being there, instead of the usual drunk annoying people at bigger movie theaters.
Sometimes I have to remember that I shouldn't review a movie theater by the movie that I saw there. Last night, I saw The Assassination Of A Perfectly Good Story By Some Cowardly Scriptwriters, and I didn't really like it.
But the Red Vic itself was pretty cool. It reminds me of a smaller version of my dearly departed UC Theater in Berkeley-- one screen, delightfully quirky pre-movie bumpers, and rapidly changing art-house movies.
This brings me back to my first point, however: most movie theaters are chain operated joints which show major studio popcorn-fests. The Red Vic, like the UC Theater, Parkway, and other indie houses, chooses its own movies. So if I didn't like The Assassination Of One Of Our Countries Well-Known Anti-Heroes By Failing To Give The Plot Any Momentum, will I like any of their other films? Watching the trailers, I think I've got a 50-50 shot-- one I think I will like, the other will just piss me off.
The Red Vic isn't well appointed: it's not well decorated, the theater speakers are hanging by chain ala a nightclub, and the wall of flyers and posters is more reminiscent of a coffee house than a movie theater. But that's not a strike against them-- quite the opposite. It lends a homey, comfortable feel to me. And the fact that you can get a break on tickets by buying in small bulk is really cool.
Ultimately, I'm glad that I saw The Assassination Of Poor Casey Affleck's Career Even Though He Did A Good Job With The Role And People Will Still Love Brad Pitt Anyway at the Red Vic, because I didn't feel like a freak when I cheered at Nick Cave's appearance. I'm sure I'll be back for another movie.
Oh, the Red Vic. It's uncomfortable, and it's often hard to see when there are tall or long-torsoed people sitting in front of you. But it's the Red Vic (not to be confused with the Red Victorian), and they have really cool newspaper-like fliers.
If you've got out-of-town visitors, take them to a weird movie here.
I came here to see Manufactured Landscapes last night. I love the idea of a collective movie theater. It feels so San Francisco. It felt great to support something other than the enormous AMC theater in SOMA or on Van Ness.
I just couldn't give the last star because the seats were SOOOOOOOOOOOOO uncomfortable. My bum still hurts.
Cool movies. Brewer's yeast to top your popcorn. A bit pricey for what you get, but they do have a 4 movie for $27 prepay card you can buy to bring the costs down.
I used to live 3 blocks from here and went at least once a week. I miss the Red Vic!
As my loyal fans know, I like the movies. Good movies, bad movies, educational movies - bring 'em on. Being the movie guy that I am, I was shocked to realize that there was a movie house in SF that I hadn't been to yet...the Red Vic!
*cue theme from Jaws*
That all changed when I saw Sharkwater last night. Beautifully shot and a movie with a message - go see it! If the sharks don't float your boat, take a look at some of the movies that were/are at the Red Vic in December:
Once (my favorite movie of the year)
The Simpsons Movie
Control
Baraka
In the Shadow of the Moon
Across the Universe
Winged Migration
Joe Strummer - The Future is Unwritten
As you can see, the Red Vic is the perfect place to catch either an indie darling or a film that you might have missed in the metroplex before it comes out on DVD.
It's really a four star theater that gets bumped up to five for the film lineup, serving popcorn in wooden bowls and for the communal church pew-esque seating in the first couple of rows. I'll definitely be back.
Every time I come here I think, "I've gotta come here more often!" Indie movie titles you don't see elsewhere - I've seen W and Matthew Barney's movies here. I'm a total popcorn whore and love that you can get a huge wooden bowl full and a ceramic mug of tea, curl up next to my cutie on the padded bench style seating and enjoy the show.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/22/2007
This place embodies 2 of my favorite qualities of SF - Art and a bit of grit.
I loved the movie… Read more »
Hands down, my favorite movie house in the city and probably in the entire Bay. The staff is friendly, their popcorn tastes homemade and they have couches so that you can cuddle with a sweetie or just smush with a group of friends. I'd liken the experience to watching a movie at home or at a friend's house; I always feel completely comfortable and cozy at the Red Vic.
It took me over a year after moving to San Francisco to finally hit the Vic. It's a shame, because they always schedule a variety of interesting film titles, from class-A documentaries & foreign dramas to grade-Z cult hits. It's small and a little ramshackle inside, which makes you feel like you're having a private underground screening just for you and 50 of your closest friends. Projection and sound quality are tolerable; nothing to get psyched about. Food selection is limited to the basics. But it's an independent theater in a corporate age and you gotta support it for that fact alone.
So why am I not here every other week?
One basic reason: It's no bargain. At an average of $8.50 per ticket, you're paying a fairly high price for second-run films on a small screen with so-so image quality. For an extra buck you could go to the Sundance Kabuki and see new releases, with laser-sharp projections on a huge screen, and even have a cocktail bar on the premises, too.
My suggestion to the Red Vic owners? Make one showing per night -- probably the last screening -- a beer showing. Either sell beer or allow people to BYO. I'd be willing to pay $8.50 for a second-run film with a cold brew in hand.
My first experience at the Red Vic was years ago when I saw Pulp Fiction for the first time. I walked knowing I just saw something special - I just couldn't remember it - and then we went Kaz a Man next door - that was fun but don't remember that either. I think there was more in the hookah than the tobacco. Back to the Red Vic - one of my favorite movie houses of all time - the ipidimy of an art house. comfy seats, (if your a shortie make sure no tall sits in front of you there is not much of a slope) good sound and a good size screen.
I was there for my cousin's screening http://www.yelp.com/ev...
Go see some art and get enlightened at the Red Vic Fo Sho. Tell em "Fo Sho" Sent you.
Go see my cousin's film Fo Sho too!!! "A World Between" http://www.aworldbetwe...
The Red Vic is one of those reasons you should be thankful to live in a big city like San Francisco. I suppose you'd call it an art house theater, and as some reviewers have mentioned it's been worker owned and operated since 1980. All good things, as is their tasty popcorn, and comfy seating.
But the real reason to patronize the RV, and this should go for any theater, is their stellar film calendar. You can find it online but they always have print versions just outside the box office, and it's with this latter version that you can plot and plan your monthly viewings. Take December 2007, for instance, which screens The Simpson Movie, Across the Universe, Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten and Control amongst others (each movie shows for 1-3 nights tops).
You can see, it's a mixture of hard-to-find documentaries and larger release films that get another "big screen" chance. Planning into January 2008, look for me watching The Darjeeling Limited, Lynch, and My Kid Could Paint That.
Tickets are $8.50 for adults but you can get a 4-admission punch card for $27.
Red Vic you're awesome.
They hosted a screening for me last week (http://www.yelp.com/ev...) and were awesome every step of the way.
I love the intimacy of the room and just the friendliness and lack of pretension of the folks who work there are giving me the warm fuzzies right now.
I wanna make more movies just so I can show them there.
