This page is part of an experiment in local film history. It presents a record of each documented screening of a particular Louise Brooks film in Northern California, from the time of its release through today. Recorded here are which city and at what venue and over what period of time (one week, three days, one day, etc…) any particular film was shown. Additionally noted are those occasions when a film was shown as part of a double bill, if there was a special guest appearance, or some other unusual circumstance, such as a benefit screening.
This page presents a record of screenings for Pandora’s Box, which was officially released by Nero-Film AG in Germany on February 9, 1929. The film first played in the United States in December of 1929, and debuted in California only in 1962. For more about this production, be sure and check out its Louise Brooks Society FILMOGRAPHY PAGE. ||| Or, click here to advance to the NEXT FILM in the Lulu by the Bay set of records.
Contemporary screenings 1962 to 1989: Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey (between Aug. 2-5, 1962 as part of Peninsula Film Seminar); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Oct. 5, 1972 as part of Women’s Works); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Oct. 21, 1972 special matinee); San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco (Nov. 21, 1972); Cento Cedar Cinema in San Francisco (February 1-7, 1973 with Threepenny Opera); Surf in San Francisco with The Last Laugh (Jan. 22-23, 1974 “new print”); Pacific Film Archive (Wheeler Auditorium) in Berkeley (July 24, 1974); Cento Cedar Cinema in San Francisco (Sept. 18-20, 1975 with The Blue Angel); Wheeler Auditorium in Berkeley (Nov. 9, 1975 with L’Age D’Or); San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco (Nov. 7, 1976); Noe Valley Cinema (James Lick Auditorium) in San Francisco (May 21, 1977 with Oskar Fischinger’s Composition in Blue); Wheeler Auditorium in Berkeley (Feb. 10, 1978 with L’Age D’Or); Sonoma Film Institute in Sonoma State University (Feb. 28, 1979 with The Blue Angel); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley as part of “Tapes from the Everson Video Revue” (Jan. 20, 1980); U.C. in Berkeley (March 10, 1980 with The Threepenny Opera); Roxie in San Francisco (Mar. 31, 1980 with The Blue Angel); Noe Valley Ministry in San Francisco (April 11, 1980 with Un Chien Andalou); Castro in San Francisco (May 2-3, 1980 with A Girl in Every Port); Rialto in Berkeley (May 14-20, 1980 with The Threepenny Opera); Castro in San Francisco (Aug. 28, 1980 with The Threepenny Opera) ; Strand in San Francisco (December 15, 1980 with The Threepenny Opera); Rialto in Berkeley (December 17-23, 1980 with The Threepenny Opera); Roxie in San Francisco (Feb. 17-19, 1981 with A Girl in Every Port); Showcase Cinema in Sacramento (Mar. 3, 1981 with Foolish Wives); San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco (March 6, 1981); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Mar. 7, 1981 as part of the series “Starring Louise Brooks” with Organ Accompaniment By Robert Vaughn); Rialto in Berkeley (June 24-27, 1981 with Salome); Pageant theater in Chico (Oct. 8, 1981 with A Girl in Every Port as part of “Two Evenings with Louise Brooks” sponsored by Chico Women’s Film Series at Chico State University); Rialto in Berkeley (Feb. 12-16, 1982 with A Girl in Every Port); Electric in San Francisco (Mar. 10-11, 1982 with The Blue Angel); Avenue in San Francisco (May 6, 1982 with She Goes to War); York in San Francisco (June 22, 1982 with Threepenny Opera); Roxie in San Francisco (Oct. 17-18, 1982 with A Girl in Every Port); UC in Berkeley (Oct. 25, 1982 with A Girl in Every Port); Sonoma Film Institute at Sonoma State University (Jan. 20, 1983); Showcase Cinema in Sacramento (Feb. 1, 1983 with M.); Castro in San Francisco (Oct. 26 – Nov. 3, 1983 with Diary of a Lost Girl – see pictured advertisement); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Dec. 7, 1983 with Kameradaschaft); Santa Cruz Film Festival in Santa Cruz (Jan. 19, 1984 with A Conversation with Louise Brooks); Bijou in Palo Alto (March 20, 1984 with Diary of a Lost Girl); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Jan. 27-28, 1985 with M.); UC theater in Berkeley (Sept. 18, 1985); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Oct. 13, 1985 as part of the series “A Tribute to Louise Brooks (1906-1985)” accompanied on piano by Jon Mirsalis); Castro in San Francisco (Nov. 29, 1985 with The Threepenny Opera); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Oct. 29, 1986); San Francisco Public Library (main branch) in San Francisco (Dec. 18, 1986); Castro in San Francisco (Feb. 26, 1987 as part of “Vamps” series); Castro in San Francisco (Jan. 7, 1988); U.C. in Berkeley (June 30, 1988); Castro in San Francisco (Nov. 8, 1988 with Diary of a Lost Girl); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Nov. 17, 1988);
Contemporary screenings 1990 to the present: Red Vic in San Francisco (Feb. 13-14, 1990); Castro in San Francisco (Aug. 7, 1990 with Diary of a Lost Girl); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Dec. 4, 1990 as part of the series “Surrealism and Cinema”); Castro in San Francisco (Apr. 29, 1991); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Apr. 5, 1992 as part of the series “Silent Film Classics”); Castro in San Francisco (May 11, 1992 with Diary of a Lost Girl); Castro in San Francisco (May 5-8, 1995 accompanied by the Club Foot Orchestra, as part of the San Francisco Film Festival); Castro in San Francisco (Dec. 16-17, 1995 accompanied by the Club Foot Orchestra); Castro in San Francisco (Apr. 2, 1996 with Wings, accompanied on organ by Robert Vaughn); Towne Theatre in San Jose (June 28, 1996 accompanied on organ by Robert Vaughn); Castro in San Francisco (May 18, 1998 as part of Femme Fatale Festival); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (May 28, 2000); El Rio Outdoor Cinema in San Francisco (August 28, 2001 accompanied by Golden Arm Trio jazz ensemble); Stanford in Palo Alto (Sept. 5, 2001); Jezebel’s Joint in San Francisco (Feb. 10, 2003); Castro in San Francisco (July 15, 2006 as part of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, with introductions by Thomas Gladysz and Bruce Conner); Rafael Film Center in San Rafael (Nov. 11, 2006 introduced by Peter Cowie); California in San Jose (Mar. 9, 2007 as part of Cinequest); Castro in San Francisco (July 14, 2112 as part of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival); Niles Essanay Film Museum in Fremont (Sept. 12, 2015); Stanford in Palo Alto (Sept. 23, 2016); Niles Essanay Film Museum in Fremont (March 23, 2019); Paramount in Oakland (May 6, 2023).
***
If you live in Northern California and are curious to learn if a Brooks’ film played where you live, the 25 pages that comprise Lulu by the Bay — including this one, may be just the record to satisfy your curiosity. Want to know more about the non-Louise Brooks films which made the other half of a double bill? Try searching the Internet Movie Database, or IMDb. Additionally, if you are interested in finding out more about any of the theaters noted above, then be sure and check out Cinema Treasures. It’s a truly remarkable website with entries on more than 60,000 movie theaters from not only around California and the United States, but also around the world. Most every theater has its own page, which includes its location, a brief history, historic and contemporary images, and lots more. Cinema Treasures includes not just current theaters, but also those many venues which have closed, been converted to another use, or torn down. Notably, this crowd sourced website can be searched by theater name, location, or zip code.
Have a question or know of other screening not listed above? If so, please CONTACT the Louise Brooks Society.