SATURDAY MAY 15th - REMEMBERING PLAYLAND & SPECIAL WHEN LIT
DOUBLE FEATURE - 10 Dollars
MUSICAL PERFORMANCES BY: TIPPY CANOE (5:30PM) & VAGABONDAGE (6:30PM)
PIN BALL MACHINES PROVIDED BY PACIFIC PINBALL MUSEUM
LIVE PHYSICAL THEATER BY KINETIC ARTS CENTER
View photos from this event
8:00pm
REMEMBERING PLAYLAND (62 min.)
Dir. Tom Wyrsch, 2010
San Francisco’s now-extinct Playland at the Beach, an amusement park located next to Ocean Beach, was established in the 1880s as a collection of amusement rides and concessions all separately owned by various concessionaires. In 1923, George and Leo Whitney opened their first concession, soon followed by additional concessions. They eventually purchased the 10-acres of land on which Playland sat, and the land adjacent to Playland, including the Cliff House. After George Whitney's death in 1958, and years of decline, the land was purchased in 1971, and Playland was dismantled in 1972 for condominium development.
More than three decades later, Tom Wyrsch has resurrected the city’s lost treasure in his new documentary, the first and only documentary ever made about Playland at the Beach. For those who enjoyed playland as a child, Laffing Sal, the Fun House, the Carousel, the Big Dipper, the Diving Bell, Dark Mystery, Limbo, and Fun-tier Town will bring back fond childhood memories. For those who have only heard stories about Playland, the documentary will help bring it to life.
"Remembering Playland, the Story of San Francisco’s Playland at the Beach" a full length documentary, with 12 interviews, 20 minutes of archival footage, 187 photographs and original music was written and directed by Tom Wyrsch. It is a production of Garfield Lane Productions, an independent video & DVD production company.
9:15pm
SPECIAL WHEN LIT: A Pinball Documentary (97 min.)
Directed by Brett Sullivan
Rediscover the lure of the lost pop icon-Pinball. This is the definitive story of the rise and fall of pinball as told by hardcore fans, collectors, designers, and champion players from across the globe. A product of the mechanical and electrical age, this American invention swept the world and defined cool. A game, a sport, a lifestyle, pinball made more money than the entire American movie industry through the 50s and 60s. Special When Lit is encapsulating and absorbing, retracing the passion of pinball followers, and also revealing the demise of pinball to the new era of video games.
Film site: http://www.specialwhenlitmovie.com/index.html
Trailer: http://www.specialwhenlitmovie.com/gallery.html
