Like a Dream: EMPIRE at the Northpoint
“Thought it was great… It was like a dream… It was very good… Movie too long. Luke sometimes gross (hand). Tan Tan [sic] animation could be better, otherwise movie good. It was kind of sad when Han Solo turned into ice. Why are you making me phil [sic] this out?”
The above was a summation of reactions from boys under age 10 that had filled out comment cards following an April 19th, 1980 preview screening of The Empire Strikes Back at the Northpoint Theatre in San Francisco. With barely a month remaining before the film’s release, “Tan Tan” criticism was apparently of particular concern to Effects Director of Photography Dennis Muren. “My God, what did we do wrong? I thought this was really working,” mulled Muren after reading the feedback from this crucial demographic. Now that four decades have passed, it seems safe to say that the then-gamble of a Star Wars sequel has been “really working” ever since.
To celebrate Empire’s 40th Anniversary, it felt fitting to reflect on the buildup to that special moment in history within the confines of a Bay Area movie theater that was among the 125 cinemas that played the film in its limited release beginning on May 21st, 1980.
Source: CinemaTreasures.org
The Northpoint had already established itself in franchise lore as the venue for the prophetic first public preview of the original Star Wars three years prior (as discussed by guest Jim Swearingen in Episode 10 of the podcast) and was on the cusp of its golden years by the time The Empire Strikes Back arrived. Though diminishing revenue and an expiring lease eventually led to Cineplex Odeon closing its doors in July, 1997, the 982 seat house enjoyed a 30 year run at the corner of Bay and Powell Streets as one of San Francisco’s increasingly rarer single-screen movie theaters. Under the Plitt Theatres banner during the days of Empire, the Northpoint was nothing flashy in terms of design and decor, but boasted a massive screen and a quality sound system — two key ingredients for a Star Wars theatrical presentation.
The aforementioned April 19th, 1980 Northpoint preview of Empire yielded several additional noteworthy responses recapped in an interoffice memo and highlighted in J.W. Rinzler’s The Making of The Empire Strikes Back:
Female comments under 10: “You should have less violence, or if you have violence, make it funny violence. I was unhappy I had to wait so long to see it. I did not like it as much as Star Wars. All the war was a little too much for me. I didn’t like the ending. Overall good suspense.”
Males 16 to 20: “These movies had a meaning. Mattes of Bespin weren’t realistic looking. Everything else was flawless. It’s one of the few sequels as good or better than the original.”
Females 16 to 20: “I hope you find Han Solo!”
Males 21 to 25: “I was surprised the story was good. I enjoyed the magic of the Force. But the army stuff, not for me.”
Males 56 and over: “You will have the kids of America standing on their heads practicing psychokinesis. The Biblical parallels of the story are remarkable and fascinating. I am moved by your willingness to ‘go for it.’ Fabulous series of films. I support your intention.”
Two weeks later, the May 9th, 1980 Northern California Music Guide radio survey from the Bay Area’s once prominent but now defunct 610 KFRC was headlined by the likes of Blondie, Bob Seger, and Boz Skaggs. But more importantly, the guide featured a promotion the top 40s station was running that offered winners the chance to attend the “San Francisco premier” of Empire, presumably at the Northpoint.
Several charity premieres and preview showings took place in North American cities between May 17th and 20th, a few of which were held at the Northpoint. An invite for one such screening on May 19th represents a ticket style brandishing Roger Kastel’s Style A poster artwork that was printed and distributed for press screenings throughout the United States.
From the Collection of Pete Vilmur
As advertised by the flyer below, the film’s Northern California Benefit Preview was hosted at the Northpoint on the night of Tuesday, May 20th. Tickets were available for $20 each, with funds raised to help match the National Endowment for the Arts Challenge Grant to Berkeley’s University Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.
In addition to the PFA’s office, tickets were available at BASS outlets as indicated in the flyer above and the ticket stub below. Anyone know the origin of the high-class, ticket-holding fish fellow there?
From the Collection of Pete Vilmur
You may have noticed mention of another great bonus for the screening’s attendees: “Price includes specially designed, limited edition, collector’s T-shirt.” Not bad for 20 bucks!
From the Collection of Pete Vilmur
The wait for the encampment of fans that had formed outside the Northpoint came to an end the next day on May 21st as The Empire Strikes Back officially debuted with an 11:15am showing. Fantastic photographs unearthed and published by the San Francisco Chronicle depict the high spirits of the opening day moviegoers. Period reporter Steve Rubenstein took the temperature of several dozen fans waiting in line who claimed that the “new ‘Star Wars’ movie is great…about three hours before they’d seen it.”
Photos: Clem Albers | Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Seeing the folded one sheet and lobby cards displayed in their natural habitat behind the group of enthusiastic Northpoint patrons perfectly captures the essence of that day.
Photo: Clem Albers | Source: San Francisco Chronicle
This guy above (who we’ll deem the Mayor of Empire Day at the Northpoint) stands alongside what the Chronicle more recently described as a “sort of ‘Star Wars’ lineholder’s Bill of Rights.” Star Wars line-waiting is a creed that has endured generations and that sign should be considered a foundational document.
Source: CinemaTreasures.org
The newspaper ad to the left ran during the Northpoint’s “NINTH BIG WEEK” as San Francisco’s exclusive engagement of the movie. Empire would go on to play there for an impressive 28 weeks, appropriately being supplanted by the remake of its cinematic forebear Flash Gordon on December 5th, 1980.
As was often the case during the heyday of the Original Trilogy, significance was placed on 70mm projection and 6-track Dolby Stereo from theaters that offered such enhancements to their customers. The Empire Strikes Back’s first month on screens was solely in this format (a few drive-in bookings notwithstanding) before expanding widely in 35mm. Dolby Laboratories ended up utilizing Empire’s 70mm Dolby Stereo run at the Northpoint in a print ad campaign, aptly posing theater owners the question, “Given the choice, would you show this film in black and white or color?” The push to reproduce “the picture in the way it was photographed” with “the sound in the way it was recorded” placed the onus on theaters to present movies the way their directors intended, as audiences “everywhere are coming to know and expect the difference that Dolby Stereo makes.”
Return of the Jedi would see the saga return to the more renowned Coronet Theatre for its opening in 1983 along with the Special Editions and The Phantom Menace, making Empire’s run at the Northpoint the final original Star Wars engagement to grace its screen (though Jedi would have a preview screening in April, 1983 and a 2 week stay for its 1985 re-release). Its red brick-clad boxy shell still stands at Bay and Powell, so the next time you’re enjoying some fresh seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf, consider making a slight detour to pay this modest-looking yet historically relevant Star Wars landmark a visit.
Theater and engagement information retrieved from Michael Coate’s invaluable THE FORCE DEFEATED: REMEMBERING "THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK" ON ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY and Northpoint Chronology at CinemaTreasures.org. Special thanks to Pete Vilmur for his contributions to this post.
