Customer Reviews

Fox-The Last Word Story of the World's Finest Theatre

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It is hard to select one theatre as the epitome of what a movie palace should be, but the story of San Francisco's "Fabulous Fox" as told in this magnificent 12-inch high by 9-inch wide by 1-1/2-inch thick volume will convince most anyone! Both the theatre and its book can only be described in superlatives: the 5,000-seat theatre deserves this 380-page hardbound book with its 600 some illustrations on heavy, glossy paper. The research is so complete that not only are the original blueprints presented along with every area of the building being shown in photos, but the author even counted the ornaments in the theatre amoung which were "900 tassels" on the elaborate draperies throughout the building and the fact that it cost $800,000.00 for just the furnishings in 1929! The author's meticulous research reproduces the Inaugural Programme and includes lengthy chapters on the early theatres in San Francisco (both pre- and post-earthquake/fire) and a wonderful exposition of the artistry and technique which made possible the elaborate cast plaster decor of such theatres. A section of color plates and a complete listing of the theatre's activities from its opening to its closing in 1963 follows the interesting discussion of the FOX's sad demise: a cautionary tale for other cities which will regret loosing an architectural masterpiece! Other books on theatres as a group have appeared, and there have been a few on individual structures, but none compare to this Magnum Opus, this seven-pound Labor of Love! If the late author, Preston J. Kaufmann, could be with us today, he would beam with pride at the high water mark he had set, and therefore maybe even the high prices of used copies may be justified.

There isn't much I can add to the previous review. This is a compelling book - a theatre as a character. The meticulous detail of the history speaks for itself: the circumstances of the times that made the theatre possible, the planning and design, the construction, its' operation over the years, the characters that peopled it and - finally - the circumstances that led to and the chronicling of its' undeserved demolition. All of this history accompanied by photographs, illustrations, the opening night program - even all of the newspaper ads that heralded the opening in an avalanche of hype. I read this book in a single night. You would be hard pressed to find a book that captures the essence of the birth, life and death of a building as this one does. Copies are nearly impossible to find and the sticker shock on the ones you do are likely to send you running. For those interested in the short lived phenomenon that was the movie palace, however, this is indeed "the last word" on the subject, if only through a single example.

What a magnificant book! All the copies that I have seen have sold between $300-$1000, but are worth every penny. I won't repeat what the others have said so well, but I loved the section where they listed every film that played the theater, including the gross for each one. Very revealing, since the Fox was home for the premiere showings of Cinemascope films in San Francisco, from "The Robe" onward. The grosses reveal that the process only had a real boxoffice effect for slightly more than a year. No wonder marginal theaters that made the investment in a last-ditch effort to save themselves went under anyway. Fascinating in every way, and every theater lover should have a copy-no collection of theater literature is complete without it!

I grew up in San Francisco starting in the late forties and more than once I sat in this theater. One movie, "The Wetbacks" (around 1956) had my dad in it in one scene. I bought this book by Preston when it first came out and boy what wonderful memories and feelings it brought up for me. Stepping into that theater as a young boy was SO over the top with magic and wonderment...and this book brings it all back. I went to George Wright's last concert on the Fox's big Wurlitzer, held at midnight at that...pretty late for a that fifteen year old to be up but was it ever worth it...hearing the organ's thirty two foot pipe being played...it shook the whole place...again, this book brings it all back. I am so glad that I bought it when it was affordable, looking at the prices for it now. It was quite a sickening chapter in this book about how the then current mayor of San Francisco, George Christopher, played such a key role in that theater being lost....may he burn in **** for what he did, may he burn in ****!!! I've been in a number of movie palaces both out west and here in New England, as well as seeing photos of many of them....and none of them can touch that old SF Fox....none of them. I give Preston a great big gold medal for his terrific job on this book...I am sorry, from what I see in one of the other reviews here, that he is no longer with us. He was a prince to write this book and the book is worth its weight in gold.