THE NEW CASTRO Theatre calendar is dominated by the Berlin and Beyond Film Festival – scheduled while Anita Monga, the highly respected programmer who was recently fired, was still on the job (see "Coming Soon," 11/17/04) – and classic films like West Side Story and On the Waterfront. What lies past February is unknown, but the Castro's new programmer, veteran booker Richard Blacklock of Los Angeles-based Exhibitors Service, has an upbeat attitude despite the controversy.

Blacklock, who stopped by the Bay Guardian office the day after meeting theater owner Ted Nasser in person for the first time, lives in L.A. but said he loves San Francisco and plans to be in town at least once a month. He mostly works with first-run theaters in southern California; the Castro is currently the only rep house on his slate. His contributions to the new calendar include a "Dystopia Series," featuring films like Sleeper and Videodrome, and Rush to the Civil Altar, a doc about same-sex marriage.

Blacklock seemed fine with the fact that some distributors pulled their films after Monga's departure. "[Bookers are] accustomed to people changing venues – it's not uncommon," he said. "I understand that [in this case], it had a lot to do with the situation at the Castro, and that's perfectly fine. I understand the sentiment of people wanting to do that."

One notable series that's shifted locations is the third annual San Francisco Film Noir Festival – co-programmed by fest founder Eddie Mueller and Monga – which unspools at the Balboa Theater starting Jan. 14 (go to www.noircity.com for additional information).

Of the growing concern in the local film community that movies with lesbian and gay content will become less prominent at the Castro, Blacklock said, "I told [Nasser], if we're gonna do this, it's gonna be the same – it can't change. [The Castro] has a history and a tradition of exhibiting this kind of program and you can't suddenly ask audiences to change." He noted that Eating Out, which picked up the First Feature Award at this year's San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, is slated for a future run.

But if no changes are afoot, why would the theater owners oust Monga, who'd been at the Castro for nearly two decades? Blacklock admitted he doesn't know the answer. "I have a lot of respect for Anita's calendars. I'm sorry the situation came about like this – all I can do is try to do the best I can to carry on. I'll try to do her justice; I certainly wouldn't want to embarrass her legacy."

Keeping watch

Maintaining the standard of excellence upheld by Monga is a chief concern of Audiences in Action, a group of filmmakers and filmgoers who've come together to "preserve programming integrity at the Castro," according to a recent press release. In a phone interview, organizer Monica Nolan explained that Audiences in Action was formed out of frustration: "Audience members are the most affected by any programming changes, and we want to let the owners know how we feel." The group aims to draw attention not just to Monga's firing but also to the bigger issue at hand. "What is happening to this treasure in our midst, that the owners are tampering with for unknown reasons?" Nolan said. "We can't let the changes at the Castro go unopposed."

Audiences in Action held a protest Dec. 18 in front of the theater, marking the start of the first Castro calendar not arranged by Monga in 16 years. A spirited crowd of film fans (including local luminaries Craig Baldwin, Rick Prelinger, and Joel Shepherd – and at least one cinephile dressed as a character from Godard's A Woman Is a Woman, which she'd seen at the Castro) raised signs both philosophical ("Programming is an art") and to the point ("Ted is going to program stupid shit") and listened to speakers such as Nolan and Sup. Matt Gonzalez. Bay Guardian contributor and noted film critic B. Ruby Rich took the mic and was met with cheers for emphasizing (to Nasser in particular, who was present) that "a movie theater is more than its architecture." For updates on Audiences in Action's future plans, including a proposed five-day boycott of the Castro in early January, go to www.duboce.net/castro.

Star power

Great news for Four Star Theatre owner Frank Lee: in November, Mayor Gavin Newsom signed into effect an ordinance requiring that a use permit be obtained before the demolition or change in use of a movie theater. According to www.save4star.net, anyone applying for such a permit would have to prove "the theater to be eliminated was not commercially viable," among other criteria.

This development means the Four Star – the landmark Richmond District theater Lee has operated since 1992 – won't be booted as planned by the Canaan Lutheran Church, which has owned the building since 2001. "We're waiting for the landlords to open dialogue to extend our lease," Lee said in a phone interview, noting he's grateful for the support he has received from Four Star fans, the media, the San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation, and Richmond merchants.

And there's more: the Presidio Theater, once earmarked to become a gym but now leased to Lee, is set to open this week. Lee said his new Marina outpost will show more first-run movies than the Four Star typically does, but it'll also screen foreign and art films. Ten months of remodeling (new seats and carpets, wheelchair-accessible bathrooms, etc.) included the sectioning of the former single-screen house into four auditoriums: a large screen and a small "screening room" downstairs plus two theaters upstairs. (Lee made sure the upstairs digs don't have seats set at a weird angle to the screen – a common problem among single screen-turned-multiscreen auditoriums.)

The best news of all: with the Presidio up and running, Lee said he'll finally have time to sort through his personal film collection – which includes some of the rarest, kraziest kung fu flicks ever committed to celluloid – and unfurl more rounds of Hong Kong Movie Madness at the Four Star. Bring on the Jimmy Wang Yu!

Cheryl Eddy