San Francisco's 4 Star Theater Gets New Lease on Life

Visiting San Francisco over the holiday weekend, I stopped by Clement Street's 4 Star Theater with a couple of friends to chat with owner-operator Frank Lee. The 4 Star is one of the city's few remaining single screens (with an adjacent, smaller screening room), where Lee and his wife Lida show first-run releases and an eclectic repertory selection. Around town, the theater is best known for its presentation of films from Asia, particularly Hong Kong, Taiwan and China.

A recent San Francisco Chronicle article detailed the Lee's legal victory in finally receiving the green light to purchase the theater from the property owners, who had been attempting to evict the Lees following the expiration of their lease in 2005.

As usual, Frank was behind the counter selling tickets and dispensing popcorn when we emerged from a screening of "Stranger Than Fiction," which was playing on a double bill with "The Queen." He confirmed the 4 Star's transfer of ownership and said he'll continue programming the theater with a diverse film selection.

The Lees, who have operated the 4 Star since 1992, are planning renovations to the theater and also hope to reopen the Cinema 21, nearby the Presidio Theater, which they also currently operate.

The 4 Star's survival is a major victory for independent theater operators in San Francisco, where nearly 40 neighborhood theaters have reportedly closed since 1980, with the Alexandria, Coronet and Metro most recently shuttered.

Frank assured me that the 4 Star's annual Asian Film Festival will be back this summer, after missing the 2006 edition due to all the legal maneuverings required to save the theater.