Announcing the Return of Cerrito Classics with Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”!

Posted on by

The Cerrito Classics series comes back with one of our favorite films!

Do you remember the Cerrito Classics series? Every month, the Friends of the Cerrito Theater would host a classic film at Rialto Cinemas Cerrito. Have you missed it?

It’s back! Starting this month, the Friends will resume hosting this film series. It will start with Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” (1958), starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak. Stewart plays a former police detective who was forced into retirement because of a fear of heights. He’s approached by an old friend who wants him to tail his wife, whose odd behavior may be linked to a mysterious past. His investigations lead them both down a dangerous road.

“Vertigo” is considered by many to be Hitchcock’s best film. It was one of the first 25 films to be selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” It has been selected in many polls by the American Film Institute, and was selected as the number one mystery by that organization. The movie was set and shot in the Bay Area, and has many location shots in San Francisco and other nearby spots. It features one of Bernard Hermann’s best scores, and the masterful cinematography is by Robert Burks.

“Vertigo” will play only once, on Thursday, March 26 at 6 pm. It may sell out, so we advise you to buy tickets in advance, either at the box office or online. Seats are a bargain at $9. Arriving early is a good idea, in order to choose your seat and also order delicious food and wine or beer.

Upcoming Classics

The Cerrito Classics series will continue on Thursday, April 30 with “Groundhog Day.” It will then go on hiatus until August, when it will resume with more classic films to be announced later.

See you at the movies!

Movie Awards Party at Rialto Cinemas Cerrito!

Posted on by

Come watch the annual movie awards at the theater!

On Sunday, March 15, Rialto Cinemas Cerrito will have a viewing party of the big movie awards show. The event will be a benefit for RYSE, a center in West Contra Costa County created by young people to provide safe spaces for themselves and their peers.

The red carpet will start at 3 pm, and the awards will start at 4 pm. In addition to the awards show, there will be appetizers, beverages, games, trivia, prizes, and a costume contest (to participate, come dressed in a movie-themed outfit). All of this is included in the $49 price of a ticket.

Please click here for more information. You can buy tickets on line or at the box office. We advise you to buy your tickets early, as the event will probably sell out.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the theater!

35mm Returns to Rialto Cinemas Cerrito

Posted on by

Come see three films that are actually on film!

Starting on Thursday, October 23, Rialto Cinemas Cerrito will be showing three movies that were not only shot on film, but will be projected on film. The Cerrito is one of the few theaters left that still has 35mm projection equipment, so this will be an exceptional experience. Director Paul Thomas Anderson said, “You don’t need reminding, but it always bears repeating that seeing Film on Film is the way Nature intended. So don’t go against Nature and seek out your local theater that projects film.”

The first of the films is “Frankenstein,” directed by Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labryrinth,” “The Shape of Water,” “Pinocchio,” “Hellboy.”) This retelling of the classic story by Mary Shelley stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Christoph Waltz, and Mia Goth. Critics have called it “a breathtaking coup” and “a visual masterpiece.” It starts at the Cerrito on Thursday, October 23. For more information, click here.

The second film is “Nouvelle Vague,” directed by Richard Linklater, about the making of the French new wave film “Breathless.” It stars Guillaume Marbeck as Jean-Luc Godard, Zoey Deutch as Jean Seberg, Aubry Dullin as Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Adrien Rouyard as François Truffaut. It’s a love letter to classic film, a real treat for film lovers. Critics have described it as “delightful and vibrant” and a “charming homage.” It starts at the Cerrito on Friday, October 31. For more information, click here.

The third film is “Train Dreams,” directed by Clint Bentley, based on the novella by Denis Johnson about an orphan in the early 20th century who helps expand the railroads into the Pacific Northwest. It stars Joel Edgerton, Clifton Collins Jr., Felicity Jones, and William H. Macy. Critics have described it as a “western epic of breathtaking visual splendor,” and “a perfectly formed movie.” It starts at the Cerrito on Friday, November 7. For more information, click here.

Tickets are now on sale for all three films. You can get them on-line or at the box office.

Thanks, and see you at the movies!