Tag Archives: Pittsburgh Filmmakers

Jane Jacobs Documentary at Pittsburgh Filmmakers May 12-18

Today’s blog post is a double header, I guess I should say double feature, of historic preservation information. Just in time for preservation month, the new documentary about Jane Jacobs opens in Pittsburgh this weekend and it is screening at one of Pittsburgh’s oldest neighborhood movie theaters.

Last Saturday was the annual Jane’s Walk, a community walk celebrating the work of Jane Jacobs in advocating for walkable communities. Jane Jacobs is the author of the book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” (Amazon affiliate link). The book was first published in 1961 as a response to the 1950s urban planning policies of urban renewal. Many cities took on massive urban renewal projects which dramatically reshaped the urban landscape. The effects of urban renewal are still felt today across the country and right here in Pittsburgh.

Urban Renewal in Pittsburgh

Urban renewal and its impact on both the North Side and East Liberty was the topic of a panel discussion hosted by Preservation Pittsburgh in March.  Past Tense | Future Perfect was moderated by Don Carter who is the director of the Remaking Cities Institute at the Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture and provided an interesting discussion of how preservationists could think about urban renewal and the impact on these neighborhoods today. Yesterday, I wrote about the memorial that Andrew Carnegie erected for Colonel James Anderson. I was surprised to learn that the memorial was moved from it’s original location as part of the urban renewal plan which demolished over 500 buildings to create the Allegheny Center mall and apartments.  The mall closed in the 1990s, the mall building has been used as office space and has recently been rebranded as Nova Place. And today, The Atlantic’s CityLab blog published a post about the response to a proposed fried chicken restaurant in East Liberty, The New Urban Fried-Chicken Crisis. Author Brentin Mock provides some historical context around the fried chicken crisis, explaining that East Liberty was and continues to be impacted by the urban renewal policies:

At one point in the early 20th century, East Liberty was one of the largest commercial corridors in the Allegheny Valley region—a third downtown for Pittsburgh. Then urban planners got all bright-eyed and decided to experiment with the street layout and ended up choking East Liberty off from the rest of the city, killing most of its commercial enterprises off in the process.

Even if you don’t care about what restaurants are coming or going, the CityLab article is worth a read, I think Brentin Mock does a good job of explaining what is happening in East Liberty today.

Jane Jacob’s book continues to be one of the key texts around urban planning and creating vibrant communities. I was first introduced to the book in one of my urban planning courses in college. If I had known that after college I would spend years writing about the city of Pittsburgh, I would have majored in city planning.  I went to college at a time when email was so new that we had to take an introduction to email class the first week of school. This was back in the days before cell phones, Facebook and blogging.

Jane Jacobs Documentary Screening in Pittsburgh

Jane Jacobs Pittsburgh

The city lovers and urban planners that I know are quite excited that the new documentary about Jane Jacob, “Citizen Jane: Battle for the City“. Pittsburgh Filmmakers will be showing the documentary at the Regent Square Theater May 12-18, 2017.

You can read Al Hoff’s review of “Citizen Jane: Battle for the City” in this weeks Pittsburgh City Paper.

Showtimes for “Citizen Jane: Battle for the City at the Regent Square Theater:

  • Friday, May 12 @ 8pm
  • Saturday, May 13 @ 3:30pm, 5:45pm & 8pm
  • Sunday, May 14 @ 3:30pm & 5:45pm
  • Monday, May 15 @ 8pm
  • Tuesday, May 16 @ 8pm
  • Wednesday, May 17 @ 8pm
  • Thursday, May 18 @ 8pm

You can follow the film on Facebook, Twitter @JaneJacobsDoc & Instagram @JaneJacobsDoc.

The Regent Square Theater

Photo credit: Cinema Treasures.

It seems fitting that a documentary about Jane Jacobs is screening at a neighborhood theater. The Regent Square Theater has been around since 1938 and is one of the last single screen theaters left in the area. The theater was purchased by the nonprofit Pittsburgh Filmmakers in 1998 and continues to operate as a movie theater screening movies 7 days a week. I was hoping to find out some more history about this building. If you know more about the history of the Regent Square Theater, please share.

If you like local movie theaters, check out our Guide to Pittsburgh’s Independent Movie Theaters.

Guide to Pittsburgh’s Independent Movie Theaters

When the weather starts heating up, sometimes the only thing to do is go inside. This season many of us will take to the air-conditioned refuge of our local megaplexes. To switch things up, I offer you a list of local independently owned theaters. Many of the theaters screen the same new releases, but also provide character and unique programming.

Hollywood Theater475193_275212485896001_1501098987_o

1449 Potomac Ave., Dormont

(412)563-0368

The Hollywood plays a wide variety of movies as well as special film events. Known for its Rocky Horror Picture Show performances, as well as its “Breakfast and a Movie” series (just what it says, breakfast, and a movie) there’s something for everyone. The single-screened theater is a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing Potomac Avenue and Dormont by providing a theater and community center.

The Strand

119 North Main St., Zelienople

(724)742-0400

The Strand offers a variety of films as well as live performances. The Rocky Horror Picture Show screens regularly (17 & over only) and yes, you can throw things at this performance. The theater screens classics like Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, but you can also find live shows at The Strand. The nonprofit theater was restored in 2002, and wants to expand the project.

The Manor

1729 Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh

(412)422-9851

The Manor theater screens both wide-release and independent movies, at often lower prices than the megaplexes. The Manor also boasts “The M Bar” in the lobby where patrons can bring alcoholic drinks into the theater. Check out the “Manor at Midnight” series, when the theater screens classic movies Saturdays at midnight.

Harris Theater

a little history?

a little history? (Photo credit: macwagen)

809 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh

(412)682-4111

Owned by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and programmed by Pittsburgh Filmmakers ,the Harris Theater is a classic movie house in the heart of the Cultural District. The theater screens foreign and contemporary independent films, and is also part of the Three Rivers Film Festival.

Oaks Theater

310 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont

(412)828-6322

The single screen Oaks Theater screens both new releases and cult classics. Check out the summer series “Moonlit Matinees”, where Oaks screens a cult classic every Friday and Saturday night. Once a month, the theater hosts the “Cine Bruch”, where movie fans can watch and munch on a delicious Oakmont Bakery brunch.

Regent Square

Regent Sq Theater

1035 South Braddock Ave., Pittsburgh

(412)682-4111

Owned and operated by Pittsburgh Filmmakers, this single screen theater plays limited release independent movies seven days a week. In addition, every Sunday night the Regent Square theater hosts “The Sunday Series”, a monthly series of film screenings based around a theme, era, or director.

Melwood Screening Room

477 Melwood Ave., Pittsburgh

(412)681-5449

Located within the Pittsburgh Filmmakers building, the Melwood Screening Room is the youngest of the independent theaters on this list. The screening room plays independent features, and hosts “Film Kitchen” on the second Tuesday of every month.“Film Kitchen” is a series featuring local short films. The filmmakers are present at the screening and available for discussion after the show.

 


View Independent Theaters in Pittsburgh in a larger map

What’s your favorite theater in Pittsburgh? Seen any good movies lately?

Crafting and Storytelling – Pittsburgh Screening of "Handmade Nation"

Handmade Nation Screening, Baltimore, MD
Image by tigerlillyshop via Flickr

Handmade Nation is a documentary film about the rise of all things handmade and crafty by artist and filmmaker Faythe Levine.   I first learned about this film at the Craft Congress – a meeting of craft fair organizers – that was first held in Pittsburgh in 2007.  You can read more about the Craft Congress in this New York Times article from December 16, 2007.  Again my path crossed with this film at the Art Activist & Equity symposium which was held at the New Hazlett Theater in 2008. Continue reading

Groundhog Day at Regent Square Theater

Technically Groundhog day is February 2 – but Pittsburgh filmmakers is showing the film Groundhog Day this Sunday, January 24, 2010 – just in time to get you in the mood for the actual groundhog day next week.  Groundhog Day is Part four of five in the Pittsburgh Filmmakers January Sunday Night series: American Comedies.

Here is the description from the Pittsburgh Filmmakers website:

“The miracle is that as the movie becomes more serious, it becomes funnier.” – Stanley Fish,NYTimes

Bill Murray was never more delightfully rude than in this clever film that’s still fresh and funny. It’s even getting scholarly attention. Murray plays Pittsburgh weatherman Phil Connors, who inexplicably keeps waking up in the same day at a B&B in Punxsutawney. The Brits loved this film and awarded the original screenplay their version of an Academy Award. (Harold Ramis; 1993; 101 min)

Continue reading

Saturday Night Movies in the Park: Grease

Carousel at Shenley Plaza, University of Pitts...This is a great free way to spend an evening and spend some time in one of Pittsburgh’s nicest parks. Head on over to Oakland. Grab some ice cream at Dave and Andy’s and then setting in to watch Grease at the Schenley Plaza.The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and Pittsburgh Filmmakers have teamed up to show great American films on Saturday nights in August.

Saturday, August 16, 2008 – Grease
The film will start around 8pm

More info SchenleyPlaza.org

For more info on movies at Schenley Park and other movies in Pittsburgh check out the blog Mirror/Stage – Andy has a ton of info about movies in Pittsburgh.

Image – Carousel at Schenley Plaza – via Wikipedia

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