Time After Time - On The Prowl
Then … Stevenson has already struck twice in the red light district of North Beach but he returns, on the hunt for more victims. From a cab he spots a promising multi-block array of clubs emblazoned in neon.
… and Now, this is the south side of Broadway looking east from Columbus Street. There aren’t as many clubs today but still enough to transform these blocks at night when their bright lights turn on. The Garden of Eden girlie club is still in business mid-block but the vertical Off Broadway blade sign seen above on the corner of Kearny Street now displays that of the Little Szechuan Chinese restaurant.
Then … The cab slowly cruises by the Garden of Eden at 529 Broadway. At left is Coffee Ron’s sandwich shop whose overhead sign is clearly visible in the Then image street view above. The doorway between them leads to a hotel on the upper floors.
… and Now, today’s Garden of Eden sign appears to be the same one. The Coffee Ron’s space, its facade since remodeled and clad with black tiles, is now the home of the Paname night club.
Then … They pass the Penthouse Cinema at 515 Broadway whose offerings include nude girls on stag plus a bonus: the adult porn movie The Devil In Miss Jones.. Next to it at left the Off Broadway stage entertainment club on the corner of Kearny Street trumpets its Lady Wrestlers show.
… and Now, today a French drinks and tapas lounge, Paris 75, occupies the cinema site while the Off Broadway has morphed into a Chinese restaurant offering Szechuan cuisine.
Here’s a vintage 1970s photo giving us another look at the Penthouse Cinema as it was back then.
… this photo of Off Broadway alongside the Penthouse Cinema was taken in 1980 a year or so after Time After Time was filmed.
Two blocks further down at 345 Broadway on the corner of Osgood Place Stevenson spots a girl dancing atop a pole outside Gorman’s Gay 60’s Club.
… In 1967 … in this vintage photo we can see how the dancer accessed the high perch. Behind her is the parking lot of Gorman’s club (the club was set back some from Broadway down Osgood). Note the line of lights to the right of the searchlight in the distance outlining the span of the Bay Bridge.
… and Now, an office building, currently for lease, has been built on that corner parking lot. The Bay Bridge is clearly seen from here.
… In 1964 … this earlier photo was taken of the parking lot and club with its original name of Gorman’s Gay 90’s. Osgood Place runs downhill on the right. Above and behind it are the US Appraisers Building on Sansome (center) and the Gateway Apartments on Battery (left).
… and Now, this recent photo of Osgood Place shows the building that replaced Gorman’s.
Then … The next day Amy drives to work, here passing a block-long brick building.
… and Now, she was approaching Larkin heading east on Beach Street past Ghirardelli Square in the Fisherman’s Wharf/ Aquatic Park neighborhood. Note the octagonal store in the upper left corner - we are about to get a closer look at it …
Then … As Amy turns into Larkin the camera pans up and zooms towards an elevated corner store selling women’s clothing where we see Stevenson turning on the charm with the pretty assistant. The barely legible window sign - it reads William Silva - led CitySleuth to its location; it was listed in the 1978 City directory as the William A. Silva Salon in Ghirardelli Square.
… and Now, the distinctively shaped building is still there, occupied since 2021 by Mexican restaurant Barrio.
She invites him to her place. Bad idea.
The swish of a blade and the deed is done. Once again director Nicholas Meyer chooses to dwell on the consequence, not the gore.