Filtering by Tag: Lincoln Park

One On Top Of The Other - Aerial Tour

November 08, 2020 / CitySleuth

Then … Director Lucio Fulci originally set his storyline in Louisiana but fortunately for us ended up filming it in San Francisco. It was his first film in the U.S. and he wore his tourist hat when it came to choosing locations. What more iconic if formulaic an intro than to rent a helicopter for the day, fly over the Golden Gate Bridge and tour the city as the opening credits roll?

… and Now, this recent wider panoramic view shows off the beauty of the city spread out before us. The large green expanse in both images is the Presidio, then a military base but since handed over to the city and now open to the public. A bridge feature seen below not there back in 1969 is the central divider which is seamlessly moved daily to add or subtract a lane as demanded by the commute traffic.

Then … Our tour of the city continues - this view across the western span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge shows Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill in the background on the right and Russian Hill off to the left. The Financial District clusters behind the aging piers of the waterfront.

… by 2014 … this image shows the proliferation of the Financial District since the 1960s, spreading South Of Market, an inexorable process that continues to this day. The other big change is along the Embarcadero where many of the piers have been removed, opening up and transforming the waterfront. (Photo credit Q T Luong/ terragalleria.com).

Then … the aerial tour next swings by the domed City Hall at the Civic Center. The building in the foreground right of center is the War Memorial Opera House with its vertically extended roof above the stage.

… by 2008 … this view was taken 12 years ago but is close to how it looks today (2020). An added building is visible in the bottom right corner - the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, built next to the Opera house in 1980 on the parking lot site seen above. The long narrow pool that ran down the spine of the plaza (barely visible above) has been removed.

Then … Here, our tour guide is flying directly over Russian Hill looking east across the North Beach and Telegraph Hill neighborhoods. The view looks beyond Coit Tower towards Yerba Buena Island and the Bay Bridge. Note the ugly double-decker Embarcadero Freeway at far right, destined to be torn down after being damaged in the 1989 earthquake. In the foreground the twin-spired Saints Peter and Paul church faces Washington Square Park.

… and Now, here’s the same view today, taken from a Russian Hill rooftop. Its wider perspective shows in the left distance the Bay Bridge’s multi-billion dollar eastern span tower that replaced its predecessor, again because of damage from the 1989 earthquake - the western span suspension bridges however survived relatively unscathed. These neighborhoods are little changed since mostly being rebuilt after the 1906 fire.

Then … “Hey, this is San Francisco - let’s fly over Alcatraz!” The island has been a military prison dating back to 1861 but the infamous Federal Penitentiary that we see here - it opened in 1934 - was operational for only 29 years. Nevertheless, the sight of the dramatic skyline and the sounds of the city must have been cruelly painful for the prisoners to see and hear each day.

… and Now, today the former prison is one of San Francisco’s most popular tourist attractions; 1.4 million visitors are shuttled by ferry each year to and from the island. CitySleuth recommends the audio tour!

Then … We next head over to the far west of town to the Pacific Coast - beneath us is the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 42nd Avenue and Clement Street at the former Fort Miley Military Reservation, between Lincoln Park and Point Lobos (map).

… and Now, here’s a recent Google satellite view of the hospital showing significant expansion since then.

The tour ends with the helicopter pilot skimming the surf just off the south end of the Great Highway alongside the San Francisco Zoo (map). In the distance on the left a horizontal green sliver (Golden Gate Park) bisects the Sunset and Richmond districts and Lincoln Park and the Presidio outline the horizon.

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tags / Presidio, San Francisco Bay, Civic Center, Telegraph Hill, Alcatraz, Lincoln Park, Great Highway

Sudden Fear - An Old Flame Shows Up

December 01, 2012 / CitySleuth

At a party at Myra's house who should show up but Irene Neves (the sultry shady lady of noir Gloria Grahame), an old flame of Lester's. She is accompanying Myra's attorney's partner Junior Kearney (Mike Connors, in his first movie). Lester, surprised, is not amused but goes through the introduction pleasantries as though it were the first time they had met.

Then ... Lester catches up with her at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor fine arts museum in Lincoln Park (map). This shot also captures the statue of the 11th century Spanish warrior El Cid in the foreground. In 1958 the Palace became best known in the movies as a Vertigo location.

... and Now, trees have grown but nothing else has changed. Interesting that the copper stains on the plinth are virtually identical, having stabilized after the early staining for at least 60 years. The city authorities might take note of this and clean the pedestal!

Then ... Inside, Irene (wearing the hat) is listening to an organ recital. (On a trivia note, the organist was playing J S Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring). Lester enters and drags her outside.

... and Now, the organ console, of finest walnut, is still there in Gallery 10 and organ recitals are played every weekend. The 4500 pipe organ was commisioned by the Spreckels family and built by the Ernest M Skinner Organ Company of Boston for the opening of the Palace in 1924. Amazingly, when CitySleuth stopped by, the same statue over on the right was on display!

Then ... Against one of the exterior pillars and with El Cid in the background, Lester asks Irene to work on Junior Kearney to find out the details of a major transfer of her wealth that he's heard Myra is planning. Irene agrees ... "I'll turn him inside out!"

... and Now, from the same spot, the view looks to the Marin Headlands across the Golden Gate.

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tags / Lincoln Park

Vertigo - Scottie Follows Madeleine - 5

March 10, 2011 / CitySleuth

Madeleine continues to make mysterious trips across town. This time she returns to the art gallery then heads out to Fort Point. Every block traversed is listed and described sequentially. In this sequence an asterisk (*) indicates a route discontinuity, i.e. a location jump.

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tags / Lincoln Park, Presidio

The Lineup - Car Chase

January 19, 2011 / CitySleuth

The 1968 movie 'Bullitt' is famous for its spectacular car chase as Steve McQueen barrels through the streets of San Francisco in pursuit of the bad guys. But Don Siegel had done it first, a decade earlier, in this movie. Dancer and Julian, with Dorothy and her daughter as hostages and Sandy at the wheel, lead police pursuers in a high speed race across town.

As they speed away from Sutro's, Julian wants to stop and scatter but Sandy reassures him ... "I'm your boy, I'll get you out". We'll soon see about that.

The chase unfolds below with each segment shown side by side as 'Then" and 'Now'.

Below, the police close in and the chase is finally over, but not before the enraged Dancer shoots his partner Julian in the back as he tries to flee.