Celluloid San Francisco: The Film Lover's Guide to Bay Area Movie Locations

Anyone who loves anything in the SF Bay Area and in the movies will have a feast with Celluloid San Francisco. I was instantly charmed by the slick title, the elegant cover, the generous amount of photos, movie posters and other evocative details of illustration. Then I checked the index and found my favorite SF movie, Vertigo, represented 17 times. The authors are obviously serious about their passion. The research alone is impressive (an understatement), but there is much more. There is good writing, delivered in small, appetizing bites, there is a sharp eye for detail, mixed with playful irony. The love for SF as a place of culture and adventure jumps off the pages like bubbles of champaign. If you think I am making this up, go to page 94-95, entry no 50: The Fairmont Hotel, and learn that this is where Hitchcock stayed while shooting Vertigo, where "Orson Welles unexpectantly encountered William Randolph Hearst, the model for Citizen Kane's megalomaniacal character" in the elevator, where Tony Bennett first sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", where Marlene Dietrich...... But don't believe me -- see for yourself. Renate Stendhal, author of "Gertrude Stein in Words and Pictures"

I read this book with great interest as a SF resident. Mr. Van Buskirk and Mr. Shank certainly did their homework. Their knowledge of Bay Area movies is fantastic, and their delivery by geography is right on.

Celluloid San Francisco combines two of my loves-SF and films. This is a brand new way to see the City on the Bay...Van Buskirk and Shank are modern historians. They know the territory and share it. I can only imagine how many hours went into researching the movie locations. The many black and white photos are a plus...and a trip down memory lane for this reader...unexpected gifts are the three sections on areas around SF. This is a travel book that's found its way into my hands and into my luggage just prior to my Spring trip southward. For sure it's a must have.

This well researched book is a must have for anyone who loves film, San Francisco and history of the films that have been shot in SF and Northern California. Part history book and part insight to locations and venues, this carefully researched tome is a delight - with photos and maps to give you an idea just how much SF has been used as a location. And no wonder, as beiing one of the most beautiful cities in the US. SF was indeed a favorite location of Hitchcock's. Van Buskirk, who's other SF Book - GAY BY THE BAY, appears to have a love affair with SF and his delight leaps off the page. It made me want to get my walking shoes and search out some of these locations. A great book for gifts. BUY THIS BOOK.

This book is a fun read and also seems like it would be a great travel guide. The maps are easy to read and there are tons of photos. If you're planning a trip to San Francisco make room in your suitcase for this book. If you can't make it to the City By The Bay, this book can tell you what films to rent so you can take a "virtual tour." The text is smart and the research is thorough. I highly reccommend this book.