The Basement presents Petulia
Wednesday, February 25 | 7:30 p.m.
4 Star Theater, 2200 Clement St, SF, CA 94121
Join The Basement (Luca Antonucci and Mitsu Okubo) for a special screening of Petulia! This 1968 psychedelic tour of San Francisco was directed by Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night, Superman III) and shot by Nicolas Roeg (The Man Who Fell to Earth, Don't Look Now). Lester weaves a fragmented narrative for our two protagonists, played by George C. Scott (Dr. Archie Bollen) and Julie Christie (the titular Petulia), and Roeg paints the screen with kaleidoscopic anxiety. In one scene, Petulia tries to get on the 39 Coit with a tuba but can't get it through the door. Archie takes the instrument from her so she can board the bus, and what follows is perhaps the most iconic Muni scene ever shot, with Petulia's face plastered against the window, staring at the streets going by, flashbacks kicking in with every bump in the road. Presented on VHS.
This program is organized in conjunction with Moving San Francisco: Views from the SFMTA Photo Archive 1903 - Now, an exhibition that celebrates the history of Muni and the evolution of our city with a collection of images from the SFMTA Photo Archive. Moving San Francisco will be on view at SF City Hall through June 18, 2026.
About the basement
The Basement is an art studio and VHS archive in San Francisco's Mission District. They host free weekly screenings and often present films at the 4 Star Theater. Programming by Luca Antonucci and Mitsu Okubu. @basementvhs
Program Partner
