In today’s pop culture, violence and rough humor is thrust upon us in movies and television all the time. Today’s movie theaters are simply not as comforting and family-oriented as old-time movie theaters were during the 1920s. This is mainly due to the fact that blood, gore, sex and unconventional humor seems to be the underlying plot behind every recent movie, meaning families of all ages are not able to indulge in the same comforting movie-going experience as families before.

​

Unlike modern movie theaters, the Stanford Theater, located in the heart of downtown Palo Alto, has a mission: to bring back the classic 1920s.
 

The Stanford Theater’s purpose is to promote the authentic movie-going experience of Hollywood’s Golden Age: popcorn, candy and the idea of family time is the backbone of this 1920s-era theater.
 

“Classic Hollywood directors never intended you to watch their pictures on a video screen in your living room,” the Stanford Theater website said. “The magic of the movies depends on a larger-than-life image and the shared reactions of a large audience.”
 

The Stanford Theater opened in 1925 as the primary place for Palo Altans to enjoy a movie. Moviegoers from across town came to enjoy all that the Stanford Theater had to offer.
 

Unlike today’s contemporary movie theaters, the Stanford Theater was designed during a time period where large architecture and bold colors were the norm. Inside, the ceiling is covered with designs and patterns of gold, red, green and blue, and is decorated with large chandeliers.
 

The classic red velvet drapes cover the silver screen, while the wooden organ rises from below, playing music from the 1900s before each movie begins. Two clusters of golden columns and statues cover the walls, and the comfortable chairs that mold to the shape of your body were made for enjoying a long film.



In 1987, after a Fred Astaire Film Festival, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation bought the theater in order to save it from its impending closure. They then restored it to its original condition, drawing people from all around to watch old Hollywood classics.