The Drive In Theater Experience

[John in Covina]

A strange phenomenon came up where people did not want to get out of their cars to see a movie and the Drive In Theater was born. In some ways it is a 1950's icon although for many the experience went on into the 70's and 80's. Here in Southern Califonia we still have a few hanging on and making a go of it.

About 20-30 minutes away from my home is this one:
http://www.missiontiki.com/#/now/

They have done SciFi nights with 50's & 60's movies in the past, see the past events section.

Here's a site for the Drive In aficionados:
http://www.socaldims.com/

 

[AmateisGal]

I went to the drive-in theater in my hometown of Bridgeport, Nebraska, all the way through my first few years of college (that was in '93 and '94). It closed shortly after that.

My parents used to take us when we were kids. We used to love to get blankets out, get our snacks from the snack bar, and then spread everything out in front of the car or on the car hood. Man, those were good times.

 

[dhermann1]

They were still common when I was a kid. I saw Ben Hur at a drive in, pretty cool. There was one near Westfield New York that you could the screen of as you passed on the highway. It was always fun to crane your neck to see what was playing as you zoomed by.

 

[scotrace]

This one is still going great guns ten minutes from me. The lines to get in are always long. Open since 1937.

 

[skyvue]

Hey, for many, the experience continues till this very day! Let's not present it as if they are all gone. There are still more than 400 drive-ins in North America, and new and refurbished ones are still opening (others do close, of course, but they may well be sort of evening out, at this stage).

I never travel to any part of the US without checking to see if there are some open drive-ins in the area. I was just doing a little research for the short jaunt my wife and I will make to northwestern Massachusetts in a couple of weeks, in fact, and I came up with eight or nine drive-ins within an hour's drive.

My resource for doing such checks is http://www.drive-ins.com/ -- it's a great site.

Also, I mentioned it in another thread a couple of days back, but I've been operating a drive-ins discussion group for 15 years or so. It's free to join, it's moderated so the discussion remains on topic (classic indoor theatres are open for discussion there, too), and, even with more than 600 members, is low enough in traffic that it won't flood anyone's e-mailbox.

http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/drive-ins/

And if anyone's interested, here's an interview I did on Fox News Radio a couple of years back about the state of the drive-in theatre:

http://www.cladrite.com/mp3s/FAAintervue.mp3

 

[Brooksie]

When I was a kid my mom used to take my brother and I when my dad was out of town (he used to be a long haul trucker durring the summer and in the winter he would do more local stuff up and down 1-5) that was back in the 70's. We loved it. I remember one time she let us stay for the double feature which was Hot Lead and Cold Feet & Freaky Friday, fun, fun, fun! There used to be three within close proximity of our house. Now there is one left and is still in running, it is a few miles out of Portland on HWY 99 but I have never been to that one.

Brooksie

 

[skyvue]

Now there is one left and is still in running, it is a few miles out of Portland on HWY 99 but I have never been to that one.

Shame on you, Brooksie -- you must support your local ozoner!

But thanks for the tip -- I'll have to try to check that one out when we visit Portland in August.

 

[John in Covina]

A good friend that has had a big chevy pick up for ages would on those warm summer nights park with the bed facing the screen and relax in chaise lounges in the back.

 

[skyvue]

That's a good way to go.

I like to take lawn chairs and sit beside or in front of the car -- you get to enjoy more of the night sky that way.

 

[JennyLou]

I'm lucky enough to live a block away from the drive-in in my city. I've lived here all my life, but the first time I went to the drive-in was last month to see Star Trek. I loved it a lot more than a regular movie theater.

 

[Brooksie]

Shame on you, Brooksie -- you must support your local ozoner!

But thanks for the tip -- I'll have to try to check that one out when we visit Portland in August.

I would but I don't even own a car so a drive in does not do much good with out one![huh]

Brooksie

 

[skyvue]

I would but I don't even own a car so a drive in does not do much good with out one!

I'm in the same boat here in NYC -- when I patronize a drive-in, I'm usually on the road and always in a rental car.

 

[Brooksie]

I'm in the same boat here in NYC -- when I patronize a drive-in, I'm usually on the road and always in a rental car.

Aha! So you know where I am coming from then, good, good.

Brooksie

 

[Lillemor]

There was a drive-in revival here in the 80s. I don't know if we still have any. I remember the first time my mom asked me if I wanted to go and I just couldn't imagine the concept so I thought she was pulling my leg and I only very reluctantly agreed. It was an okay experience. Not the way I prefer to watch a film. We went a few times more. I don't remember what movies we saw. I might've fallen asleep.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

http://www.49erdrivein.com/

this is the one closest to me.

 

[Brooksie]

It would be fun to go to the drive in with a bunch of people in a big car and have a tail gate picnic but the drive in would probably frown on that because they would want you to buy their goodies.

Brooksie

 

[skyvue]

Concession sales are definitely the primary money-maker for drive-ins, but the rules from theatre to theatre vary.

Some of them allow outside food, but urge you to spend some money at the concessions stand, too. Some outlaw outside food and do their best to strictly enforce that rule. Others allow outside food, but charge a permit fee to bring it in.

The prices at drive-ins are usually very competitive -- much better than at multiplexes -- and many of them are striving to offer a wide variety of choices of a high quality. Their fare often tops the food from the chain fast-food joints that their customers want to bring in, and it's generally cheaper.

 

[JennyLou]

Concession sales are definitely the primary money-maker for drive-ins, but the rules from theatre to theatre vary.

Some of them allow outside food, but urge you to spend some money at the concessions stand, too. Some outlaw outside food and do their best to strictly enforce that rule. Others allow outside food, but charge a permit fee to bring it in.

The prices at drive-ins are usually very competitive -- much better than at multiplexes -- and many of them are striving to offer a wide variety of choices of a high quality. Their fare often tops the food from the chain fast-food joints that their customers want to bring in, and it's generally cheaper.

I like how at my drive-in a ticket is $7 for two movies. Much better than paying $10 at a theater. And I always take my own food.

 

[nobodyspecial]

There are still a couple of drive in theaters in Minnesota. I have not been to one since high school - saw Hunnysuckle Rose and drank a bunch of Jack Daniels. Bill Bryson wrote a very funny piece about taking his family to a drive in theater. The family was less than impressed.

 

[ValenciaCalling]

This is something I wish I could have experienced in its heyday.
It wouldn't be the same now.