Drive-in movie theaters, the "new" movie experience?

Our British car club went to see "The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby" together for the last drive in experience I've had. That was in Council Bluffs, Iowa (across the river from Omaha, Nebraska). May have been the last season it was open. It's a highway interchange now.
 
They're all closed and/or gone around here....the few that still exist are flea markets on the weekends.
 
I recently heard the school district is holding graduation at the drive-in theater this year.
Everyone can stay in their car.
Thought this was a good idea.
 
I miss the drive-ins. Three Clint Eastwood movies for two bucks! Sneaking in was prevelant back in the day. Stuffing 6 guys in the trunk of a '51 Chevy. Popping a grocery sack full of popcorn. Stopping to buy a couple dozen tacos. Lawn chairs. Meeting up with some snaggly gal at the concession stand. Ahhh...sweet memories!
 
Yesterday it was announced that our local drive-in will be opening this Friday.

The region I live in is among the 4 scheduled to begin reopening on Friday due to its meeting of the criteria set by the governor's office and drive-ins are eligible. Not sure how many are still open in NY State besides ours.

They haven't released info on which movies will be showing, but if I am interested in one of them it might be a good time to go there for the first time in 37 years.
 
There's one in Northern Illinois that reopened last week and was sold out. I've been there many times before, even having gone there last year. It's a great experience and I'm glad they're doing so well. It seemed like every year might be their last.
 
I worked at “The Kenwood” in the Louisville Ky area in the snack bar age 15-16. The hardest job I ever had! In 1962
 
We go to our local drive in all the time. Matter of fact, it’s been forever since we went to a regular theater. You get spoiled at the drive in. Set the volume how you want it, set your seat how you want it, bring your own food, plus ours is always a double, sometimes triple feature! Only thing that sucks is if the person next to you starts smoking. Or they park in front of you with a suburban and put the kids on the roof..
 
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Not being political.....

With the Covid, due to social distancing and people’s reluctance to be around so many other people. Other than the subjective people that don’t accept changes very well. Being in your own car provides a bit of environmental security and you can bring your own munchies. Just make sure you have a mask on when paying a cashier at any drive in...

The life you save just might be your own....
 
yeah, the modern tall vehicle would certainly be a problem. Would be like sitting behind Abe Lincoln in a regular theater.
 
I read somewhere that some drive ins are taking your cell# and assigning a parking spot. Then, when you want something from the snack bar, you just text them your order and they deliver it to your car.
 
Last time I went, I saw "The Twilight Zone Movie" -
1983 - wow, its really been that long?? That was on Rt 1 south of Alexandria.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/11839 - long gone now.

Most in the immediate area are long gone - cost of real estate what it is ...
There is one in a Baltimore suburb thats highly rated
https://www.bengies.com - temporarily closed for now.
Another near Fredericksburg, I believe, and one in the Shenandoah Valley ...
All are a pretty good drive from here in Fairfax, VA
 
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Many of the drive-ins had to close because of the change to the digital format was cost prohibitive.
Surely many of the old film reels still exist.
Maybe we are seeing the resurgence of an antiquated medium?
I'm all for antiquated mediums.
 
noisefreq said:
Many of the drive-ins had to close because of the change to the digital format was cost prohibitive.
Surely many of the old film reels still exist.
Maybe we are seeing the resurgence of an antiquated medium?
I'm all for antiquated mediums.
Click to expand...

Yeah, we used to have two drive-ins, but only one could raise the money to go digital. The other one closed down, was sold, and now it's a lumber yard.
 
Frankie's Market said:
I live on a semi-rural island north of Seattle, WA. our drive-in has been operating for many years. Great bargain for families, when I was still teaching the teens would talk about what cool movies would be playing. Here's the link
Click to expand...

I have been to that one a few times :biggrin:
 
we haven't had a drive in here in decades
the season is to short
but when we were teens, my friend's dad ran a major movie theatre and the drive in
lots of the snacks were kept in his home basement
lots of free munchies for us, but how many have seen 50lb bags of "nutty club" pop corn kernels ?
 
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