For those who remember going to a drive-in theater, here's an article from the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper online site. It's about the demise of the drive-in theaters in the greater S.F. Bay Area.
I've been to about three of the ones they listed.
Anyone remember actually going to a drive-in movie theater?
I still remember ISIS saying on another post (several years ago), "The fact that drive-ins are dying out, is a crime to me!"
The first ever drive in theater in America was opened in New Jersey. The last drive in theater in New Jersey closed in the early 90s. I was there for the last night. It was very sad. I LOVED going to the drive in... They tore it down and built a multiplex theater. I boycotted it for years...
It's just sad...
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
It is a crime...I think my state-PA has one of the highest numbers of Drive-Ins left. I can think of at least 5 around me. There was one in the town I use to live in, and we went every weekend...usually there was a good kids movie first...then a rated R movie...so my son would fall asleep during the intermission and then we watched the 2nd movie. You got 2 movies for the price of one.... we use to be able to take our own food to that Drive-In...people would take grills and cook out on them, or they took subs and pizzas...and we'd see people with their recliners in the beds of pick up trucks.
We use to stick our air mattress in the back of the van, turn our van around and lift the lift gate up...and watch the movie in the fresh air and lay on the air mattress.
The Drive-In we went to...is now charging people to bring their own food...because they have a concession stand and make money off the food... I am sure people still smuggle it in. I think it has to do with the low attendance for movies now...
I remember my mom and dad went to the Drive-In in the 80's and they saw Prom Night and Phantasm as a double feature...how cool would that have been?
I remember my mom saw Saturday Night Fever and Jaws at the Drive-In.
Wouldn't that be the coolest to go to a Drive-In now and see those same movies.
The problem now with the Drive-In for me...is they don't make movies I want to see....which drives me crazy...because I LOVE going to the movies...especially the Drive-In...but I hate the movies that are playing.
If they re-released the 80's movies at the Drive-Ins...I think they would do so good again...like how cool would it be to go on a date to see some of the older scary movies like Halloween and Friday the 13th at the Drive-In?
People think I am always complaining about new movies...as if I have nothing better to say...my problem with new movies...is they are really ruining people from going out to the movies....most people I know..haven't been to a movie in 10 years or more...they don't even know what is playing. I get upset because I remember the movies being the number one thing I did for fun with my friends or on a date...and I think it is sad that it's not the same any more.
We just were out this afternoon...and we drove by the movie theater....there's 5 movies theaters there...and none I want to see. That's a bummer to me...because when I was younger even if it rained and you couldn't go do something outside...there was always the movies for a good time.
Posted by 80'sRocked (Member # 6979) on :
Drive-ins were great. I haven't been to one in years. There's just no more around my area anywhere.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
We went to a new Drive-In last year (new to us-that we had never been to ever)....it was still very cool....but we saw The Simpsons Movie-which I hated...and the second movie was Live Free/Die Hard -and I had already seen it at the movie theater...so I fell asleep.
But here's a picture of it:
Posted by jdocster (Member # 5752) on :
There are at least three in the Kansas City area...
I need to go! Posted by Chris the CandyFanMan (Member # 3197) on :
It's been about 8 years since I've been to one (12 miles north of town, in business for close to 50 years and still going strong; about 30 miles to the south is Shankweiler's, the oldest in the country). But I have seen quite a few good ones over the years (the first time in 1988 being Roger Rabbit and Three Men and a Baby), and certainly there is something nostaglic about a night at the movies outside (provided it's not pouring down rain or hail), so maybe if the housing crash continues some new ones might get built.
Posted by halekido (Member # 7119) on :
I went to the drive-in last weekend (Valley 6 in Auburn Washington, if anyone wants to look it up). My wife and I watched a double feature of Han**** and Don't Mess with a Zohan (or some similar title; it sucked anyways, so who cares). I've been going to this particular theater for 35 years, and it really hasn't changed at all. I love it.
Posted by bandit (Member # 6296) on :
The Drive-In were always something i would like to try in the 80`s.I remember that so well.Back then it sounded like one of the coolest ideas ever.New license,new car and my girlfriend next seat.Hard to beat that.
We did however have a cinema without seat number on the tickets,so we could move around as needed
Then even that ended
Stay cool,stay 80`s
Posted by xchazx (Member # 7158) on :
i miss going to the drive in. there were three that i remember here in central jersey in the 70's early 80's. the only movies i remember seeing were "orca", "mask", and a double feature showing "aliens" 1st then the movie "house".
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
We have one of the few remaining drive-ins left.........
quote:Originally posted by xchazx: i miss going to the drive in. there were three that i remember here in central jersey in the 70's early 80's. the only movies i remember seeing were "orca", "mask", and a double feature showing "aliens" 1st then the movie "house".
xchazx,
The last one that closed was in Middletown. I grew up on the shore as well. Eatontown... Think "Monmouth Mall"... Posted by xchazx (Member # 7158) on :
quote:Originally posted by jdocster: </font><blockquote><font size="1" face=""Century Gothic", Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face=""Century Gothic", Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by xchazx: i miss going to the drive in. there were three that i remember here in central jersey in the 70's early 80's. the only movies i remember seeing were "orca", "mask", and a double feature showing "aliens" 1st then the movie "house". </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face=""Century Gothic", Verdana, Arial">xchazx,
The last one that closed was in Middletown. I grew up on the shore as well. Eatontown... Think "Monmouth Mall"...
i thought the last one was in hazlet, not middletown, but that's splitting hairs since those towns are next to each other. i had family that lived in hazlet so i remember going by the drive in all the time. that's where i saw the aliens/house double feature. i think it's just like a big bj's box store or something like that now
i saw orca at the one in eatontown. it was always cool driving down 36 and getting stuck at the traffic light by the mall, because you could see the movie playing from that light. that area is now a bunch of condos. i also saw plenty of movies at the old red barn looking movie theater, which has now been turned into another strip mall. which is really what we needed.
the 3rd one was the one on rt 33 in wall twp. i never went to that one though. that is still there, in a very dilapidated form, but they haven't built anything on it yet. i don't know why, but i'm not complaining.
i saw mask somewhere in upstate new york at a small drive in up there.
Posted by kevdugp73 (Member # 5978) on :
I live in Nova Scotia, Canada...we still have a few drive ins left, and thankfully, one right in New Glasgow where I live. I've been going since I was a little kid and have lots of great memories there...back in the day when the speakers were on the poles and you hooked it on to your window.....now it just comes through your radio. Me and my wife still love going and I cringe at the thought of it actually closing down some day....I think I'd chain myself to the steel structure of the screen.....
Posted by jdocster (Member # 5752) on :
quote: Originally posted by xchazx: I miss going to the drive in. there were three that i remember here in central jersey in the 70's early 80's. the only movies i remember seeing were "orca", "mask", and a double feature showing "aliens" 1st then the movie "house". xchazx,
quote:By jdocster The last one that closed was in Middletown. I grew up on the shore as well. Eatontown... Think "Monmouth Mall"...
quote:By xchazx i thought the last one was in hazlet, not middletown, but that's splitting hairs since those towns are next to each other. i had family that lived in hazlet so i remember going by the drive in all the time. that's where i saw the aliens/house double feature. i think it's just like a big bj's box store or something like that now
i saw orca at the one in eatontown. it was always cool driving down 36 and getting stuck at the traffic light by the mall, because you could see the movie playing from that light. that area is now a bunch of condos. i also saw plenty of movies at the old red barn looking movie theater, which has now been turned into another strip mall. which is really what we needed.
the 3rd one was the one on rt 33 in wall twp. i never went to that one though. that is still there, in a very dilapidated form, but they haven't built anything on it yet. i don't know why, but i'm not complaining.
i saw mask somewhere in upstate new york at a small drive in up there.
quote:By jdocster You know, I think you're right. It was in Hazlet. Yeah the Eatontown drive in was really nice. Big too. I snuck in there all of the time. I lived about 2 miles down the street. The red barn looking place was the "regular" movie theater. I saw a lot of movies there. The one on 33 in wall has been closed for a long time... I always wanted to buy it and re-open it... Sometimes I miss Jersey...
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
quote:Originally posted by halekido: I went to the drive-in last weekend (Valley 6 in Auburn Washington, if anyone wants to look it up). My wife and I watched a double feature of Han**** and Don't Mess with a Zohan (or some similar title; it sucked anyways, so who cares). I've been going to this particular theater for 35 years, and it really hasn't changed at all. I love it.
Hale........I live in your neck of the woods......I saw a double feature of the Charlie and the Chocolate factory and something else a few years back.....The Valley 6 was an awesome time.......even how dated the food stand still is....I grew up in MO and missed the drive in's.....I remember seeing Return of the Jedi at the Drive in and playing on the swingset in front of the screen in Missouri.
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
Valley 6 huh....I would prefer Vanity 6....ok either will work.
I actually saw "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "The Last American Virgin" as a double feature at a drive-in. It was more of a social hangout place on Wednesday nights in the summer than a place to watch movies though, but I remember these for some reason.
Posted by xchazx (Member # 7158) on :
quote:Originally posted by Valley: Valley 6 huh....I would prefer Vanity 6....ok either will work.
I actually saw "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "The Last American Virgin" as a double feature at a drive-in. It was more of a social hangout place on Wednesday nights in the summer than a place to watch movies though, but I remember these for some reason.
that's the best drive in double feature ever.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I agree...I would have loved to have been on a date at that double feature.
I remember those 2 movies played back to back all the time on HBO...when I was in the 8th grade. I use to stay up all night to watch them.
Posted by Chris the CandyFanMan (Member # 3197) on :
Another thing I always looked forward to, the corny and outdated but still enjoyable intermission film they'd run between the feature, featuring amusing little animated vignettes announcing how much time was left to the second film (e.g., a bowler rolls the ball down the lane, and it knocks over exactly one pin as a 9 forms around it and the announcer adds, "Nine minutes to go till showtime!"). I was rather disappointed when they stopped using it around 1996 or so, although it might have completely worn out by then.
Posted by halekido (Member # 7119) on :
quote:Another thing I always looked forward to, the corny and outdated but still enjoyable intermission film they'd run between the feature, featuring amusing little animated vignettes announcing how much time was left to the second film (e.g., a bowler rolls the ball down the lane, and it knocks over exactly one pin as a 9 forms around it and the announcer adds, "Nine minutes to go till showtime!")...
My favorite is the classic "Let's go all the lobby" song! Posted by joker (Member # 3840) on :
i always hated drive ins
Posted by Sam 'The Made Man' Hain (Member # 3150) on :
Originally posted by joker: i always hated drive ins
nowhere to put your popcorn on your bicycle?
Posted by jdocster (Member # 5752) on :
I loved these!
Posted by 80'sRocked (Member # 6979) on :
quote:Originally posted by Sam 'The Made Man' Hain: Originally posted by joker: i always hated drive ins
nowhere to put your popcorn on your bicycle?
This guy had no problem.
Posted by jdocster (Member # 5752) on :
heheee... me likey... ;D
Posted by TerdNthePoolGGB (Member # 9818) on :
Good news regarding the 2 remaining driveins in the Kansas City Missouri area. The TWIN DriveIn is pictured in this link. Rumor was that it would go out of business but B&B Theatres bought it and installed digital projectors and did some cosmetic work and it is still alive. Same goes for the I-70 DriveIn. A tip of the cap to B&B.
Wow, it was weird reading this post and seeing what I wrote years and years ago...and thinking back to that time period in my life. We just passed the Drive-In yesterday- in the town I use to live in when we use to go to it every weekend...I had wanted to buy that Drive-In....I would have done themed nights and been open in October and played old horror movies every weekend.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
Lisa Lisa, this drive-in close to where I grew up has done retro horror festivals in the spring and fall for years now. The attendance every year gets bigger and bigger. (I saw Tom Savini one year standing in the snack bar waiting for someone to notice him. LOL) Look at what they have on tap for April! This may be their best year.
[ 06. February 2015, 20:26: Message edited by: Crash ]
Posted by LISA LISA (Member # 1780) on :
That is awesome. Next month I am going to Monster Mania to finally met Adrienne King in person....I have been talking to her in emails and on the phone for about 8 years . Tom Savini might be there this year too. Vandergrift, PA---that's about 2 1/2 hours from me- that would be so cool to go to....my hometown is Punxsutawney and my son goes to IUP- so we are in that area alot.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
I grew up in Northern Cambria, Cambria County, when it was previously known as Barnesboro, 30 miles from Punxsy. My family still lives about 25 miles from IUP. Small world!
It's a small drive-in, but it's very cool the way they run the show. Often the vintage snack bar ads, Three Stooges shorts, and trailers that they show all night between the films are even better than the films. The snack bar food is excellent, and the fantastic dealer Creepy Classics is there with an incredible selection of DVDs, T-shirts, books, and toys.
Posted by TerdNthePoolGGB (Member # 9818) on :
[/QB][/QUOTE] LisaLisa. Was this a pic u took or was it someone elses from photobucket.
Posted by LISA LISA (Member # 1780) on :
Crash- I know I have talked to you on here- way back when I was here long ago. Yeah- my son is a junior at IUP, he loves it there...we are there every few months...next time we go, we are going to go to the Jimmy Stewart museum. This year at Halloween ...I watched the movie Bell, Book and Candle- for the first time....(he's in it), and I'd like to see "The Shop Around the Corner"...so it will be fun to check that place out.
That is the Drive-In picture I posted- I took it- I don't remember how to post pictures any more. We only went to that Drive-In once.....but we use to go to another one every weekend.
I posted the link to the thing Crash posted about- on my Facebook page- because I have alot of friends who love those old horror movies too...I would love to do that- especially the camping out thing. I just watched The House by the Cemetery- maybe a year ago- it was pretty creepy.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
I have to been to both the spring and fall monster-ama shows at the Riverside Drive-In or several years now, though my current job posting is going to make it tough for me to get back to the mainland for the April event. What has been especially cool to watch is how, over the years, the events keep getting better attended. While last spring's event was not so well attended (cold weather), the September one was huge. Although I've never done it, the camping out over the two nights looks like great fun--folks have fires burning and tents pitched. With your camping admission, they used to offer showers--a hose hanging over a rafter in the bathroom--but I didn't see that last year. The liability was probably too great.
I highly recommend the dealer on site, from Ligonier, Pennsylvania. They have incredible stuff, boxes and boxes of DVDs--and they are really nice guys who love to talk about horror movies:
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