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Drive-In Movies

Posted by radioflyer1980 • 6/08/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: drive-in, movies, theaters

I just posted a blog about taking my nine year old son to his first drive-in movie. When I was growing up, we used to see a lot of movies at the drive-in. There were a dozen drive-in theaters in the area. These days, there are only a dozen left in the entire state of Illinois.

Have you ever been to a drive-in movie? What did you see? What was your experience (good / bad / other)?

I'd also be curious what non-U.S. people have to say. Were drive-ins a global phenomenon or primarily an American thing?

User Comments

6/08/09

radioflyer1980

We saw Land of the Lost and Night at the Museum II. My son and I had a great time because the movies were fun and the weather was absolutely perfect.

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6/08/09

crpitt

I am from the UK and I would love to go to a drive in movie, but they don't have them over here. To me they seem to be a very American thing.

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1. 6/08/09
  
  Stillthinking
  
  They're pretty rare here. In the Chicago area, there is only one and its over an hour away from me. But, when I do get to go, it's fun. They always do double features.
2. 6/08/09
  
  crpitt
  
  I loved Grease when I was a kid, as it was always on at my Gran's. Ever since seeing that I have wanted to go to a drive in
3. 6/08/09
  
  radioflyer1980
  
  I had to drive into West Chicago (a suburb of Chicago) to go to the drive-in. There are two others in the area, one in McHenry and one in Lake Geneva, WI.
  
  Sorry, I have no idea about the UK. I think you're on your own
6/08/09

Floormodel

we still have three drive-ins, that are open, in my general area. I was lucky, my family had a cottage on a small lake, where we spent our summers. Up at the top of the hill leading down to the lake was a drive-in and we went often. I worked my first summer job there. Picking up trash on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Any cash found was ours to keep and we usually found some. In the dark people drop money and don't realize it.
My first drive-in movie, that I clearly remember, was Bedknobs and BRoom Sticks. When we were small our parents would bring us in our pjs and let us play at the play ground up near the front of the lot. Then when the movies would begin we'd fall asleep and all they'd have to do when we got home, was put us into our beds.

I wanted to see Star Trek at the drive-in but life got too busy. How was Night at the Museum II?

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1. 6/08/09
  
  radioflyer1980
  
  Night at the Museum II was cute. My son liked that movie more than Land of the Lost (which was a little more adult in humor).
  
  Where do you live that you have three drive-ins still nearby? I had to drive about an hour to get to one Friday night.
2. 6/08/09
  
  Floormodel
  
  I'm in Western NY and have two that're less than an hour away and two that're about an hour.
6/08/09

jafabrit

We still have several active one's in Ohio and we are listed as one of the top 5 states for them.
The first one I went to was in 1978 in Xenia Ohio (now gone) and it was fabulous back then, even little heaters for the car if the weather was cold, and rain shields made available. The kids played in the playground under the screen.

Haven't been for a couple of years. It's a shame to see them disappear, such a wonderful part of Americana.

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1. 6/08/09
  
  Floormodel
  
  when we'd visit our cousins in Ohio we used to go to one called Mills or Miles, do you know if it's still running? I think it was near Cleveland
2. 6/10/09
  
  jafabrit
  
  It's up for sale and presently not operating.
  www.driveinmovie.com/OH.htm
6/08/09

ethelmaepotter

We make a two-hour round trip every summer at least once to Franklin, Kentucky, where there is still a great drive-in. The last thing we saw there was Wall-E, last summer.

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6/10/09

Hels

In the 1950s, noone had much money to spend on the cinema and television wasn't introduced into Australia until the end of 1956. So drive-ins were a brilliant idea. A family could squish any number of children in the back seat and have a cheap night out.

My favourite memories are snuggling under a shared eiderdown with my brothers, playing in the playgrounds while we waited for darkness and icecream dixies. I don't remember any films (except Knock on Wood with Danny Kaye).

Melbourne has very few drive-ins these days, but we do have Moonlight Cinema in the Botanic Gardens and other unlikely sites.

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