OT - Drive in movies

[JIPJOBXX]

I had at one time the perfect car to go to the drive in and bring friends along. It was a 1960 Pontiac Catalina Convertible! It had a Naugahyde boot in between the area of the trunk and the back seat. I took that boot out and low and behold one could just hide in the trunk and slide up and over the back seat without opening the trunk lid. Just a kids thing back in the day-life was fun and old age well that was a million miles away. That car today would probably be a 50,000 dollar car but back than it was just another car but a car to pick up the women in .

[JIPJOBXX]

I still have an old speaker that I forgot to put back on the poll stand. We ust to put the speaker in the back seat and roll up the windows. Well most of the time at those drive in one would fall asleep and be woke up with the sound of cars starting up and the car light being turned on. Well that was one of those occasion and the next morning I was out in the backyard cleaning out the old popcorn, candy wrappers and whatever and low an behold there was this speaker on the floor. I had just left it that drive-in and forgot and today I still have it and use it to play music out of when showing oft my car. Memories!

[T120]

A humorous memory for me was taking a young woman to a drive-in movie...It was an alien invasion from space or something,anyhow about the only part I remember were these creatures with huge tentacles reaching out and grabbing people who were fleeing- the movie was crap.

Next day,I was over at her place and her mother asked me how was the movie and what was it about.

I started to describe the creatures in the movie and instead of tentacles,it came out testicles...somewhat embarassed,I cut it short and said the movie wasn't very good .

Edited January 7, 2013 by Ralph D25cpe

[frankieflathead]

There's one about ten miles from my place. It's located in Northfield, MA and has been in continuous operation since 1948. Among its distinctions, the Northfield Drive-In is believed to be the only theater of it's kind that's actually in two states, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The border goes right through the property. It also has its own place in Hollywood history, with three scenes from the Academy Award-nominated film "The Cider House Rules" having been shot here on Halloween day in 1998.

I'm pretty sure it re-incorporated a few years ago as a 501 © 3 non-profit in order to stay in business, but I heard an item on the radio the other that sadly might sound the death knell for these wonderful and historic places. More and more movie studios are phasing out the use of actual 35mm film in their productions and going digital. While purchasing the equipment needed to "project" these "movies" might make more sense in the larger urban markets, the $60-$70,000 cost of this stuff might be the final nail in the coffin for the Drive-Ins, many of which are just "Mom and Pop" operations that are barely hanging on financially right now.

Attached is my all-time favorite Drive-In movie photo, made by renown railroad photographer O. Winston Link in Iaeger, West Virginia in 1956. Kind of a planes, trains and automobiles thing goin' on there.

[1940plymouth]

There is one here located about half way between Liberty and Loch Sheldrake, NY. It went out of business around 20 years ago or so. It was called Mountain Drive-in.

There is another one in Fair Oaks, just above Middletown, that I think is still operational.

Growing up, we had three drive-ins in Plattsburgh, one in Champlain and one in Malone, so we surely had our choices

[Young Ed]

I'm pretty sure it re-incorporated a few years ago as a 501 © 3 non-profit in order to stay in business, but I heard an item on the radio the other that sadly might sound the death knell for these wonderful and historic places. More and more movie studios are phasing out the use of actual 35mm film in their productions and going digital. While purchasing the equipment needed to "project" these "movies" might make more sense in the larger urban markets, the $60-$70,000 cost of this stuff might be the final nail in the coffin for the Drive-Ins, many of which are just "Mom and Pop" operations that are barely hanging on financially right now.

That is one of the reasons that the cottage view I mentioned earlier closed. It was that and the family was getting tired of running it.

[Don Coatney]

Follow this link for a listing of all closed drive in movies.

http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/closed

On a sad note they found a couple dead in there car at a drive in theater that I used to go to. Seems they froze to death. They went to see "Closed For The Season".

[Don Coatney]

Follow this link...

http://www.drive-ins.com/pictures/ohtplym016.jpg

[plymouthcranbrook]

There is still one in Kenosha Wisconsin that I went to as a child. Now my 22 year old daughter sometimes gets in the car and goes to it. Apparently still enough profit that they are open 7 nights a week in the summer

[T120]

Don't like to get stuck too much on things past other than cars ..I will say though, I have some good memories and sometimes laugh when I think back - (innocent fun by today's standards)...The Drive In movie was a great social event.Got together with friends, filled up on popcorn,burgers,fries,hot dogs,milkshakes,soft drinks,whatever - smoked cigarettes,drank beer,checked out the other cars and the women,occasional dust-up,nothin' serious though,(I learned early not to lead with my chin).

Of course it was a different time then than now...I don't think that a Drive In theater would get today's youth too excited.. heck, at my age the prospect of going to a Drive In movie doesn't get me too fired up either..I'd probably fall asleep and wake up with popcorn spilled all over my lap and someone knocking at my window.

Ahh,but I remember the good times.

[55 Fargo]

Winnipeg city had 5 drive ins in there heyday, the last 1 closed not that long ago. Being up north, some of them had little electric heaters you put in the car, to keep warm in the winter, rather than running the car's engine....

[1940plymouth]

Just had to post this reminds me of the drive-ins during the '60's

[55 Fargo]

I have many fond mamories of the drive in movie theaters.

Did you mean memories or mammarys Don.....

[T120]

...Good one ,Bob....A little after my time ,but "I'll have to sleep on it"

[LAKOTA169]

Back in the mid-70's, I belonged to a custom van club (Action Vans). Sometimes on a Saturday night, we would go to the drive in. We would park in the back row (so we didn't block other peoples view) with the rear doors facing the screen (Doors opened). The back of mine had a queen sized bed covered in short red fur. The walls and ceiling were long white fur with a 2'x4' ceiling mirror and black light. The center section of the van had a sink and icebox.

[Merle Coggins]

Now THAT'S a Shaggin' Wagon

Back in the mid-70's, I belonged to a custom van club (Action Vans). Sometimes on a Saturday night, we would go to the drive in. We would park in the back row (so we didn't block other peoples view) with the rear doors facing the screen (Doors opened). The back of mine had a queen sized bed covered in short red fur. The walls and ceiling were long white fur with a 2'x4' ceiling mirror and black light. The center section of the van had a sink and icebox.

[T120]

Don't remember ever being in a Chevy at a Drive In movie ...However...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgOA24hAe60

[mayflower48]

Ah, those were the good ol' days.  Gas was 19.9 cents, could get 5 gallons for a buck.  Had a 48 Plymouth like the one I have now, even the same color.  The Drive In was 75 cents a person, or a $1.00 for a car load on the other end of Phoenix.  Worked in a sheet metal shop after school and on Saturday and made $1.00 per hour, cash.  Hamburgers were 19 cents, fries 15 cents and a giant root beer 25 cents. Those days are gone but not forgotten.