History Miss the Drive-In Theaters ?

The Los Punk Rods put on Greaserama Car Show every year at the Boulevard Drive In every Labor day weekend. We show 2 movies both nights that we pick out. Come check out the midwest's original punk rock car show! 12th year. www.greaserama.com

 

http://www.skyvumovies.com/

 

theres one about 20 mins from me and another down in cincy i havent been to one in a long while ; there used to be 5 others within 30 mins from me

the thing that bugs me is they now broadcast over the car radios instaed of using the in car speakers

i really mis the nostalgia and the food and the goofy cartoon advertisements this is one major part of americana that shouldnt have been lost

some old rich woman bought all the other drive-ins around here because they were dens of iniquity and wouldnt re-sale them to anyone unless they turned them into something else

all evidence of the others are gone now except one still has the screen standing the lot is now a landscapers business i need to go take pics of the screen before it falls down or they knock it down

 

Westbury was the last to go, maybe the one out in Westhampton lasted a bit longer. We would go to Patchogue, Copiague, Melville and of course Bay Shore on Sunrise. I think Patchogue and Copiague had stands to sit in, one was on the roof of a theatre, maybe Patchogue.

Bay Shore was the best, they had festivals like all night showing of every Planet of the Apes movie that ran 'til 4 AM. On hot summer nights, we'd take my big panel truck which I'd park backwards with the rear doors facing the screen. We brought tons of beer ($2.69 12 packs of Utica Club..), some hand rolled smokes and lawn chairs. Nobody wanted to park next to us, I wonder why?

Bob

 

I've heard drive-ins referred to as restaurants that show movies and there's a reason for that. To show newer films that draw in the families and such, you have to give the movie company a big cut of the box office. The way they make money is to sell concessions. Most of the ones I've been to sell everything from popcorn to pizza, so it's not like you can't find something on the menu to fill you up.

 

coming up in sept.

 

When Cars the movie first came out, a bunch of us met in Montclair for a bite to eat then went into the Mission Tiki drive in with about 8 cars. We were there in our 68 Cougar next to our friend's 63 Fury w/full roll cage and wheelie bars. We left a space in the middle to set up our chairs.

 

Yep.We had a real nice one in Fl where I grew up.Was called the"Vero Drive In".Lots of fun times there.Later in life I worked there as a projectionist and sound system maintainer and speaker repairman.
Damn good snack bar too.
Was finally closed and the land sold for a mall.What a waste.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

There are a couple left in Connecticut (as posted previously) however, there are also inflatable screens that you can rent for an event. We recently went to Pappa's Dodge in New Britain CT. They had a benefit for Special Olympics. They showed American Graffitti (of course) and had a good turnout. And it was a beautiful night for a roadster ride!!

 

Another picture....

 

By the time I was of driving age the twin drive-in theater in our town had closed. However being a kid in the 70s, going to the drive-in was awesome. Mom would pop enough corn to fill a big brown paper grocery bag, throw a few grape Shastas in a styrofoam cooler, convince the old man to spend the money and away we would go. We'd get there before the cartoons would start and us kids would be off to the playground, right in front of the screen. We'd hang out there 'til the sun went down or Dad would honk the horn. Better know that horn honk or it would be your butt. We would always be facing the G/PG movies. However the screen directly behind us would be playing the R/X movies. Sooooo being the curious lad I was, I was always trying to turn around to see what the "filth" was. Everytime I'd look up I could see the old man's eyes in the rearview. Don't know if he was actually watchin' me or the "filth".

 

everyone has a big screen at home now

 

I've got it good; the Unadilla Drive-In is a five mile drive from my house.

 

I sure do miss em. As a kid, loved pilling into Dad's car when he wanted to take the family out to the drive in. And as a teen, loading as many friend's we could cram into my 66 SS on "$1 a car" night. But, these days, I keep just a little bit of that with me every time I take the 53 out.

 

Unfortunately most Drive In Movies, Drive In Restaurants, Cruising and Street Racing like in American Graffiti is gone forever. Too bad many of the younger guys never got to experience the way it was Back In The Day.

 

I a m afraid it is too. The last time I was at a drive in, it was in California when my 16 year old daughter was just a toddler. I wanted her to have some of the great memories I had at them when I was a kid. Fortunatly she was too young then to see what was really going on. There was a gang related scuffle during the movie a few rows from where we were. And it just seemed like it was mostly the younger crowd going there to cause, or start trouble. It was sad to see it go that way, but a sign of the times I reckon.

 

I miss the old Hillcrest Drive in in my home town. What fun as a kid. Now one of my buddies has a drive in night for us old car guys at his shop. He bought a big tarp to hang on the outside of his building and projects it to the side of his shop. We all park our old cars around and get the lawn chairs out and have a great time. He has been doing one every couple of months. It's a great get together. We have even mixed in a cruise before and back for a movie.

Good times.

 

Another memory when I was a kid. There was a drive in down the highway from our house. On Wedsday nights, they would have "After Hours" movies that started around 11pm. I used to jump out my bedroom window on those nights to meet up with my running buddies and meet at the RR tracks way back behind our houses, because we found a spot where we could sit there and see all the T&A our 10 year old bodies could deal with. No sound of course, but who needed sound? lol

 

UPDATE:
The screen from the old Cottage View Drive In has been bought by the guy who owns Elko speedway and should be up and running by memorial day. http://www.bringmethenews.com/2014/02/18/elko-speedway-gets-ok-to-show-outdoor-movies/

 

Ok.. Who is willing to admit that they have forgotten to take the window mount speaker off the window and drove off? I did it only once. It didn't tear it from the stand, but it did bust out my window. I assume it at least messed up the wiring on the speaker but when I realized what happened, I didn't hang around to access it any further. It already cost me a window, and one of those things you only do once..

 

Yeah--the first time I saw AG I thought "that's the way it was"--but the film still did not compare with living it. Raised in the 40's-50's-60's---I feel blessed. If not blessed, then at least damned lucky.

 

Me too 40Tudor. I graduated HS in 1962 and as the question asked for AG was "where were you in 62?". Its the way it was. Saw the movie when released the first time in Fresno, CA. It was a mind blowing trip for sure. Always wanted a Grafitti coupe after that movie but love the 40 coupe just as much!

 

Or the finger bowl

 

there are four left in Iowa I think.

 

There's a drive in near me. Been a few times. I wouldn't miss bad sound and horrible dim blurry screens.
Drive ins are only good if you don't want to watch the movie. And I can do that every night


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superior 71 drive in by spirit lake Iowa

 

This is a VERY famous image by photographer O.Winston Link. Gary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._Winston_Link