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Ever been to a drive-in movie?

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Ever been to a drive-in movie?

Old 09-19-06, 01:33 PM
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Ever been to a drive-in movie?

This question was sparked by people reminiscing in the "first movie memory" thread. I've never been to one and don't even know where one might have been available in CT. I'm sure people who are in their 30's and 40's might have had that experience.

Didja like it? Hate it? miss it? Not at all?
Old 09-19-06, 01:40 PM
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nope never have. and (gulp) I'll be 37 in December...
Old 09-19-06, 01:45 PM
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Yes. Saw The Mexican a couple years back when I was still in college.
Old 09-19-06, 01:47 PM
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I went a couple times when I was younger. Saw things like Batman, Dick Tracy, Firebirds in Double or Triple features. Haven't been in years even though we have the Admiral Twin locally. Buddy of mine and his wife go quite frequently in the summer.
Old 09-19-06, 01:47 PM
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Lots of times.

When I was a kid my parents would take me. My brother and I would fall asleep in the back of the van at some point. They didn't seem to care if the movie was age appropriate. I remember seeing Woodstock (which I liked fine), Diary of a Mad Housewife (that was a WTF), Love Story (yuck), and when I was a bit older Soylent Green which was of course pretty cool.

I went once in high school, we got really wasted that time

There's still one near me in Auburn Washington (they keep saying it is going to close but I don't think it has yet). The last movie I saw there was The Matrix--it was really hard to follow with all the activity in the parking lot (people walking around, moving their cars, etc.).

So I think they're best for stupid movies where you don't need to follow the movie, because it's really hard to pay close attention.
Old 09-19-06, 01:49 PM
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for the Maryland premier of the surfing documentary Riding Giants in 2004 the film festival's organizers presented it at Bengies Drive In. That would have been fun to see it that way...
Old 09-19-06, 01:54 PM
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As far as I know there is still one active Drive In located in RI (new england area). We use to have alot in this area, I remember them well! When I was young I was always able to stay away for the first movie and then intermission was a blast! We would play on the swings and run around before the second movie. They I always would fall asleep during the second movie! DAMN! Those were the glory days of rock and roll my friend!
Old 09-19-06, 01:57 PM
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yep many times
Old 09-19-06, 02:05 PM
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Saw Godzilla in '98. First and last.
Old 09-19-06, 02:22 PM
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Last time I went, I didn't do much movie watching.
Old 09-19-06, 02:28 PM
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I'm 29 and I used to go a lot as a kid. It was fun back then. I don't think I've been to one in years though. There is still one active here in my town, but I don't go, and I don't really care to. I just can't imagine it's too big of a treat anymore.
Old 09-19-06, 03:10 PM
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Last one I saw was Every which way but loose.
Old 09-19-06, 03:10 PM
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My parents took me and my brother when we were little in the 70s in the Philly area. I remember seeing horror movies like "Tales from the Crypt", "Amittyville Horror" (freaking my little brother out by saying "You know how movies are pretend? Well this one's REAL!"), "It's Alive", "Dawn of the Dead".
Old 09-19-06, 03:12 PM
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Went many times a kid in the early 70s, did not go back until the Mid 90's with my wife.

Let's just say, it was a lot more enjoyable to go with your wife than it ever was as a kid.
Old 09-19-06, 03:28 PM
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There are two located near Pittsburgh. Both broadcast the audio through an FM transmitter...

For $6, you can watch up to 3 movies...my friends and I often tailgate -- bring our own food, blankets, etc. It's so much fun when the weather is nice.
Old 09-19-06, 03:36 PM
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My dad took me plenty of times when I was young. There are still a few around actually. Typically they are triple headers that run until 3am or so. Last time I've gone was for Jurassic Park III.
Old 09-19-06, 05:07 PM
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I've never been to a drive-in. There's one located not even 10 minutes from me but the thought of going there has never really crossed my mind.
Old 09-19-06, 05:17 PM
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When I went to visit family in Indiana a few years back I discovered the small town actually had a working (and active!) drive-in theater. I had to go, even though the movie was How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. It was freezing cold, and the movie wasn't that great, but it was a great experience.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for seeing some good movie you really want to see for the first time (although admittedly you have some control over cell phones, noisy kids, etc.) But for throwaway movies or movies you've already seen, definitely worth a shot if you're a movie buff just for the novelty value. To this day I still plan on someday seeing a horror movie at one of these. Hell, I'd even see an Uwe Boll film if I had to!
Old 09-19-06, 05:29 PM
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No. I don't think I have even seen one.
Old 09-19-06, 05:34 PM
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Yes, I mentioned it in the other thread as well.

But, there is still one open around me. They're normally only open on the weekends in the Summer. They had a triple feature a few weeks ago.
Old 09-19-06, 05:47 PM
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Not in probably 20 years. It was fun back in the day.

I think there's one around here still open.
Old 09-19-06, 06:06 PM
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There used to be one near my house when I was in high school. The $10 motel we used to call it.

Most recently I went to a drive-in for a Little Miss Sunshine screening.
Old 09-19-06, 06:28 PM
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Lost my virginity at one of two drive-ins that were right up the road from the house I grew up in.

Yeah, I know, TMI.

LOL
Old 09-19-06, 06:57 PM
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Nope, and there is one fifteen minutes away.
Old 09-19-06, 07:05 PM
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With a limited income at the time, the drive-in was the best way our parents were able to take the family to the movies. I remember having a blast every time we went.

Some great stuff I remember at the drive-in:

- We'd help our parents "prepare" for the movies by packing food, lawn chairs, and the drinks in a cooler before we set off.

- For some quirky reason, I love the sound of car tires slowly grinding against the small rocks and pebbles at the drive-in.

- Double features that were repeated after the second movie ended. I remember sometimes coming home at 3-4am. One of the few times we got to "stay up late".

- The line of cars to the drive-in entrance would snake out from the drive-in and spill into at least two blocks of streets! Because of this, we always had to leave the house by around 4-5pm. It would take at least half an hour (up to an hour and a half for the good movies) to get from the line to an entrance booth.

- The crappy mono sound coming out of those huge honkin' metal speaker boxes that hung on the window edge. By the time my wife and I went the drive-in, the speakers were sadly replaced with radio broadcasting.

- We were off to see The Empire Strikes Back, and my dad had to listen to the entire the "Brawl in Montreal" (the first Roberto Duran vs. Sugar Ray Leonard fight) on the car radio before the movie started(we had no cable in our area back then). After the movie, we found out the radio had drained the car battery!

- Great movies I remember seeing at the drive-in: Conan the Barbarian, Star Wars (there was no "A New Hope" title back then), Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., The Empire Strikes Back, The Sword and the Sorcerer.

- Lots of movies with dark or night scenes where I couldn't see shit.

- I remember seeing some movies as akid where I wouldn't take my kids to watch today: Apocalypse Now, Star 80, An American Werewolf in London, Dressed to Kill, Alien...

- Taking my wife (then girlfriend) to see The Fugitive. We both couldn't tell you the details of the movie until we saw it later on video...

- My wife and I ordering a drive-in pizza, having to stick a number magnet on the the top of the car. Later, a dirve-in employee would come out to deliver the freshly made pizza to our car.


Ahhh, good memories...

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