It’s been years. Years and years and years.
So to read a piece like this about the resurgence of the fresh air drive-in theater warms my cockles.
Granted, this resurgence has been taking place gradually over the course of the last 10 years or so, but I’ve been hearing more and more about it of late to the point many people are actively engaging in the practice of attending films in this iconic fashion as a rare treat.
A few weeks ago I wrote a piece about keeping the noise at bay when it came to visiting the theater. That doesn’t apply when it comes to drive-ins. Being outdoors begs for yelps and the accidental dropping of snacks and background laughter wafting its way into the night air. And that’s okay — it’s part of the atmosphere of the drive-in movie.
Those were the days: When my mother was shielding my eyes from Sally Kellerman‘s nudeness in M*A*S*H … when my father cursed at every curved dip he had to navigate, scraping the bumpers of the boat of a car he had to get to just the right spot in the theater (only to find out the speaker he parked next to didn’t work) … when I rushed my parents with animated hurry between shows to the snack bar, whining we needed to get back before the next feature started. The original Planet Of The Apes. Cartoon shorts in between films. Falling asleep while my folks caught the second show. I saw The Poseidon Adventure my very first time at a drive-in theater. And I was always tickled pink to see the “1 minute to go” can-can dancer with balloons for boobs up on the big screen before everything got underway. (I’ve included her below for your bemusement.)
Ahhhhhh … the memories. All of them are going to come flooding back when I make my way once more to a drive-in soon. There’s got to be a terrific double feature with plenty of extra shorts around here somewhere.
Clacked by Michael Noble 
on Jul 09, 2012 @ 17:57 EST5EDT
Dude, you are scaring me! I saw The Poseidon Adventure for the first time at a drive-in too! Maybe even Planet of the Apes, but definitely Escape from the Planet of the Apes! Are we related?!
I loved the drive in movies. You could load up the car and back them they charged per car not person. Got my first kiss at a drive in movie. My first date was to a drive in movie. I am pretty sure we were there to watch movies but socializing was the course of action for the teens in my town. Walking around seeing who was with who, whose windows were fogged up. I remember watching Elvis in “Change of Habit” at the drive in. Hitchcock “The Birds”. Love the drive in. I was much younger of course and I am not sure I could take the Texas Heat now but I would sure love to try. I live in a lake town and have often said it would be great to put one out my the lake the kids would love it so would the weekenders.
We still have a couple of drive-in theaters in the area. :o) We use to pop up grocery bags of popcorn, dad would fill the old metal cooler with ice and water, then we would head out. I can remember, as a kid, trying to walk to the bathrooms barefooted….ouch..those rocks really hurt. Remember one time mother couldn’t remember the name of the 2nd feature…a few minutes into it for my dad to realize it was a war movie…Pork Chop Hill…one bellow from him and we were back inside the car heading home…never questioning him…we knew better…he had the magic hand…!
I still go to the drive-in, love it! :)