Tuesday, December 29, 2015

The Drive-In


There was a time when almost every town of any size had a drive-in movie theater. We simply called them drive-ins.

Drive-ins showed all the movies that the walk in theaters showed. They had concession stands so you could buy snacks and drinks just like a regular theater. But you could also take your own snacks so you could save some money.

Some drive-ins charged by the car to gain admission. Some charged by the person in the car.

The ones that charged per person are the ones who spawned the tradition of sneaking people in under blankets on the floor of the back seat or in the trunk. You see it often in the movies.

When you entered into the drive-in lot you found your favorite place to park your car. There were slopes to park on so that the front of your car was slightly elevated. That way you could slouch comfortably in you seat and see the movie perfectly.

Mounted on a post was a speaker that you hung from the window of the car so you could hear as well as see the movie. If you were really lucky no car parked on the other side of the pole and you could use that speaker too. Stereo.

This was a great way for a family to see the movie. The children could dress in their pajamas and fall asleep if they wanted too. Bags of popcorn and soft drinks of choice were already in the car.

You could take blankets along. Often they were spread on the roof or hood of the car. The children would stretch out to watch the movie.

At the front of the parking lot below the giant movie screen was a small playground. While waiting for it to get dark enough to begin the movies the children could play. It allowed them to get rid of some of the energy built from the excitement of being at the drive-in. They could also run up there during intermission.

Speaking of intermission those cartoons they show of the hot dogs and buns singing "Let's All Go To The Lobby" have been around as long as I can remember. There are a series of commercials to entice you to visit the lobby located in a cement block building in the center of the parking lot. There you could buy popcorn, soft drinks, and candy. They sold hot dogs and there was a condiment bar with ketchup, mustard, and relish. All were overpriced which made them taste better.

Fridays and Saturdays were date nights. The drive-in made for a good date. There are many reasons. It does not cost a lot of money. If it is a double date the costs can be shared. Probably the most appealing is that there is plenty of opportunity for snuggling.

Often we would have a group of "steadies" (those who were in exclusive dating relationships). We would arrive at the drive-in at about the same time and park our cars all around each other. It kept "outsiders" away. It was like having a movie party.

The best part of the drive-in was on the screen. The action began with a couple of previews for upcoming movies. There weren't as many as you see today because they only advertised the movies coming to the drive-in.

We got to see twice as many previews. The reason is that our drive-in, The Gordon Twin Drive-In, had two, count 'em, two movies screens. They showed different movies so we had a choice.

After the previews we usually saw at least one news reel and maybe three cartoons. That was settling-in-time to get ready for the first movie. You might even get lucky and they would have a short movie .

Did I say first movie? That is because there were three movies. The first was a new movie. Hopefully it would be a good one. The second was an older movie perhaps considered to be a classic even if it was not more than a B western or a sappy comedy. Often the last was a horror movie.

They saved the scary ones for last because the small children were asleep. For the daters it was a good excuse to huddle together for comfort.

It is sad that the drive-in theater is a thing of the past. There are very few left in the whole country. They were such a staple of life in the fifties and sixties.

If you have not been to the drive-in and get the opportunity please go. If nothing else you will be able to say you did it.

14 comments:

  1. Did you forget the serial that always ended with someone about to be killed and no possible way they could survive, yet in the following installment, they managed to survive? I recall 25-cent Saturday matinees and, like you, saw two movies, a newsreel, previews, and a serial, but never more than one cartoon. This was in the late 1950s at the Haven Theatre. I also, of course, remember Drive-Ins. Too bad they’re gone, not that I would be likely to go to them anymore anyway, because I quite like watching movies at home with the cats, refrigerator, and bathroom close at hand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How could I forget the serials? Thank you for the addition.

      Delete
  2. I'm not sure if I'd go to a drive-in. I'm spoiled by air conditioning. I like watching movies at home in my bed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm not sure if I'd go to a drive-in. I'm spoiled by air conditioning. I like watching movies at home in my bed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spoiled is the word, John. I grew-up in south Mississippi and few homes, stores, or cars had air conditioning, so being hot was the norm. Of course, it's also true that drive-in theaters were only open at night, so that helped.

      Delete
    2. With the windows of the car opened it usually gave us a good breeze. Now you can let the car run and the air conditioner (or heater in the winter) keep you fairly comfortable.

      Delete
  4. I think the sixties were the end of drive in's around here, except for one mega outdoor theater that continued into the seventies. It was on a major interstate and you had to be prepared for people slowing to see what was playing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are hard to find these days. There is one at the edge of Detroit near Dearborn. It is open year round. It even has little heaters that look like the speakers that you can use on colder days. I liked taking my children to watch the movies there.

      Delete
  5. Dear Emma, the culture of drive-ins is much larger developed in America. Here we have a few cinemas who offer it, but mostly the plain air cinemas are for coming and sit in - without a car.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We had one like that when I was much younger. It only showed movies on Saturday nights during the summer. That was the night the farmers came to town to shop. It gave the children a way to stay out of trouble while the adults socialized.

      Delete
  6. I can recall going to a drive-in with my parents, but we didn't do it often enough and rather it was an occasional treat. The closest deive-in was over a 40 minute drive from our home. It was still operaring when I was in my 30s, but now is long gone. Thanks for yet another trip down memory lane, Emma.
    Wishing you a very Happy New Year and thanks for sharing your life stories and also for commenting on our blog posts. See you again in 2016!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy New Year to you and Pat. We will have a glorious blogging year in this one coming. You can share recipes and Friday Funnies and I will share whatever pops into my little mind.

      Delete
  7. This is quite an experience which I have not had.
    But I love and I can imagine it.
    My mushroom friends from the galaxy wish you a Happy 2016.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy New Year to you and your mushroom friends. I spoke to Alice and she and the Doormouse also send wishes for a healthy and prosperous year to you.

      Delete