Do you remember loading into the station wagon on a summer evening as the anticipation grew and the smell of popcorn came through the car? Going to the drive-in was more than just watching a movie – it was an event. It was a tradition. It was a part of American culture that will eventually only be able to see it in photos. Come with me as we reminisce on some of the unique and unforgettable pieces of the drive-in that will never come back.
Table of Contents
- 1 1. Wrestling with the Tinny Speaker Box
- 2 2. The Human Jigsaw Puzzle in the Trunk
- 3 3. Playing on Swings Under a Giant Blank Screen
- 4 4. The Intermission Dancing Hot Dog
- 5 5. The Inevitably Foggy Windshield
- 6 6. Bringing Your Own Feast
- 7 7. Getting Two Movies for the Price of One
- 8 8. The Mosquito Coil Defense System
- 9 9. Finding the Perfect Spot
- 10 10. The Magic of a Screen in the Middle of Nowhere
- 11 11. Using the Car Heater on a Chilly Fall Night
- 12 12. The Freedom of Your Own Lawn Chair
- 13 13. The Mid-Movie Concession Stand Pilgrimage
- 14 14. Trying to Stay Quiet During “The Moment”
- 15 15. The Mass Exodus After the First Movie
- 16 16. The End-of-Night Plea for a Jump-Start
- 17 17. Honking in Unison When the Film Broke
1. Wrestling with the Tinny Speaker Box
Don’t even think about using your surround sound speakers for this one. The audio was coming from a huge metal contraption that you hung on the window that you rolled down just a bit. The first five minutes of the movie were spent trying to find the perfect volume so it wasn’t inaudible mumbling or a high tinny screech. And heaven help you if you forgot to take it out before you drove off. It would give you a sound that you would never forget and one your dad would remind you about for the next month.
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2. The Human Jigsaw Puzzle in the Trunk
If you had to pay per person, you would have to come up with a plan. Some of your friends would be folded like origami and put in the trunk of the car. Then all you had to do was roll slowly past the booth and hope the people there didn’t sneeze. It was more thrilling than most of the horror movies they played. It was a rite of passage and an enormous victory when a cheer was muffled from the car after you parked in the back row.
3. Playing on Swings Under a Giant Blank Screen
Before the movies began, kids were already playing at the playground while the big, white, screen towered over them. Children were running off the merry-go-round and climbing the metal slide. This was an area where parents could sit back and relax in the car while the kids burned off some energy prior to entering the theater. It was supervision free. Children had the ability to use their imagination in an area that was a little dusty and slightly dangerous, and all of this took place just before the sun went down, and the movie started.
4. The Intermission Dancing Hot Dog
Today’s kids are forced to watch twenty minutes of commercials before the movie starts, unlike us who only had to watch an intermission cartoon. Children were warned to get up and run to the snack bar. The dancing hot dog was the main star of the cartoon. Watching him was silly but was the perfect time to ask their mom for some money to buy a cool treat and some popcorn.
5. The Inevitably Foggy Windshield
Whether it was caused by teenage romance, the summer heat, or the humidity packed into the car with too many bodies, it was guaranteed that the windows would be foggy. You would continuously use your arm to wipe away the fog, but the steamy window would cover your view once again just seconds later. This small annoyance was part of the car’s charm as it transformed into your own private movie theater escaping the hundreds of other families who were at the drive-in.
6. Bringing Your Own Feast
Sensible parents knew that a night out could be done even cheaper by bringing their own food, even if the concession stand looked appealing. They would pack a cooler with sandwiches and a thermos of Kool Aid and if you were especially lucky, a whole fried chicken. You’d create a buffet in the front seat and set it all up, while the glorious buttery popcorn aroma from the car next-door to yours mixed with the smell of your homemade feast. Picnic at the stars! With a movie playing in the background.
7. Getting Two Movies for the Price of One
A double feature was the normal thing to do, not a special occasion. You were bound to get a big Hollywood blockbuster movie and a B-movie; which was most likely going to be a really cheesy sci-fi horror movie. Staying awake to watch the second feature was the ultimate challenge and test of endurance. Most kids would pass out and sleep in the backseat as soon as the opening credits started rolling for the second movie. It was a true testament that you had survived the whole thing.
8. The Mosquito Coil Defense System
Those summer nights were warm and to enjoy the movie with the windows down would mean inviting bugs on the beach chairs laid out in the car. Mosquito coils were an attempt to ward off the insect uninvited guests. The red glow of the coil matched the ambiance perfectly to that of a movie projector and movie drive-in from the 90s. It was our force field from bugs.
9. Finding the Perfect Spot
Getting to the drive-in theater before most people was crucial. It gave you the best chances to find a spot that you could angle perfectly to see that movie screen. You had to position yourself so you weren’t getting a sore neck from being too close, but still have a good view and not end up so far away that the screen was virtually unwatchable. Plus you’ve got to hope that the speaker at your car was working so you could hear the movie. These factors and calculations could ruin your drive-in movie experience before the show even started.
10. The Magic of a Screen in the Middle of Nowhere
The feeling that comes from seeing the huge screen, surrounded by stars and the entire universe is pretty special. It creates a feeling that simply cannot be created in a closed multiplex. You get to experience the movie outside and in the world. You’re not just watching a screen, you’re sharing the experience with hundreds of other people who are in their own little car bubble, but also sharing that huge burning star with you. Everything about the experience adds to the movie so you can enjoy the experience even more.
11. Using the Car Heater on a Chilly Fall Night
Some movies are worth going to the drive-in even after the summer season ends. On chilly fall nights, throw on your coziest sweaters and grab blankets to keep warm. You’ll need to run the car’s engine to avoid being cold, creating that warm bubble while cocooning your family from the chilly air outside. Plus, you create a huge, warm, cozy spot to watch the show without having to worry about burning the engine out.
12. The Freedom of Your Own Lawn Chair
Who says you had to stay in the car? On a wonderful night, the aluminum lawn chairs you brought from home were the best seats in the house. Set them up in front of your car, extend your legs, and watch the movie under the stars. It was the best combination of a backyard BBQ and a trip to the cinema. You had your own space and you could do whatever you wanted!
13. The Mid-Movie Concession Stand Pilgrimage
There was a popcorn crisis halfway through the movie? That’s an emergency! You would lose one or two members of the group in the mazes of other cars, only to return with a huge stack of popcorn and a bunch of sodas to share. (At least you only missed a few minutes of the plot!)
14. Trying to Stay Quiet During “The Moment”
For teenagers, the drive-in was more than just the movie. It was a perfect spot for a date because of how private it was. The back row was best for romance, but you always had to keep in mind that you weren’t actually alone. You had your car, but other cars were right next to you, and the windows are less than soundproof. That meant you could be as intimate as you wanted with your date and be right next to other people.
15. The Mass Exodus After the First Movie
For some families, staying for the second movie was a matter of pride. Others, however, left right after the first movie. As the credits began to roll, the first brake lights started turning off, leaving the lot. The parade of cars started heading towards the exit. Parents were trying to move still asleep kids from the back. It was understood that for a school night one film was enough.
16. The End-of-Night Plea for a Jump-Start
Do you remember the feeling? Did you feel it again after the film? Turning the key and hearing nothing. Your battery was dead after powering that speaker for three hours. Most of the final moments of the night scene were you, hood up, trying to signal some good Samaritan with jumper cables. The experience of trying to leave the lot was humbling, but it was the last shared experience of the evening.
17. Honking in Unison When the Film Broke
Out of nowhere the screen would turn white, or the image would melt and burn. The film had broken! There was no manager to complain to, just one overworked projectionist, so how do you get their attention? You honked. One by one, the entire lot erupted into a symphony of beeps and blares. That was our way of saying, “Get the show back on the road!” Democracy in action. Car horns and everything.
