July 29, 2004

• Ooh, takes me back. This site actually has the only two drive-ins I've ever been to: Sedalia MO (where I saw my first flick ever, Star Wars), and Springfield MO. The latter, when it was open, had its screen facing Kearney Street, a main thoroughfare on the north end of town. Astonishingly, they actually played "Showgirls" there for a couple of weeks. Gridlock on that road was unbelievable.
• They are also great for people watching. I went to one a couple months ago and was amazed at the number of kids with lights in their shoes! I remember when I was a kid, there was a drive-in the next town over that showed XXX movies. We always said as soon as we were old enough we would go, but unfortunatley it closed before my friends and I got the chance.
• This drive-in in Bristol TN is the one that I grew-up with. The interesting thing is that for most of my childhood (late 70's, early 80's) it showed only "adult" films aka XXX features. The screen faces away from the road and there is a mountain directly behind the parking lot, so its fairly isolated. Except for the fact it was next door to my elementary school. And if, on PTA night, you went all the way to the back of the school yard, you could an eyeful at an extreme angle. Now that I think about it, there were lots of extreme angles.
• Ah, yes. Hopping into the back seat before we were married at the drive-in. Later, kids falling asleep in the back seat. We never went without a blanket. ;)
• Drive-ins have got to be making a comeback, since car sound technology is pretty shit-hot and you can have as much or as little privacy as you want. I'd probably be investing in them if I could.
• A friend of mine is behind the Drive-On-In.com site, which is a great resource for photos, history and other bits of info about drive in movie theaters. Tons of great photos of open and closed theaters.
• The case of the almost-exploding drive-in. Launches #3700 in #3700