Everyone in the car enjoying the movie in their PJ's!
The last movie I saw at a drive-in theater was the movie “Pet Cemetery (1989)” which was some 22 years ago. I can’t really tell you why I stopped going to drive-in movies but I did. I was thinking how big this form of movie going was back in the day. I know locally we still have a theater. It was the same theater I last saw a movie at. I have made a pledge to myself that I will go back and see a movie there and re-experience the feel of watching a movie from the comfort of my car. I think how much I long for things from yesteryear and here I am abandoning the things from that time period. If we are true lovers of all that is retro or vintage then we owe it to the past to patron what was once famous and popular to the people of that period. So please, lets all promise to try and keep those things that are mid-century alive by supporting them by being present.
For most teens during this time it was a way to escape the watchful eye of the parents to make out. I imagine there were a lot of young teens that couldn’t tell you what movie they saw.
A young couple enjoying a movie (I think that is Doris Day in the reflection on the windshield)
As a lot of us know kids do not have the attention span to watch a movie. The answer the drive ins came up with was a playground. This was great for parents that needed a break and just wanted to watch the movie. A lot of kids never made it through the whole movie because of the Sandman.
Kids playing before start of the movie
A lot of the time when you saw a movie at a drive in you would get a double or triple feature. The theater would play really corny “intermission” videos so you could go to the restroom or more snacks. Here are a few intermission films…
Here are some of the wild movies they would play at the drive in’s.
Hepcats Haven 
Hepcat: Gosh! Talk about big screen. The last movie i saw at the drive in was Jurassic Park with my children. It was fun and enjoyable. Sad to see the big screens go. s. long
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It is a dying form of movie going. It really is sad.
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Oh boy! The drive-in! THE greatest weekend treat of the summer. And there were so many of them around Sacto. Probably as many as there were indoor theatres. It’s a very special childhood memory for sure (and teenage memory too. You’re right, the drive-in provided THE greatest make out scenario ever ;- ) The “day after” interrogation by mom about what the movie was about was tricky – haha! Recently I got SO aggravated at the indoor theatre because of all the stupid commercials you have to watch, I said to my neice, all you ever used to have to watch at intermission was dancing popcorn & candy bars! So watching your clip above was a great blast from the past. I’ve been promising myself that I’m going to take my grandson & granddaughter to the drive-in before they all disappear completely. Wonder if they will think it’s as great a treat as I did??? Your blog takes me back to so many places in time and just makes my heart *smile*. Thank you so much. Keep up the great job!
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It is sad that all these really great things are disappearing. I am sure your grand kids will love it for a couple reasons, one it is fun, two it is an experience they have never had and three it is with their grandma.
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