Went to the Drive-In movie theater last night...

Indy · Post by **Indy** » Sat May 31, 2008 6:07 pm

First time in about 25 years that I had gone to a drive-in. Went and saw a double feature of Indiana Jones and Narnia: Prince Caspian. Weather was nice and cool, had some friends there with us, and had a really good time.

I think we'll hit the drive-in some more this summer now that I've re-discovered the fun in going

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat May 31, 2008 6:16 pm

Sounds like fun

What was your take on the Indiana Jones flick?

Indy · Post by **Indy** » Sat May 31, 2008 6:31 pm

Humboldt wrote:Sounds like fun

What was your take on the Indiana Jones flick?

It was good, but in some aspects a little disappointing; only insomuch as it was so hyped that no matter what there was no way it was going to live up to the hype. I like how they took actual real archaeological findings and wove it into the story, such as the skull, and the nazca lines in Peru, but the story itself got a little far fetched. And I understand that, because it was stated that George Lucas wanted to go with a 50's B-movie feel to this episode of Indiana Jones.

As far as movies go, it was a good, fun movie to watch, and I'd probably rate it above Temple of Doom, but not above Raiders or Last Crusade.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Sat May 31, 2008 9:40 pm

Love the drive in.. but haven't been to one in years, might have to make a trip very soon!

Roody · Post by **Roody** » Sat May 31, 2008 9:41 pm

That's awesome man. I miss going to those. How was Narnia?

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:05 pm

Did you get lucky?

Roody · Post by **Roody** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:06 pm

downhill wrote:Did you get lucky?

Indy · Post by **Indy** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:14 pm

Roody wrote:That's awesome man. I miss going to those. How was Narnia?

Narnia was good, but to be honest, I dozed for about 15 minutes towards the middle. Not because of the movie, but because I had been up since 5 am and it was around 1 am and I was pretty worn out from work. Overall, I think Narnia was really good, maybe a little better than the first Narnia.

Roody · Post by **Roody** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:15 pm

Indy wrote:Narnia was good, but to be honest, I dozed for about 15 minutes towards the middle. Not because of the movie, but because I had been up since 5 am and it was around 1 am and I was pretty worn out from work. Overall, I think Narnia was really good, maybe a little better than the first Narnia.

Hey that's cool. I really enjoyed the first one.

Indy · Post by **Indy** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:17 pm

Roody wrote:Hey that's cool. I really enjoyed the first one.

Yeah, if you liked the first, you'll definitely like the second. Especially the mice

Indy · Post by **Indy** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:20 pm

downhill wrote:Did you get lucky?

Kinda hard to get lucky with the daughter sitting right next to us

Roody · Post by **Roody** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:20 pm

Indy wrote:Yeah, if you liked the first, you'll definitely like the second. Especially the mice

That's cool.

Gixxer · Post by **Gixxer** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:21 am

drive-ins are a dying breed. ashame. i think ohio and cali have the most of any states.

Gixxer · Post by **Gixxer** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:23 am

Indy wrote:Kinda hard to get lucky with the daughter sitting right next to us

depending on her age, you could send her to the concession stand and get a quicky in. although i am sure all of yours are quickies.

Mad_Haggis · Post by **Mad_Haggis** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:51 am

I saw the Indy movie last Thursday. I liked it. Had not been to the movies in a while. Note...Does the sound of a machine gun have to be that loud???Compared to the rest of the movie soundtrack?, almost annoying.

Don't get me wrong, sound is half the movie. But if your going to crank up those ten seconds of a 2 hour movie, why not crank up the music soundtrack as well???

Anyway, good movie.

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:10 am

Drive-ins are awesome, good to hear the 2nd Narnia is a little better, the first one felt slow and in some parts rushed.

blebs · Post by **blebs** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:31 am

This is one pastime I do miss. Lots of fun at the Drive In. No more though..

Gixxer · Post by **Gixxer** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 12:51 pm

blebs99 wrote:This is one pastime I do miss. Lots of fun at the Drive In. No more though..

have all the ones around canton been closed? i am lucky and have one less than 5 miles from me. then there are about 2-3 within 30 mins.

Immortal · Post by **Immortal** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 1:42 pm

I was thinking of going to a drive in with my lady friend. Now, I've never been to one so I need some advice to get the best action opportunities.

If we both sat in the front seat, it'd be hard to reach over but it'll be easier to watch the movie. If we both sat in the back seat, it'll be easy to reach over but can't really see the screen from there.

What do you folks recommend? Ohh.. now I see why people get a convertable....

Indy · Post by **Indy** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 1:44 pm

Immortal wrote:I was thinking of going to a drive in with my lady friend. Now, I've never been to one so I need some advice to get the best action opportunities.

If we both sat in the front seat, it'd be hard to reach over but it'll be easier to watch the movie. If we both sat in the back seat, it'll be easy to reach over but can't really see the screen from there.

What do you folks recommend? Ohh.. now I see why people get a convertable....

We just took some lawn chairs, popped open the hatchback (we backed in) and watched the movie that way. We even brought a little wicker table to set our drinks and bug candle on

Gixxer · Post by **Gixxer** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 1:49 pm

Immortal wrote:I was thinking of going to a drive in with my lady friend. Now, I've never been to one so I need some advice to get the best action opportunities.

If we both sat in the front seat, it'd be hard to reach over but it'll be easier to watch the movie. If we both sat in the back seat, it'll be easy to reach over but can't really see the screen from there.

What do you folks recommend? Ohh.. now I see why people get a convertable....

action, as in hubba hubba action? if that is the case, if you both want it you will find a way, even if you took a bike.

RoundEye · Post by **RoundEye** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:03 pm

Drive-Ins are way cool. I had done quite a bit of research into opening one up around here, our last one closed about 15 years ago. Not only was the cost of the land needed outrageous, the price to license a movie was way up there too.

When I was in the IT field one of our largest clients was the Grand Theaters. Just days after Katrina hit, he hired the main tech from our office that was sent out for most of his trouble calls. (for a astronomical salary too from what I hear) Anyway, the lady in charge of accounting had given me many leads in who to talk to, and what prices for movies would be. She gave me a huge amount of inside scoop on how things where run too.

Needless to say though, it was all just a big pipe dream for me. Without some serious financial backup, I’d never get one open. The way weather is around here, you could run it almost year round too.

Indy, did they have the old skool speakers on poles or did you tune in the sound through FM radio? About a year before the one closed down around here, they upgraded to FM radio. That had a nice sound. If you didn’t have a radio for some reason, you could leave your driver’s license at the concession stand and they would lend you a cheap little FM radio.

They also had a little “jumper wagon” they would roll over to your car and jump you off if you should run your battery dead.

Yep, I miss the drive-ins.

site

http://www.drive-ins.com/

horsemen_ · Post by **horsemen_** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:10 pm

http://www.drive-ins.com/showing/catskyl
is the one i go to i might go tonight seeing how all the movies are good.

Ken · Post by **Ken** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:32 pm

Drive In's are great! Cheap, and you can bring your own food/snacks, drinks, whatever. Call in and pick up a pizza on the way, or a bucket of chicken, whatever! Much cheaper than a theater, here anyways.

They supplement their income by having a flea market there during the day. Lots of open land, why not...

Fun Land has 4 screens, with each screen typically showing 2 different movies per night. 2 first run movies for ~$5 a person, like a sore wienee, you just can't beat it!

For us, winter is the time to go. Take out the lawn chairs and relax! Summer is too hot and the bug factor comes into play as well.

Indy · Post by **Indy** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:48 pm

RoundEye wrote: Indy, did they have the old skool speakers on poles or did you tune in the sound through FM radio? About a year before the one closed down around here, they upgraded to FM radio. That had a nice sound. If you didn’t have a radio for some reason, you could leave your driver’s license at the concession stand and they would lend you a cheap little FM radio.

They also had a little “jumper wagon” they would roll over to your car and jump you off if you should run your battery dead.

They had the FM radio broadcast here. About the old school sound systems: What's interesting is that at work, we use a wiring harness test system on our aircraft created by DITMCO. Back before DITMCO got into aviation wiring testing, they developed drive in theater sound systems. Hence the name: Drive In Theater Manufacturing Company. When the drive-in movie industry ebbed, they got into the aviation business...

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 1:15 am

Ken wrote:For us, winter is the time to go. Take out the lawn chairs and relax! Summer is too hot and the bug factor comes into play as well.

Obviously that's a bit of a regional thing, since the Drive In theater in my area wouldn't get much business when there's six feet of snow on the ground.

For the record, the best one in the area rocks both the FM and the old school crappy speakers.

Joint Chiefs of Staff · Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:30 am

First and last time I went was in Cape Breton Island. Saw Air Force One. I liked the atmosphere too. Had to buy the DVD when it came out since I missed parts during the original showing.

Mad_Haggis · Post by **Mad_Haggis** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:26 am

Joint Chiefs of Staff wrote:First and last time I went was in Cape Breton Island. Saw Air Force One. I liked the atmosphere too. Had to buy the DVD when it came out since I missed parts during the original showing.

sO YOUR AYING sHAKESPERE

blebs · Post by **blebs** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:33 am

Gixxer wrote:have all the ones around canton been closed? i am lucky and have one less than 5 miles from me. then there are about 2-3 within 30 mins.

We used to have like 5 of them in the area. We have 0 now. Akron still has 1 or 2, but that's the closest to me.

http://www.driveintheater.com/drivlist.htm

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:49 am

I think theres only 2 left in connecticut.

blebs · Post by **blebs** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:05 am

YARDofSTUF wrote:I think theres only 2 left in connecticut.

Operating Theatres
Mansfield Drive-In Theatre
228 Stafford Road, Mansfield Center, CT 06250 (860) 423-4441

Southington Drive-In
935 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike, Plantsville, CT 06479 (860) 628-2205

Pleasant Valley Drive-In
Pleasant Valley, CT 06063 (860) 379-6102

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:18 am

blebs99 wrote:Operating Theatres
Mansfield Drive-In Theatre
228 Stafford Road, Mansfield Center, CT 06250 (860) 423-4441

Southington Drive-In
935 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike, Plantsville, CT 06479 (860) 628-2205

Pleasant Valley Drive-In
Pleasant Valley, CT 06063 (860) 379-6102

Southington drive-in is no longer open.

blebs · Post by **blebs** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:02 pm

YARDofSTUF wrote:Southington drive-in is no longer open.

Well then your correct. Only 2 left.

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:04 pm

blebs99 wrote:Well then your correct. Only 2 left.

Sweet!!! What do I win!?