With only a little over 400 drive-in movie theaters still operating regularly in America, many of today’s younger generations have never experienced the thrill of watching a movie from the comfort of your own vehicle. The economics of real estate have forced the closure of hundreds of drive-ins across the United States.
This past weekend I checked out a double feature of Iron Man 2 and Shutter Island at the drive-in. And it was a treat. Part of me thinks this is the way movies were meant to be watched. The other part thinks not. Here are a few pros/cons of the drive-in movie theater. Add your thoughts in the comments section below.
PROS:
AFFORDABLE. The theater I visited currently charges $8 per person for BOTH movies – a pretty affordable rate considering the megaplex down the road wants $12 for a single movie.
BIGGER IS BETTER. Most drive-ins don’t have big screens, they have HUGE ones. Nab a good parking spot, and you’ll be in the middle of all the action.
COMFORT. From the volume of the audio (usually played through an FM radio station) to the level of the air conditioning, at a drive-in, you are in
complete control of your immediate environment. Wanna squirm in your seat? Go for it! Need to stretch your legs? Step out of your car with out
saying “excuse me” or stepping on anyone’s feet.
IN SIGHT. The worst part of getting the munchies during a movie is missing the action. The an outdoor concession stand, you’ll still have the screen in your line of sight.
CONS:
HEADLIGHTS. There’s nothing worse than focusing in on the action, only to be interrupted with bright lights in your eyes. A surprisingly large majority of people understand the unwritten rules of the drive-in, but a few yahoos always mess it up for the rest of us.
BUGS. A seasonal activity, warm weather was custom made for a drive-in experience. It’s also a magnet for bugs, moths and other irritating summertime critters.
FEAR. There’s something somewhat frightening about sitting in the middle of a tremendous (and dark) open field surrounded by strangers.
ECHO. Remember earlier how I mentioned the joy of controlling your own audio volume. Well with power comes great responsibility, and in many cases, some people are just plain rude. You can end up hearing the movie’s track coming from 100 different directions, and that can be downright distracting.
What do you think?