Life Do you still go to a Drive in to watch movies?

Deberg_1990 · 08-31-2011, 07:48 AM

Just curious, i know KC still has a couple right? Havent been in years, but i would if they had one around here.....

http://www.kcconfidential.com/full_c...full=yes&pbr=1

Summer's almost done, but it's still not too late to check out your friendly, neighborhood drive in movie theater...

You're out under the stars, holding court in the front of your car, the bed of your pickup and/or in the lawn chair of your choice. The massive outdoor movie screen glaring back at you.

Kind of like a poor man's Starlight Theatre...

Or as the Web site driveinmovie.com describes it - celebrating "the presence of the past." Which worked for me since my trip to KCK's Boulevard Drive In Saturday entailed watching a sendup to the 60s sci-fi hit, "Planet of the Apes."

While affording me the opportunity to grill the longtime owner of the "world's greatest drive in theatre," octogenarian Wes Neal.

Starting with the quadruple bypass heart surgery he had on his 82nd birthday.

"I told the surgeon I was going to draw a cartoon of me on the operating table," Neal says. "And him swinging an ax and saying, 'Happy Birthday!' "

Speaking of memorable moments...

"In two more years it'll be our 60th birthday at the drive in," Neal says. "If I'm still living then. I'm sort of easing into retirement."

Neal says the first ever drive in movie theater in this country went downin 1933 with a sheet for a screen and a projector on a car hood. Which doesn't exactly explain why Americans fell in love with the concept in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

"Drive ins didn't become prominent until after World War II and all these soldiers came home and bought cars," Neal explains. "And people didn't want to give up their cars - they wanted to be in their cars."

Might that have had something to do with the stricter morals of the day and the need for young men and women to find a getaway for some romantic quality time? After all, they didn't call drive in theaters called "passion pits" for nothing, right?

"Well, you just told me," Neal quips.

So did Neal have to patrol the parking lot with flashlights back then to limit the in-car hanky-panky to an R-rating?

"No, we didn't," Neal says. "We didn't want to run away half of our customers - or a third, anyway."

These days, "There's not as much smooching going on," Neal says. "People don't care what their kids do (at home)."

Translation: nobdody needs to go to a drive in to find love.

The wildest thing that ever went down at the Boulevard over the years?

"A lot of people for one reason or another - mostly because they could - put their hands up in front of the projector so it showed on the screen," Neal says. "People used to like to do that."

Man, that's what I call wild!

How about the sneak in factor? Looks like it might not be that hard to pull off.

They used to come over the fence in droves," Neal says. "Now you can't pay 'em to sneak in. People ask me, do people still sneak in and I say, 'No, I wish they would.' Because they pay $8 to get in and it costs me $9 to put on the show. So I'd make a dollar."

Neal's had his share of celebrity visits as well. No Academy Award winners, but people like actress Elizabeth James, the motorcycle-riding hottie/damsel in distress in the 1967 Billy Jack movie "The Born Losers."

"I asked her if she liked riding motocycles," Neal says. "And she said, 'Never been on one.' "

Now a little empirical wisdom gleaned from Neal's 50 years of operating a drive in theater.

"Drive ins are noted for three things," he muses "Corndogs, mosquitoes and trains - I don't know why so many drive ins are built near train tracks ."

Estimates peg the number of drive ins in the US at between 4,000 and 5,000 in the late 1950s. However, less than 500 still exist, according to drive-ins.com.

Are they here to stay?

"I don't think so," Neal says. "Because eventually the property's going to get too (valuable). And a lot of 'em are owned by mom and pops like me. And when they die off..."

The first wave of drive ins dying off followed their wildly popular run in the 50s, 60s and early 70s, Neal says.

"Then in the 80s, the bottom just dropped out," Neal says.

The drive in customers of today are "middle class people, mostly 20 to 40,"he says. "And several older people come. They like it because they remember how drive ins used to be."

Speaking of which, did the Boulevard ever show X-Rated movies?

"We did way back when all the drive ins were closing," Neal says. "Everybody tried X-rated movies, but it didn't work."

These days the Boulevard's weekend swap meets help keep the wolf away from the door.

"That's been the salvation of this drive in," Neal says.

blaise · 08-31-2011, 07:50 AM

Last drive in I saw was Last Action Hero.

Rooster · 08-31-2011, 07:51 AM

I haven't been in a few years but Wichita still has one.

-King- · 08-31-2011, 08:05 AM

Went to one a couple weeks back. The one in independence
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**Predarat** · 08-31-2011, 08:06 AM

I have not been to one in a long time, but there are a few in driving distance.

Coogs · 08-31-2011, 08:08 AM

What? They had movies showing at those places? Damn! I went to those all the time in my younger days. Not sure if we ever watched a movie, but we sure had some great parties there!

**Nzoner** · 08-31-2011, 08:11 AM

I went a few years ago but have decided if I ever go again it will be for a crap mindless movie and I will go simply to prop up a chair,open a cold one and just relax.

**Nzoner** · 08-31-2011, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coogs

What? They had movies showing at those places? Damn! I went to those all the time in my younger days. Not sure if we ever watched a movie, but we sure had some great parties there!

Heh,those were my high school Fridays right there,our school pretty much had the back row to ourselves with a keg in the back of a pick-up.

seclark · 08-31-2011, 08:13 AM

it's been years...probably late 70's. never could remember the movies

always laughed my ass off when some dickhead would drive off, yanking the speaker from the pole. it'd knock the sound out of everyone else parking in that row. cars would all start honking and shit.

sec

Coogs · 08-31-2011, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nzoner

Heh,those were my high school Fridays right there,our school pretty much had the back row to ourselves with a keg in the back of a pick-up.

**Nzoner** · 08-31-2011, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seclark

it's been years...probably late 70's. never could remember the movies

always laughed my ass off when some dickhead would drive off, yanking the speaker from the pole. it'd knock the sound out of everyone else parking in that row. cars would all start honking and shit.

sec

When I was a kid we had a drive-in that was right next to train tracks and at times the engineer would take a rest stop and watch too.Never failed though you'd be watching a decent thriller or murder mystery and just as the plot was about to unfold and the movie come together the fockers would blow the train horn and drown out the speakers.

seclark · 08-31-2011, 08:27 AM

my grandmother lived about half mile from a drive-in theater in st. louis. when we were kids, my cousin and i would climb to the top of a big pine tree in her yard and watch the r-rated flicks.
sec

rocknrolla · 08-31-2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nzoner

Heh,those were my high school Fridays right there,our school pretty much had the back row to ourselves with a keg in the back of a pick-up.

This. The last movie I saw at a drive in was Batman in 1990. I got arrested later that night for minor in possession. $50 fine. Those were the days.

seclark · 08-31-2011, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nzoner

When I was a kid we had a drive-in that was right next to train tracks and at times the engineer would take a rest stop and watch too.Never failed though you'd be watching a decent thriller or murder mystery and just as the plot was about to unfold and the movie come together the fockers would blow the train horn and drown out the speakers.

we'd take turns sneaking up to the film shack and sticking stuff up in front of the projector, then running off. always a big party.
sec

MOhillbilly · 08-31-2011, 08:33 AM

Mom used to take mw to the twin back when. Seen the cablw guy at the one off kearny. Best part about the drivein ia the old cartoons they show. Frick n frack ftw

08-31-2011, 07:48 AM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $294454	Do you still go to a Drive in to watch movies? Just curious, i know KC still has a couple right? Havent been in years, but i would if they had one around here..... http://www.kcconfidential.com/full_c...full=yes&pbr=1 Summer's almost done, but it's still not too late to check out your friendly, neighborhood drive in movie theater... You're out under the stars, holding court in the front of your car, the bed of your pickup and/or in the lawn chair of your choice. The massive outdoor movie screen glaring back at you. Kind of like a poor man's Starlight Theatre... Or as the Web site driveinmovie.com describes it - celebrating "the presence of the past." Which worked for me since my trip to KCK's Boulevard Drive In Saturday entailed watching a sendup to the 60s sci-fi hit, "Planet of the Apes." While affording me the opportunity to grill the longtime owner of the "world's greatest drive in theatre," octogenarian Wes Neal. Starting with the quadruple bypass heart surgery he had on his 82nd birthday. "I told the surgeon I was going to draw a cartoon of me on the operating table," Neal says. "And him swinging an ax and saying, 'Happy Birthday!' " Speaking of memorable moments... "In two more years it'll be our 60th birthday at the drive in," Neal says. "If I'm still living then. I'm sort of easing into retirement." Neal says the first ever drive in movie theater in this country went downin 1933 with a sheet for a screen and a projector on a car hood. Which doesn't exactly explain why Americans fell in love with the concept in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. "Drive ins didn't become prominent until after World War II and all these soldiers came home and bought cars," Neal explains. "And people didn't want to give up their cars - they wanted to be in their cars." Might that have had something to do with the stricter morals of the day and the need for young men and women to find a getaway for some romantic quality time? After all, they didn't call drive in theaters called "passion pits" for nothing, right? "Well, you just told me," Neal quips. So did Neal have to patrol the parking lot with flashlights back then to limit the in-car hanky-panky to an R-rating? "No, we didn't," Neal says. "We didn't want to run away half of our customers - or a third, anyway." These days, "There's not as much smooching going on," Neal says. "People don't care what their kids do (at home)." Translation: nobdody needs to go to a drive in to find love. The wildest thing that ever went down at the Boulevard over the years? "A lot of people for one reason or another - mostly because they could - put their hands up in front of the projector so it showed on the screen," Neal says. "People used to like to do that." Man, that's what I call wild! How about the sneak in factor? Looks like it might not be that hard to pull off. They used to come over the fence in droves," Neal says. "Now you can't pay 'em to sneak in. People ask me, do people still sneak in and I say, 'No, I wish they would.' Because they pay $8 to get in and it costs me $9 to put on the show. So I'd make a dollar." Neal's had his share of celebrity visits as well. No Academy Award winners, but people like actress Elizabeth James, the motorcycle-riding hottie/damsel in distress in the 1967 Billy Jack movie "The Born Losers." "I asked her if she liked riding motocycles," Neal says. "And she said, 'Never been on one.' " Now a little empirical wisdom gleaned from Neal's 50 years of operating a drive in theater. "Drive ins are noted for three things," he muses "Corndogs, mosquitoes and trains - I don't know why so many drive ins are built near train tracks ." Estimates peg the number of drive ins in the US at between 4,000 and 5,000 in the late 1950s. However, less than 500 still exist, according to drive-ins.com. Are they here to stay? "I don't think so," Neal says. "Because eventually the property's going to get too (valuable). And a lot of 'em are owned by mom and pops like me. And when they die off..." The first wave of drive ins dying off followed their wildly popular run in the 50s, 60s and early 70s, Neal says. "Then in the 80s, the bottom just dropped out," Neal says. The drive in customers of today are "middle class people, mostly 20 to 40,"he says. "And several older people come. They like it because they remember how drive ins used to be." Speaking of which, did the Boulevard ever show X-Rated movies? "We did way back when all the drive ins were closing," Neal says. "Everybody tried X-rated movies, but it didn't work." These days the Boulevard's weekend swap meets help keep the wolf away from the door. "That's been the salvation of this drive in," Neal says.
Posts: 68,449

08-31-2011, 07:50 AM	#2
blaise In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Plano, TX Casino cash: $9989900	Last drive in I saw was Last Action Hero.
Posts: 22,189

08-31-2011, 07:51 AM	#3
Rooster Draft a QB Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: JoCo Casino cash: $9961689	I haven't been in a few years but Wichita still has one. __________________ When Reno Hightower was a prick he was the best damn quarterback in the history of Kern County.
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08-31-2011, 08:05 AM	#4
-King- ▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓ Join Date: Jan 2009 Casino cash: $-1234257	Went to one a couple weeks back. The one in independence Posted via Mobile Device
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08-31-2011, 08:06 AM	#5
Predarat Run Chiefs fans, run!! Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Nashville, TN Casino cash: $9963863	I have not been to one in a long time, but there are a few in driving distance.
Posts: 10,776

08-31-2011, 08:08 AM	#6
Coogs In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Northern Kansas Casino cash: $-2075651	What? They had movies showing at those places? Damn! I went to those all the time in my younger days. Not sure if we ever watched a movie, but we sure had some great parties there!
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08-31-2011, 08:11 AM	#7
Nzoner a haw haw haw Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: MIZZOU Casino cash: $26365802	I went a few years ago but have decided if I ever go again it will be for a crap mindless movie and I will go simply to prop up a chair,open a cold one and just relax. __________________ *Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.*
Posts: 27,111

08-31-2011, 08:13 AM	#9
seclark MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: nemo Casino cash: $-410100	it's been years...probably late 70's. never could remember the movies always laughed my ass off when some dickhead would drive off, yanking the speaker from the pole. it'd knock the sound out of everyone else parking in that row. cars would all start honking and shit. sec __________________ "Mr. seclark. Wrong for gravy, wrong for jelly, wrong for biscuits." -rj "If every Planeteer who was disliked by another Planeteer stopped being a Planeteer we wouldn't have any Planeteers." -rj
Posts: 13,447

08-31-2011, 08:27 AM	#12
seclark MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: nemo Casino cash: $-410100	my grandmother lived about half mile from a drive-in theater in st. louis. when we were kids, my cousin and i would climb to the top of a big pine tree in her yard and watch the r-rated flicks. sec __________________ "Mr. seclark. Wrong for gravy, wrong for jelly, wrong for biscuits." -rj "If every Planeteer who was disliked by another Planeteer stopped being a Planeteer we wouldn't have any Planeteers." -rj
Posts: 13,447

08-31-2011, 08:33 AM	#15
MOhillbilly Mama Tried Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Missouri Casino cash: $9949903	Mom used to take mw to the twin back when. Seen the cablw guy at the one off kearny. Best part about the drivein ia the old cartoons they show. Frick n frack ftw __________________ True Son of Liberty
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