story

The last drive in movie theater in this state closed last year, and the final remains of it were dismantled today. There is nothing left to show for the years we went to those oddities and watched movies in our pajamas, on top of a car. For something I enjoyed so much as a small child and as a teenager, it's sad to see it go. And for a Wawa and a Walmart, of which we have more than I care to count. Sigh.

Why did the drive in theater decline in popularity? If we as children and teens and adults all loved going? What happened?

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), January 26, 2001

Answers

I remember WaWa. Goofy ass name for a store, how could I forget? Yet I did.

Florida is a WaWa free zone. We have Circle K.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), January 26, 2001.

LV is also a WaWa-Free Zone. We do have an overabundance of Circle K, 7-11, Mini-Mart, am pm ..... there's a different one on (literally!) every corner (usually two to four of them).

We have a drive-in not too far from the house. Haven't been there yet, but I've heard that it's hard to see some of the screens because of the way they are positioned -- FACING the "city proper" and/or the two casinos on the next block -- so the lights are kind of in-your-face. There's a little airport on the other side and I think two of the screens face that; no problems there.

I'm sure they'll close that soon. Have to get there before they do. I have the same memories, kritter; my brother and I would eventually be put in the back of the station wagon, in our PJs!, to fall asleep while Mom and Dad watched the movie (or whatever [g]). We went to the Sunrise Drive-In on Long Island. They had the playground pretty much under the big screen. It was a real treat.

FWIW, I read a story yesterday (?) about one of the larger movie theater companies closing many of its theaters (multi-screen). Others are following suit. I guess people are just "waiting for the video" or until "it comes on cable" these days. Kind of sad.

-- (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), January 26, 2001.

Add yet another to the growing-like-a-weed list of Reasons to NOT Live in NJ. :)

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), January 26, 2001.

uh hem. Rich?

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), January 26, 2001.

Yes, Mr. FS? Is my chip showing again?

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), January 26, 2001.

I lost something in an NJ drive-in movie that can never be retrieved.

-- Lars (larguy@yahoo.com), January 26, 2001.

Lars,

Lemme guess...you lost a tooth while eating popcorn and swallowed it...am I close??? heh ;)

-- Peg (pegmcleod@mediaone.net), January 26, 2001.

Ah,the old Sky-Vu in Ky,took the dog and cruised on foot for chicks,he had the beer cooler strapped over his back,the cops wouldn't even approach me for an id the dog scared them so much.What memories.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), January 26, 2001.

13 years old, Linda and Jeanette needed a third girl to pair up with the driver. We claimed we were going to decorate a church for something.

The movie was "The Ten Commandments". My first real kiss and I was shocked over my physical reaction to it. Fortunatly the 17 year old who's car it was, yep a station wagon, realized how young and nieve I was and didn't press me. Jeanette pee'd her pants, she did that a lot when shge got the giggles. Linda and I are still friends, lifelong friends, she moved in with my family for high school and filled in the "daughter" roll for my Mom, baking and making candles, as I continued to help my Dad working on the car and with his electronics. Jeanette was supposed to have moved into the mountains where she lived in a big tent and had kids there. But then Jeanette was a habitial lier so who knows if that was true or not.

The only drive ins I know still exist are one way north and one way sounth that are used for swap meets.

I remember as a kid being in our PJ's falling asleep in the car with our parents.

-- Cherri (jessam5@home.com), January 28, 2001.