A while back, Hubs and I were driving on backroads through Mississippi when we passed what we thought was a giant movie screen. After turning around in someone's driveway, we made it back and indeed! It was a giant movie screen! We had found a Drive In Movie Theater! And it was in operation!! OMG! For nearly 2 years, 5 bucks a piece would find us an hour from home and watching double features on a giant drive in movie screen. We saw Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Batman Begins and a slew of other movies that we either laughed at, gasped at, or talked avidly about on the way home. Watching a car load of teenage girls scream their heads off: priceless.
Every Thursday I would call the movie line to see what was showing. We would make plans, gas up the car and head out. Until one weekend I called and it was closed early. Then, I called again the next weekend and I got the dreaded "beep, beep, beep! We're sorry, this number has been temporarily disconnected." Hubs and I were upset, to say the least. We thought maybe they had just closed down for the winter months. I tried again in the Spring and I didn't even get the "temporary" message. Our drive in was gone.
I honestly thought about crying. Hubs and I enjoy the movies, but not all the people, the price, the overinflated everything. At the drive in, we paid FIVE DOLLARS each to watch 2 movies. New movies! Drinks were a buck and candy was still fifty cents, if you can even believe in such a world. The old speaker boxes didn't work, but they broadcast the movie on a FM line, so you tuned in on your car radio. If you have a giant sub woofer and loud speakers, like we do in the Jeep, well then you were in for quite a show. We would leave it tuned in while we drove away so that you could still hear the movie music while driving down the road. Man, I miss that place.
Yesterday, we were in a town close to where the drive in had been and I said to Hubs, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if the drive in was open again!" We both agreed that it would be really cool, but I had lost that number to a cell phone change a year ago. I came home a little sad all over again. But by some oddity in the world, things changed direction for me. I was reading a Better Homes and Gardens article about things to do during the summer. I had skimmed it a few times, saw about the zoos, thought " yeah, I should do that" then opened the article all the way. Tucked in the crease of the page was a title that said "Go To A Drive In Movie"! Wow, was I stunned! Even better than that was this link right here: www.driveinmovie.com. If you click that link, you will be taken to a current listing of every known drive in across the United States!
And I found quite a few left here in Mississippi. Not ours, sadly, it has gone dark. But there is history about a lot of the places still left and all kinds of information. So, grab the kids, waste some gas and go do something that will build awesome memories. I know we will!!
Every Thursday I would call the movie line to see what was showing. We would make plans, gas up the car and head out. Until one weekend I called and it was closed early. Then, I called again the next weekend and I got the dreaded "beep, beep, beep! We're sorry, this number has been temporarily disconnected." Hubs and I were upset, to say the least. We thought maybe they had just closed down for the winter months. I tried again in the Spring and I didn't even get the "temporary" message. Our drive in was gone.
I honestly thought about crying. Hubs and I enjoy the movies, but not all the people, the price, the overinflated everything. At the drive in, we paid FIVE DOLLARS each to watch 2 movies. New movies! Drinks were a buck and candy was still fifty cents, if you can even believe in such a world. The old speaker boxes didn't work, but they broadcast the movie on a FM line, so you tuned in on your car radio. If you have a giant sub woofer and loud speakers, like we do in the Jeep, well then you were in for quite a show. We would leave it tuned in while we drove away so that you could still hear the movie music while driving down the road. Man, I miss that place.
Yesterday, we were in a town close to where the drive in had been and I said to Hubs, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if the drive in was open again!" We both agreed that it would be really cool, but I had lost that number to a cell phone change a year ago. I came home a little sad all over again. But by some oddity in the world, things changed direction for me. I was reading a Better Homes and Gardens article about things to do during the summer. I had skimmed it a few times, saw about the zoos, thought " yeah, I should do that" then opened the article all the way. Tucked in the crease of the page was a title that said "Go To A Drive In Movie"! Wow, was I stunned! Even better than that was this link right here: www.driveinmovie.com. If you click that link, you will be taken to a current listing of every known drive in across the United States!
And I found quite a few left here in Mississippi. Not ours, sadly, it has gone dark. But there is history about a lot of the places still left and all kinds of information. So, grab the kids, waste some gas and go do something that will build awesome memories. I know we will!!
5 comments:
wow. at least you got some good time in with that one. I pass one down here all the time, that has been closed for years, well before I got here. I would love, love, love to go see a movie at the drive-in, especially with the three kiddos.
I've never been to a drive-in movie.
*gasp*
((((((Smush)))))
I freaking LOVE drive-in movies. They are on par with a fun park with rides...SO fun! Glad you found another one. Have you been to the new one yet?
THat was a fun post Pinky--took me right back in time!! LOL I too loved to go to the drive-in. It brings back such good memories.
Smiles, Karen
I remember driving to Tupelo one night and being surprised as I rounded the corner to find Austin Powers, big as life, hovering out in a field off Highway 6. I could never find out when movies were playing, but I always wanted to go.
The Summer Drive In in Memphis is still operational. On Summer Ave., open during the Summer months.
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