Why is the drive-in theater dead?

[Golon9977]

As a kid in the '80s, my father would take us to the drive-in theater to watch Mexican movies (anyone remember Lola la Trailera?). Remembering those days, I don't see why they are not popular anymore. It gives you more privacy to be with your partner, especially if your windows are tainted. And I'm sure the tickets would be cheaper because the theater would not have all the additional bills that coming from having a roof.

Why can't they come back!!!

[kmeyers]

Bad weather and high gas prices.

[Subotai]

Love the ol' drive-in. But regular theatres are headed down the tubes now.

[Golon9977]

Love the ol' drive-in. But regular theatres are headed down the tubes now.

What? Why? Because of the cost? Where did you hear they are going down?

[Gingold]

Once the VCR was invented, you could watch bad movies and get to third base without leaving the living room. The drive-in's days were numbered.

[pennywisdom]

Once the VCR was invented, you could watch bad movies and get to third base without leaving the living room. The drive-in's days were numbered.

Yeah, and the digital age makes it possible to watch whatever you want, wherever you want, whenever you want. In the next couple generations, people may not feel a need for theaters. If you think that's crazy, take a look at the drooping box office numbers and the desperation with which movie studios scramble for more audiences.

Besides, cars aren't romantic any more. In the 50's, anything car related was cool. By this time, we've learned to recognize cars as the dirty, expensive, pollution-causing, planet-ruining, inconvenient pieces of garbage they are, so naturally, "car culture" has taken a bit of a hit.

[Toreador]

With the same size of real estate you could put a multiplex up instead and make more money. Sound quality is also better in a theater than what you would get out of those tiny metal speakers.

Gas prices wouldn't really factor into it since you would spend the same amount of gas going to the theater as you would going to a drive-in.

Also for a drive-in people have to wait for the sun to go down where a theater can show movies all day long.

With all that though I loved going to the drive-in when I was a kid. It was great watching that giant screen and eating pizza.

[(A)//(E)]

there's still one in operation near the Ohio-Michigan border in the Sandusky area (on/near hwy 2 iirc). true story they were showing Pirates of the Caribbean
while we were driving back from a concert in Cinci. I was like "wow you never see those".

[phoenixrising]

Because dumbass teenagers won't have the opportunity to ruin "The Black Dahlia" for me by answering their phone calls in the most exciting part of the movie if they're in a car far far away from me. And life wouldn't be worth living.

God I feel old.

[mattbib]

I loved the local drive-in when I was a kid. Of course by local I mean up in West Chester, PA. There were two others in the area that closed before my time. I think in addition to all the other prohibitive factors, another might be the "light" from Wilmington, Chester, PA, and other nearby cities; it just doesn't get that dark.

There is one in lower Felton, Delaware (The Diamond State Drive-In Theater) that still operates. I understand they showed XXX films through the '70s and '80s but then a family bought the theater in the mid-to-late '90s and started showing current, mostly family, films. I've yet to go there.

[Ed Cunard]

I think there are at least three or four operating drive-ins within a decent driving distance from my house (approximately an hour away in all cases). I keep meaning to get to one before they finally go away like the others.

[TheTen-EyedMan]

My earliest memories are watching Jaws 2 and Bluebeard (the godlessly bad Burton film) at the drive in and hearing Elo's Discovery album.

[Nevets F]

We still have one drive-in theatre here in Memphis, it has four screens. I went about three years ago. They have a certain charm about them, for sure. I enjoyed it, but I more enjoyed going back to a walk-in theatre after that.

It makes me kinda sad....in a sad nostalgic kind of way.

[Avalanche]

I've never been to one. We had one around here but it closed before I could walk. I always thought it'd be cool to experience a drive-in theater, too bad.

[Spackling Compound]

Because dumbass teenagers won't have the opportunity to ruin "The Black Dahlia" for me by answering their phone calls in the most exciting part of the movie if they're in a car far far away from me. And life wouldn't be worth living.

God I feel old.

Ahh..good point, pho.

I'm almost a DVD only fan now. I used to go to the show to support the theater but when it was either the aforementioned cellphone call or the untended children running around the theater, I gave up.

As far as drive ins? Looking at some of the pimped rides and minivans today, seems that the movies have come INSIDE the car now. Who needs a outdoor theater?

And the old man prude in me: I remember a drive in being shut down because it only showed either softcore porn or horror movies. The neighborhood behind it could see all the action on screen. Not bad if you're a kid but sort of disturbing if you're having a wedding reception and BLOODBATH 3 is looming over your archway.