Drive-in Movie Memories

Drive-In Movie Memories (2001)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Informative documentary about the history of drive-ins in America and the type of films that would often play there. Everything you'd want to know about the drive-in is here and I must say that this was an incredibly entertaining film and when it was over it certainly made you want to hope in the car and find the closest one near you. We start off showing how a few outdoor theaters opened up in the 1910s and 20s and these were mainly due to indoor theaters being too hot in the summer. We then flash to 1932 when the first drive-in opened and we follow the history up to today when most have died out, although there's a comeback trying to happen. There are all sorts of great stuff told here including a device that would allow you to put an item in your car for an air conditioning system. This pipe would hang just like the speakers would but the only problem was that rats liked to eat the insides of the pipe so when people put them in the car and turned it on the air would throw the rats into their cars. We learn how the land was developed to house a drive-in, the various changes made over the years not only in terms of the technology but also the type of films. Back in the early days drive-ins would only get films after they had already been released for months. In the 1950s Hollywood would send major productions out but then things started to change when stuff from AIP and various "Beach" movies started to take over. There's discussion of stuff like THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE, NOT OF THIS EARTH, I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN and ANGELS WILD WOMEN. Among those interviewed are Leonard Maltin, Joe Bob Briggs, Beverly Garland, Don and Susan Sanders, Sam Sherman, Ann Robinson and many others. If you're curious about the history of drive-ins then this here is a must see.