Certainly few of us living in Virginia or The Carolinas want to venture outside today. Greensboro is reporting record heat temps today. And, it was 107 degrees in Fayetville, NC, yesterday as well. Today is not expected to be much better!
But, when the sun goes down, there are indeed many things to do on summer nights.
Last weekend, I saw "The Bourne Ultimatum" and the surprisingly funny "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" at the Eden Drive-In which is located in the hamlet of Eden, NC.
Drive-ins have also caught the attention of major publications, as both "The Boston Globe" and "The Washington Post" have recently written features about drive-in theatres.
And, even film enthuaists agree, that movies are not the only fun things about a drive-in. Last weekend, I saw kids playing football frisbeee as a middle-age couple was throwing horse-shoes.
There is also the food. I had a cheeseburger for $2.75 at the drive-in's refreshment counter, which also serves chilli fries ($2.50), pizza ($1.75/slice) and chicken wings ($3.75).
One unique thing about a North Carolina drive-in is that there is an ardent warning that movie-goers are not supposed to use profanity. But, I guess it is ok for Bruce Willis!
There are several other drive-ins in the region. My friends Blake Lipscomb and Jason Garnett have visited the Hull's Drive-In in Lexington, Va., which is run by volunteers, many times. They maintain that it is a great place to see a movie as well. And, there double-feature this week "Hairspray" and "Waitress" should make for a perfect nostalgic evening as well. Alas, one of Blake's favorite drive-ins the Dixie Drive-In in Vinton (Roanoke), Va., where he saw "Blade Runner" as a teenager , is no longer around.
For most drive-in owners, their business is a labor of love. At the Star Lite Drive-In in Christiansburg, Va., which is a gathering place for summer school students from Virginia Tech and Radford University, owner Peggy Beasley even makes the hot dogs. They will be showing the live version of one of my favorite cartoons as a child, "Underdog," there this weekend.
Sue Swanson, who co-owns the Mendon Twin Drive-In in Mendon, Mass., told "The Boston Globe" that when she saw a 'for sale' sign in front of the property she now owns, that she thought seeing "Old Yeller" there as a child, and she could not envision the drive-in becoming yet another shopping mall.
Paul Geissinger, who is nationally involved with drive-in theatres, said in the same article that all drive-in owners have land they could sell for more profits, which thus makes the venture a noble sacrifice.
New England also boasts several four-screen drive-ins, including the Sunset Drive-In in Clochester, Vt., and The Weirs Beach 4 (built in 1949) in Weirs Beach, NH.
In addition to the Mendon Twin-In, The Family Drive-In in Stephens City, Va., about 90 miles south of Washington, DC, also has two screens. I had a chance to see Tim Burton's remake of "The Planet of the Apes" there several years ago, and I was surprised to see so many cars taking in the experience with me.
"The Washington Post" article focused on Benjie's Drive-In in Baltimore (built in 1956), which boasts the largst drive-in screen on the East Coast. Surprisingly, they are not showing "Hairspray," which takes place in Oriole town, but rather "The Bourne Ultimatum" instead. It is part of a triple feature!
The owner of the Eden Drive-In also owns the busiest drive-in in the Carolinas. The Badin Drive-In in Albermale, NC, between Charlotte and Salisbury, NC, is showing "Underdog" and "The Transformers" as a double-bill this weekend.
Another unique drive-in theatre I found out about while researching this blog entry is the Raleigh Road Drive-In in Henderson, NC. It was built in 1956, the same year as Benjie's in Baltimore, and it is unique in that it is actually open year-round! Most drive-ins tend to operate from April to September. They will be showing "Rush Hour 3" and "Hairspray" as their double-bill this weekend.
Three other drive-ins that I came across include The Highway 21 Drive-In in the coastal community of Beaufort, SC. Their web site states that while the state of South Carolina had 79 drive-ins at one point. Today, there are only two remaining in the entire Palmetto State. The Skohegam Drive-In in Skohegam, Maine, will show "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" along with "The Transformers" this evening. And, finally, The Park Place Drive-In in the southwestern Appalachia town of Marion,Va., will also be entertaining a new generation of film-goers at their establishment, this and every summer weekend evening.
Among the many useful links:
http://www.parkplacedrivein.com
http://www.skohegandrivein.com
http://www.mattlesbay.com/drivein
http://www.raleighroaddrivein.com
http://www.starlitedrivein.com
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