Drive-in Movie Theaters

The drive-in-theaters were first started by Richard Hollingshead in 1933. His vision of the open air theaters which would enable viewers to watch the movies from their cars was given shape in his backyard, where he did the first movie show on the screen attached to the trees. The projector was place on the hood of his car. The radio to facilitate the hearing of the sound was put behind the screen. These theaters caught the fancy of the movie viewers in a big way.

In the drive-in-movie theaters, the parking of the cars is made in such a way that viewers in all the cars have a clear view of the screen. Even blocks were placed under the front wheels of the cars in the rear so as to enable a clear viewing. Experiment was also done to improve the sound quality, especially for those in the far end of the parking. 

The craze of the drive-in-theaters was such that, almost 27 states of US had them in the 1940s.

Some of the drive-in-theaters were vast and were capable of accommodating as many as 2500 cars. Some of them even had playground for children and restaurants.

There has been a quantum jump in the facilities provided by the drive-in-theaters these days from those during first screening. Now-a-days, the drive-in-movie theaters provide car speakers for easy and clear hearing. The screens have also become much larger. The picture quality and light arrangements are also far better.

The drive-in-theaters offer a free view of the movie under the open sky. But, certain things should be borne in mind while visiting one. They can be as follows –
• Since you would want to have an unhindered view, it is advisable to reach early and occupy the best seat.
• You may go with a foldable chair if you wish to sitting outside. Even pillows and blankets may be taken.
• The headlights of your car should not be turned on; only the parking lights should be used while moving inside.
• You may also take a radio with you, if want to enjoy the movie outside the car.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the popularity of the drive-in-theaters waned due to the competition from the other form of entertainments like the televisions, and multiplexes that offered a much better experience of film-viewing. The cost of land also skyrocketed, alluring the owners to sell them for a fortune. But of late, the drive-in-theaters are catching up the interest of the viewers.