I remember the huge bowl of popcorn my cousins made and loading blankets in the car to head to the drive-in movie theater. It was not yet dark when we got there--Buffalo is north enough that it's not really dark until about 9:30ish in the middle of summer. I got to go play on the playground equipment that was up near the screen for a while, waiting for it to get dark.
I remember swings and a slide and possibly a merry-go-round. To an 8 year old it was a fun way to kill time waiting for the movie to start.
Once it was dark enough we all settled in to the car to watch the movie. I remember vividly the beginning of the movie and the end of the movie--where the faces melt. That's what stuck with me for years until I got to see the movie on video again.
Raiders of the Lost Ark will always hold a special place in my heart and mind as it reminds me of the fun of going to the drive-in. We saw a couple more movies there but it was closed by the time I was 11. Buffalo didn't have a theater again until after I went to college.
There are currently 5 drive-in theaters in Wyoming, but not one in Laramie. Going to the drive in is an experience. One we probably won't get to have with our boys. But we have tried to give them some of the feel of watching movies al fresco. We call it the red-neck drive in. Setting up a TV and DVD player on the back deck and snuggling into sleeping bags to watch a movie is a great way to spend a summer evening. We might even have to pull out Raiders for old time's sake this summer.
So, what was your first movie? Spin it up and link up with Gretchen and Ginny Marie, they would love to have you!
One of my friends will have movie nights in her back yard, too! It sounds like fun! I went to see Raiders of the Lost Ark with my cousins the summer it came out. It's a great movie!
ReplyDeleteGreat memories for you! My second movie was in a drive in with my older sister and her boyfriend. The movie was Picnic.
ReplyDeleteIndiana Jones at the drive-in...now that would have been a great way to spend a night. How fun!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun memories! Did you hear that Robert Pattinson is supposed to play Indiana Jones in the new Indiana Jones movie? Luckily it was JUST a rumor ha ha.
ReplyDeleteI feel cheated growing up outside of Chicago. We did not have a drive-in movie theater. All of our movie houses were inside. Hmm, should look online for a drive-in.
ReplyDeleteI had a secret crush on Indy. He was/is a cutie!
What a great first movie! I keep saying that I'm going to take advantage of some of the LA outdoor movie screenings this summer. There are a bunch of them, and we've never done it. One is at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscars people) - they screen classics in a park. I need to make this happen!
ReplyDeleteThat was a great memory! I loved that movie!
ReplyDelete