# What, exactly, is the appeal of going to a drive-in movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [September 2, 2023, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518 "2023-09-02T17:31:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/21 "2023-09-02T19:29:56Z")
The Best Western Movie Manor in Monte Vista, Colorado is co-located with the Star Drive In there. The “attraction” of staying in the hotel is that you can watch from the comfort of your room. They have wall speakers that pump the sound in. It sounds like a neat idea but the viewing angle is pretty lousy and the screen is too far away. Your room comes with free access to park at the drive in, but that sort of defeats the whole purpose of being able to kick back in your room and watch the movie on the “big” screen. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/22 "2023-09-02T19:31:39Z")
> [@Ziberian](#): > > Given that theaters are now very expensive & filled with people socializing, live or on their phones, what you describe sounds rather appealing. Yeah, I came in to post that I’d be happy to go to a drive-in to get away from the hordes of assholes who have their goddam cell phones lit up all around and in front of me. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/23 "2023-09-02T19:37:03Z")
And there’s very little chance of a carful of elephants showing up. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/24 "2023-09-02T19:58:57Z")
Related question, what were movie theaters like back then? I have limited memories of seeing movies in the 80s; our “local” multiplex opened in the mid 90s, and that defined my movie-going experience. My experience going to small, independent theaters suggests that they were cramped and uncomfortable. (They’ve all since renovated and now have higher prices and fewer seats). Was this what every theater was like? If so, I can see the appeal of a nice bench seat with no strangers rubbing your elbows. ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/25 "2023-09-02T20:01:44Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Related question, what were movie theaters like back then? I have limited memories of seeing movies in the 80s; our “local” multiplex opened in the mid 90s, and that defined my movie-going experience. > > My experience going to small, independent theaters suggests that they were cramped and uncomfortable. (They’ve all since renovated and now have higher prices and fewer seats). Was this what every theater was like? If so, I can see the appeal of a nice bench seat with no strangers rubbing your elbows My recollection of a typical two- or three-screen shopping mall theater in the 1980s is of a perfectly decent experience, though you’d get the occasional lout who would laugh uncontrollably or perhaps make noise with their popcorn. More intimate than the giant multiplexes of today. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/26 "2023-09-02T20:04:22Z")
For one thing, in movie theaters of that time, the row in front and behind you were basically at the same level, so if the person directly in front was very tall, your view was obstructed. That’s unlike today, where many theaters have stadium seating, with each row on its own level. ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/27 "2023-09-02T20:05:32Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > For one thing, in movie theaters of that time, the row in front and behind you were basically at the same level, so if the person directly in front was very tall, your view was obstructed. That’s unlike today, where many theaters have stadium seating, with each row on its own level That is admittedly an advantage of modern multiplexes. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/28 "2023-09-02T20:06:19Z")
Definitely. And my local multiplex just added “luxury loungers” which also have heaters for the lower back area. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/29 "2023-09-02T20:06:20Z")
There’s been a bit of a revival, but not full-blown. They use portable inflatable screens, and broadcast the sound on an FM channel to your car radio. In the old days, it was never about the movie. The speakers were so small and the sound so tinny, you couldn’t understand what was going on. The 50s and 60s were very car-centric, so going to a movie in your car was kinda cool, and all the reasons mentioned above applied. I snuck in a couple of friends in the trunk of my Rambler. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/30 "2023-09-02T20:10:11Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I snuck in a couple of friends in the trunk of my Rambler. A buddy of mine had a Rambler we used to double-date in. The front bench seats folded back level with the back to give what was in effect a double-bed. Made for drive-ins. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/31 "2023-09-02T20:11:56Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The front bench seats folded back level with the back to give what was in effect a double-bed. I was never able to try that out with a girl, but it worked well for hunting trips. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/32 "2023-09-02T20:30:03Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > And of course, make whoopee or sub-whoopee with your beloved. So, _that’s_ what the Whoopee Cushions were for! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/33 "2023-09-02T20:37:09Z")
In addition to all the other good comments, here’s something the OP probably didn’t consider. The heyday of drive-ins was the mid 1950s to late 1960s. Cars then were huge. The back seat and rear leg room of a generic Ford or Chevy sedan was larger than the entire interior of a modern 4-door sedan. Bench seats were the norm, headrests were 10-20 years in the future, as were seat belts. Ditto bucket seats. Windshields were also ginormous. The overall result is that watching a drive in move then was about like sitting on your recliner couch now watching your 72" plasma. You couldn’t pause the show, but you could have all your snacks to hand, or go buy some at any time. Making out on the bench seat of a Ford is about like making out on your sofa at home. Very few obstacles. Drive-ins’ early days were also in the era where air conditioning in buildings was a new idea. You could swelter inside the building of an indoor theater, or sit in your car with the windows down & the breeze blowing through. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/34 "2023-09-02T21:12:46Z")
When I was a young kid (late 1960s / early 1970s), my family went to the drive-in fairly regularly. My parents would put my young sister and me in our pajamas before we went, and my sister and I would stay awake at least long enough to watch the couple of cartoons that they showed before the main feature(s), then fall asleep in the back seat during the super-boring movie (which was never something that would appeal to little kids). I imagine that it was an inexpensive outing, and the fact that my parents didn’t need to hire a babysitter for the evening was appealing. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/35 "2023-09-02T21:43:00Z")
My neighbour and I saw the most recent Mission Impossible and Indiana Jones at the drive-in, and had a better time than watching either of those at home or in a theatre. Why? Because our normal movie-theatre styles [?] are different, so that was much less of an issue. She could bring her dog. I was on call so could manage that better. It was fun to socialise with a friend, where talking over the movie was not going to interrupt anyone else watching. The food was just normal popcorn and we brought some snacks we liked. The only think I noticed is that I occasionally found myself wanting to hit pause and rewind to catch dialogue. I found that quaint, I expect younger people find it a breach of their civil rights. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/36 "2023-09-02T21:53:41Z")
About the only time I went to drive ins was with another family, and they;d invite me. I assume they went there because it was cheaper. I never had sex, weed or alcohol at a drive in. Just the film. In the 70s theaters in small town Wisconsin were smaller, and had one movie a week. So your choices were limited. But the experience was fine. I love the old little theaters. In fact, the one closest to me is still in business, and doing fine. [https://www.montellotheater.com/](https://www.montellotheater.com/) all seats $5! As noted, the best improvement ever, maybe since the invention of sound, is stadium seating. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/37 "2023-09-02T22:12:01Z")
Great article from the San Diego Reader archives: [Field Of Screens: Drive In Theaters in San Diego](https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2006/jul/06/field-screens/) ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/38 "2023-09-02T22:33:43Z")
If you weren’t alive at the time, seeing a movie at a drive-in can today seem baffling. You have to remember what entertainment options people had in the heyday of the drive-in. They were far less than what we have today. The appeal of “ozoners” in the 1950s and 60s has been well-covered by earlier posts. Also, the distribution of movies was a lot different back then. First, a movie played at one of the opulent downtown movie palaces for maybe a week or two. Then it moved out to the smaller neighborhood and small-town theaters for a few days or a week. Then it would go to the drive-ins as part of a double feature. After that, if you missed a movie, you were out of luck until it showed up on TV, two or three years later. There was no “home video.” In the 1960s, as downtown theaters began to close, a lot of drive-ins switched from being the last link in the chain to actually showing good first-run movies and being open year-round. A movie I wanted to see played first-run at a D-I in January. I went anyway. They gave you an in-car heater, which you had to return after the show. There’s a D-I about 20 miles away that’s been open every summer since the early 1950s, owned by the same family. It’s open on weekends with first-run movies, is well-kept and family friendly. It’s packed every night. Obviously, the concept still has its appeal. ---
**Author:** ![joper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e47774/32.png) [@joper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joper)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2023, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/39 "2023-09-03T00:00:52Z")
Nah, you nailed it. The smooching. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2023, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518/40 "2023-09-03T00:14:46Z")
When I grew up the local Sunset Drive-in only ran during the summer months. Now that piece of real estate, about a mile from the beach, would be way too valuable to let sit doing nothing for half of the year. The movies didn’t even start until after sun down when it started to get dark, about 9:00 pm. With 2 or 3 movies featured. In addition to the privacy provided by a car with steamed up windows, it was a legitimate reason to bring a teenage girl back to her home at 2am, or later, after the date. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-appeal-of-going-to-a-drive-in-movie/989518.md?page=3)