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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
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Author
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Topic: A Drive-in Not To Be Missed
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Joseph Pandolfi
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 213
From: Milford, CT.
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-02-2000 11:30 AM
Two weeks ago I was up in Cape Cod on vacation. As being a projectionist for about a year (rookie!), I happened to stop by the Wellfleet Drive-in on the main road (U.S. Route 6) at the Wellfleet-Eastham town-line to take in a double feature for $6.50. A few years back I visited the same drive-in and received a brochure about the drive-in itself. This also featured the original projection equipment, with no changes to the booth other than adding an FM transmitter to broadcast the dolby stereo sound to your car's radio. By the way they still have the original car speakers too.
The highlight of my night was the urge to visit the projection booth there. I talked to the projectionist in charge there and he was kind enough for me to visit the booth there and to show me his equipment. To my surprise were two identical Ashcraft Dyna-Arc carbon-arc lamphouses. Also were RCA projector and sound head with RCA Theater sound system. Being that I was trained on Xenon bulbs, platters, and automation, it was an entire different experience to watch him bring the rods close together for the initial spark to light it up and to keep it a short distance apart so you have a constant flame. Finally he turned the motor switch on and as the end of the leader cleared the gate, he opened the changeover and a Tom & Jerry (1.33 Flat) cartoon hit the screen. For a brief moment during the cartoon, was viewed on the side of the motor home as it parked in front of the booth.
The cartoon was followed by Our National Anthem (I never knew it was played at a drive-in). We followed that by a commemoration from the United States Postal Service to the owner of the drive-in an enlarged replica of the drive-in stamp from the 50's decade stamp collection of Celebrate the Century stamp series. That was followed by the policy trailer ad our first feature hit the screen "Toy Story 2".
After the first feature came our intermission reel. This particular one impressed me as it started as a promo for refreshments, then five ads for local business including the one for Cape Cod's biggest and best flea market at the drive-in during the day on weekends. After that came my second highlight of the evening "The Dancing Food Five Minute Countdown" in it's entirety. A part of that (the hot dog flip-flopping around and jumps into the bun) was used in the movie "Grease". Our second feature was "Keeping The Faith"
Throughout the last half a century drive-in theaters have been a part of our lives much like baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet (OK Ford's too). We seen them come. We seen them go (we thank the monsterplex's for that). A lot of us (including me) took our dates and parked in the back and fogged up the windows and could not care less what the movie was about.
For those of us who live in the New England area or plan to visit Cape Cod during the summer. I suggest you visit the Wellfleet Drive-in for a night of good nostalgic fun.
Joseph J. Pandolfi
PANDY2@AOL.COM
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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays
Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999
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posted 06-02-2000 12:03 PM
Oooooh! FANTASTIC! I learned on Dyn-Arcs! Purely LOVED them.BTW, for more on drive-ins, check out the new book by Don and Susan Sanders, called "Drive-In Movie Memories". Tons of great old pictures and stories. It's in bookstores now. An' AH hepped! (I'm in it). ------------------
Better Projection Pays!
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John Pytlak
Film God
Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 06-02-2000 12:23 PM
Joe:Thank you for reminding us of the wonderful nostalgic world of the Drive-In movie theatre, including the cartoons, double feature, countdown clock, steamy car windows, etc. It brought back fond memories of my years as projectionist (1967-1970) at the Grandview Drive-In in Angola, New York. Fortunately, the Grandview is still in operation too. Drive-In theatres have an especially hard time surviving in the northern USA. The shortened season and value of the suburban land have killed many of them. In western New York state a handful survive, including some wonderful ones in Perry NY (the Silver Lake DI), and near Lockport NY (e.g., http://www.transitdrivein.com ). Near Rochester, a new one in Avon NY just opened a few years ago. A web site that lists surviving drive-ins and provides links to them is: http://www.driveinmovie.com ------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays
Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999
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posted 06-02-2000 05:44 PM
Gordon... YOU RAN HY-CANDESCENTS?!?!!!This is one lamp I never got to see, but always wanted to. Do you remember any peculiarities about them? (And you wouldn't happen to have a manual, would you?) ------------------
Better Projection Pays!
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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!
Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999
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posted 06-02-2000 06:15 PM
My first drive-in booth experience was at the Sonomarin D/I with Century DAW2s and Strong Futura IIs with the rotating positive feed system... Running first-run product (usually with a subrun second feature) and the night's first feature was preceded by two of four cartoons (Road Runner, Honey Halfwitch, Pink Panther, and Tom & Jerry) then the first feature (usually the subrun film first on weekends and the main feature first on weekdays-three total runs on weekends, two on weekdays, hope that wasnt too confusing)Intermission consisted of a 5 minute break followed by a preview reel (if we had any guaranteed bookings) then the 10 minute intermission clock (late 60's generic snack bar ads followed by a bunch of postcard scenery of American mountains, forests, beaches, deserts, etc with a 'Magnificent Seven'-like score with a break every 2 minutes reminding how long till the next feature until it got to 10 seconds when it would count down then c/o into reel one of the second feature) I would bring food from home and keep it warm by placing it ( wrapped in foil) inside the very hot Altec transmitting-tube amp rack, which drove a field full of speakers (no radio sound until it went porno in late '83) I miss changeovers at a drive-in  Why isnt projection *this* much fun any more? WAAAH! I want my drive-in back!!! <sniffle> <sob> Aaron
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John Wilson
Film God
Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 06-02-2000 06:50 PM
Tim thompson used to have an aerial photo of this one on his website www.driveintheater.com but I can't seem to find it right now. I know I've got it stored somewhere. I'll try to dig it out. A few years back, I was living on the Cape and drove past the Wellfleet many times but never made it to a screening (damn). Never mind, it would seem that by doing fabulous shows like that and actually giving a darn (not just shoving a movie on the screen and saying 'bye' at the end) they'll be around for a few years yet...enough time for me to get back there to experience it on vacation.If any of you guys have not been to a drive-in, find one nearest you at www.driveintheater.com or at www.drive-on-in.com and get there this summer. You won't regret it. It's a great experience.
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"I heard a voice behind me say...'Reach for it, Mister'... I spun around...found myself face to face...with a six year old kid! Well I just threw my guns down, walked away... LITTLE BASTARD SHOT ME IN THE ASS!"
Gene Wilder - Blazing Saddles
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David Kilderry
Master Film Handler
Posts: 355
From: Melbourne Australia
Registered: Sep 1999
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posted 06-02-2000 07:39 PM
Great drive-in nostalgia lives on!I agree with Tim on Don and Susan Sanders new book "Drive-in Movie Memories" its fabulous, even the parts not contributed by Tim and myself! There are several photos of Australian drive-ins and a few of the Metro in Rome Italy, it was truely a world-wide phenonmena. The Coburg triple drive-in here in Melbourne not only runs the Filmack dancing hot dog clock, but also the "speaker theft" and "speaker remove from window" cartoons every night. The highlight is before intermission on all screens runs the Village drive-in snack bar ad shot in the mid 1970's - and it looks every bit like it too, the hair, the cars and the food! If you want to see more about Australian drive-ins see www.drive-insdownunder.com.au I also highly recommend the other links listed above. What's next for your great site Tim?
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Pete Lawrence
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 192
From: Middleburg, PA
Registered: Aug 1999
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posted 06-02-2000 08:09 PM
You haven't lived until you've run a drive-in. Back in the 70's eastern Long Island was a 100% union shop. The guy that taught me liked to work relief winters and run a drive-in summers. His choice, he was something like number three on the senority list here and could have had any booth he wanted. He just liked to travel. As a result, I got to run most of the booths out here. The drive-in equipment was Ashcraft lamps, Motiograph picture heads, RCA sound heads, motor-generators for the lamp supplies, and water cooled gates and jaws. Anything that could go wrong did. Here's the short list: A thunder storm once blew a panel out of the screen. Manager called the main office and they said keep the show on the screen, rain checks only if asked for. No stopping for rain. That's what they also said for most problems! Cars pulling away with out taking the speakers off their windows! Usually pulled over the post and shorted out the sound on the whole ramp. Occassionally would fry an amplifier. Water all over the booth floor because the drains for the water cooled gates and jaws pluged up with tree roots. No circulators. Main water tank in the concession springs a leak. Water comes from a well. They can't shut the pump off because the projectors are water cooled from the same supply. Motor-generator brushes go bad during a show and send showers of sparks all over the generator room. The spare generator hadn't been repaired yet. Head office said keep the show on the screen till the lamps go out! Fog! That's when the light doesn't even reach the screen. But what a light show in the mist! They'ed give "rain" checks for this one. A fire in the consession pizza oven during the show. Fire department and all! More entertaining than what was on the screen! One manager had a permit to carry a side-arm and would actually ware it! It can get real creepy around 2 AM. And my favorite, water pouring out of the lamp house because the water cooled jaws wore through in the middle of a reel. They wouldn't allow a set of spare jaws in the booth. They were a silver alloy and were afraid they would be stollen. At least that's what I was told. Standing orders were "we'll fix it later, keep a picture on the screen and don't give out refunds, rain checks only as a last resort" Ahhh, memories!
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John Wilson
Film God
Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 06-02-2000 08:41 PM
Was checking through the amps one night and discovered a short on one ramp. Took the torch and found one guy with two speakers in his car trying to get more sound in his car. Right next to him was a pole minus one speaker and the pole was about 3 feet away from where it should have been, on its side and with main wires showing from underneath. Some nitwit had left after the first show with speaker attached to his window.It apparently didn't occur to this other guy to marry the 'speaker pole being torn out' with the 'hey, it's gone a bit quiet' scenarios and come and complain. Yep, memories... David, is that 70's DI film the one with the 'MMmmmmmmmm Banana fritters with whipped cream?' with the monaro driving up at the start? Do you have the end tag as well which says 'before you go...' etc.? Are these reprints? Can I get one? Huh? Huh? (Mine are a bit faded, although this adds to the feel, I think)
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"I heard a voice behind me say...'Reach for it, Mister'... I spun around...found myself face to face...with a six year old kid! Well I just threw my guns down, walked away... LITTLE BASTARD SHOT ME IN THE ASS!" Gene Wilder - Blazing Saddles
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