The return of the drive-in theatre . . . . - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Cowperson · 10-14-2005, 09:49 AM

BBC story looking at the return of the drive-in theatre in America . . . ..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4332896.stm

Kind of got me reminiscing . . . . . when was the last time you were at a drive-in theatre?

All I know is that Smokey and the Bandit was playing and I was in a new Cordoba. . . . so its been a while.

Cowperson

Cheese · 10-14-2005, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cowperson@Oct 14 2005, 11:49 AM
BBC story looking at the return of the drive-in theatre in America . . . ..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4332896.stm

Kind of got me reminiscing . . . . . when was the last time you were at a drive-in theatre?

All I know is that Smokey and the Bandit was playing and I was in a new Cordoba. . . . so its been a while.

Cowperson

Not new to me...our family goes at least 3 times a year! We have one of those old style Drive Ins in Guelph, about a 45 minute drive. Love taking a cooler and watching the hotdog jump in the bun at the start!

Those old pole style Drive Ins where you would hang the speaker on the window was fun...but the FM Channel they use now is excellent for sound. Ive seen people set up lawn chairs outside and bring home stereo systems connected to a spare Battery I assume.

Great family fun!

transplant99 · 10-14-2005, 09:59 AM

Dont know when it was or what i saw, but the last one i went to was where Anderson Station now stands approximately.

Forget the name as well. Corral maybe?

Also remember the one off Edmonton trail...Sunshine Drive-in perhaps?

God my memory is just not what it used to be.

habernac · 10-14-2005, 10:03 AM

had to be the old one by the airport back in Fort McMurray. First time I got lucky was out there.

The last one I remember going to was one of the Friday the 13th ones.....at least 15 years ago.

Wookie · 10-14-2005, 10:15 AM

Hmm.. Sometime in Grade 12, Went to see independence day and some other movie that was playing with it.

I remember hiding in trunks, jumping the fences and various other ploys to avoid payment, hanging around groups of cars, having great "backseat experiences," drinking obnoxiously in front of families, moviegoers, and that terrible concession they had. I think it was the one on 17th Ave SE, was that the one destroyed by the hub oil thing? Or maybe it was by the soccer centre or are they the same.

Also really late summers because it didn't get late until 11:00pm and 2 movies could take awhile

*Sigh* oh where had my youth gone.....

looooob · 10-14-2005, 10:18 AM

'twas a double bill with Raising Arizona and Revenge of the Nerds II

that would be 1987

driving the family wagon

hah · 10-14-2005, 10:21 AM

Sunset Drive-In

I talked my cousin, who was old enough to drive, into takeing a buddy and I to see....Urban Cowboy!

We spent most of the night running around outside the car.

First Memory of a Drive-In.

I saw Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid with my parents at the Drive-In on Anderson Road, (The Corral?)

oilfanforever · 10-14-2005, 11:35 AM

Perfect for the underaged sexually active adolecents :P

Frank the Tank · 10-14-2005, 11:43 AM

Wow. I remember going to the one where Anderson station is as well. Not sure what I saw though. When we were wee, my parents would slap us (my bro and i) in our pj's, brink blankets and pillows, let us watch as much as we could stay up for and then pass out in the back seat. My parents rock.

Like Cheese, I can still enjoy it as there is a decent drive-in on the outskirts of London.

socalwingfan · 10-14-2005, 12:17 PM

There was a drive-in still operating in Calgary in the mid-late 90s - my wife and I would go all the time. Labour day would be dusk til dawn showing 4 movies. I remember seeing Cable Guy there

Interesting tidbit i found while trying to remember the name of that drive-in

[More than four thousand Drive-ins have gone dark on the North American continent since the boom years .. meanwhile, Calgary, Alberta's Corral Drive-in may be the most unusual closure ..
closed after a massive explosion at an adjacent oil refinery in August of '99, amid contamination of the vicinity by toxic fallout
]

WinColumn · 10-14-2005, 01:01 PM

The Corral was the one on 17th AVE SE, by hub oil. I think that was the last one in Calgary. I saw Robocop 2.

I don't know of the Anderson one.

greatbigC · 10-15-2005, 01:19 PM

I think the one on Anderson was the Stampede Drive In.

It's been a long time and I can't remember what the last movie was but I spent a lot of time there doing all the things mentioned above.

Maritime Q-Scout · 10-15-2005, 01:48 PM

the drive in on the Sydney/Glace Bay highway's still open. Closes for the winter, reopens every summer.

They do double features of movies that just left the local theatre, and then on long weekends a "dusk 'til dawn" where there's 5 or 6 movies played all in a row.

It's been a LONG time since I've actually been there, but it's not like it's closed or anything.

Displaced Flames fan · 10-15-2005, 07:04 PM

Last year! Wichita has a very large two screen drive-in. They market themselves as one of the last of a dying icon. If drive-in's are making a comeback, I guess they'll have to change their schtick!

The Starlite Drive-in

I've never been inside a Cordoba RC. How was the 'fine Corinthian leather'?

Cowperson · 10-15-2005, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Displaced Flames fan@Oct 15 2005, 06:04 PM
Last year! Wichita has a very large two screen drive-in. They market themselves as one of the last of a dying icon. If drive-in's are making a comeback, I guess they'll have to change their schtick!

The Starlite Drive-in

I've never been inside a Cordoba RC. How was the 'fine Corinthian leather'?

That was the car!!! Same colour too!!

It had a new fangled thing called cruise control . . . . I remembered being absolutely astounded. What will they think of next!! Wow!!

It was a Drive-In outside Red Deer. . . .

Cowperson

Winsor_Pilates · 10-15-2005, 07:40 PM

^^Is that you in the picture Cow? Lookin stylish

Displaced Flames fan · 10-15-2005, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Winsor_Pilates@Oct 16 2005, 01:40 AM
^^Is that you in the picture Cow? Lookin stylish

Come on now, you guys don't know who that is??

Everytime I hear Cordoba (and I work with two people who have that last name) I am instantly tempted to say "Fine Corinthian leather" in my best ******* ********* impersonated voice.

moon · 10-15-2005, 10:30 PM

Well count me out as one with fond memories of the Drive-in. I always found it hard to see the movie on the screen and found that there were way to many punks there drunk as shinguard and just there to cause trouble. Maybe I went on the wrong nights or they were isolated incidents, I think I have only been about three times, but I was not disappointed to see the Drive-in closed down at all.

JiriHrdina · 10-15-2005, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WinColumn@Oct 14 2005, 01:01 PM
The Corral was the one on 17th AVE SE, by hub oil. I think that was the last one in Calgary. I saw Robocop 2.

I don't know of the Anderson one.

At least two of the screens are still up there actualy. Not sure why they've never been torn down.

I don't remember the last drive in movie I went to but the first was a twin billing o "Silverado" and "Runaway" (starring Tom Sellek)

Young Guns · 10-16-2005, 12:40 PM

I use to go to the Corral drive in all the time. Actually was there watching some movies right before the Hub oil thing happened. The place was packed every weekend and even more so on the long weekends when they had the all nighters. (4 movies for the price of 1) It was nice if you had small children cause it gave you a chance to take them to the movies and before the end of the first flick they were usually sleeping. With mom and dad falling asleep shortley after. But like Grant said the Screens are still there on 17th ave.