The best movie you ever saw in your whole life in a Drive-In:

[Titus Andronicus]

I noticed a mention of Drive-ins in the "I have never" thread.

Well, I grew up in Iowa in the 1950's and 1960's ... the glory years of drive in movies and have the sense that some people have no idea what they missed. Movies that we all watched in drive-in theaters were of a special cut and I am sorry, but many of these were not to be missed as part of a Midwestern growing-up experience. Movies about space invaders, movies about Zombies, movies about women in prison, movies about sicko Nazi Doctors ... and yes even movies about car racing and moonshining.

My favorite of the whole bunch? James Caan in "Red Line 7000." Directed by Howard Hawks!



I kind of expect this to be a short thread since Drive-ins are not around any more ... but what the hell, it is appropriate to simply mention films that ... in the day ... properly would have opened at the local drive-in. That will loosen it a bit.

 

[SSG T]

Best? At a drive in? Geez. Maybe Poseidon Adventure, I saw it at a drive in with my parents when I was 4 or 5.


Most of the movies I saw when I was in HS were normal drive in fare, Brain Damage, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Eraserhead, Friday the 13th 3D and the like.

 

[The Tradition]

This is the ONLY movie I remember seeing at the drive-in theater....

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068615/


It was extra-creepy because frogs were actually croaking outside at the drive-in.

 

[Kenneth Griffin]

Never been to a drive in because I'm under 70.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

The Sweet Ride

 

[SSG T]

Never been to a drive in because I'm under 70.

The Valle Drive-In is still open in Newton, IA.

 

[The_Joker13]

Never been to a drive in because I'm under 70.

Lol, you're on point tonight bro

 

[StonesCat]

I certainly remember my first, also the worst, Caddyshack 2. The lead in movie was actually much better, Funny Farm. Growing up in W'loo/CF, was actually pretty lucky that two drive ins survived into the 90s. Last one I can specifically recall was headlined by Batman Forever. Wife and I always talk about hitting one up somewhere again.

 

[Tommy Gavin]

Grease

 

[tarheelbybirth]

We had a XXX drive in...seriously. The Flamingo Drive-In began as a standard drive-in but converted to porn in the 70's I think. There was a spot on the interstate where you could see the screen. There were always big rigs parked there.

A girl asked me to take her there once. Might not have been the best movie...but we didn't watch much, anyway.

 

[SF HAWKEYE]

The Bay Area still has drive in theatres. It's set up like a cinema in that they have 4-5 different screens so you can choose different movies. Last one I went to was 2009.

I remember all my friends hiding in my trunk in Mason City to get in. Great place to hang out as a youngster.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

Goldfinger or Vanishing Point.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

My father's cousin owned the drive-in in Harlan.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Goldfinger or Vanishing Point.

Was this the one where they parked the dozers across the road for a road block?

 

[bagdropper]

My Name Is Nobody, Collins Rd Drive-In CR, mid 70's.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

Was this the one where they parked the dozers across the road for a road block?

Yeah that sounds right. I'm sure it was a terrible movie but I remember a naked girl on a motorcycle. Nudity was rare back then.

 

[The Tradition]

Yeah that sounds right. I'm sure it was a terrible movie but I remember a naked girl on a motorcycle. Nudity was rare back then.

You sure that wasn't Easy Rider?

 

[tarheelbybirth]

Nudity was rare back then.

Not at the Flamingo.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

Halloween at the old drive-in theater SE of Charles City.

 

[Honda Hawk]

I can't say it was the best, but I think it was one of the Scream movies at the Cedar Falls Drive In. I wanna say in '01?

 

[The Tradition]

Apparently, it was indeed Vanishing Point:

 

[Kenneth Griffin]

The Valle Drive-In is still open in Newton, IA.

Is newton still around?

 

[SSG T]

Is newton still around?

Yeah, they built a racetrack there a while back.

 

[TombItMayConcern]

Gone with the Wind at Maquoketa. Not in 1939 though.

 

[Kenneth Griffin]

Yeah, they built a racetrack there a while back.

Newton was an alright place when I was growing up. I had heard that when the maytag plant shut down the town was basically killed.

 

[Torg]

In '66 I went to Puerto Rico and saw West Side Story. Lucky to make it out alive. JK
His dad was Irish and mom was Puerto Rican, very volitale household.

 

[SSG T]

Newton was an alright place when I was growing up. I had heard that when the maytag plant shut down the town was basically killed.

Nearly did, they've been starting to grow again recently.

The drive in is on Rte 6 east of town. Gets absolutely packed if the weather is decent.

 

[Torg]

The Bay Area still has drive in theatres. It's set up like a cinema in that they have 4-5 different screens so you can choose different movies. Last one I went to was 2009.

I remember all my friends hiding in my trunk in Mason City to get in. Great place to hang out as a youngster.

I lived in Masn City til 1959, my dad stayed there, and my mom and two brothers moved to suburban Chicago.
Still have cousins there. Now in the SF Bay Area.

 

[Monzon]

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

 

[Titus Andronicus]

The Sweet Ride

That sounds great ... "introducing Jacqueline Bisset" ... Jacqueline Bisset’s entrance, rising from the Malibu surf, after losing her top, ..surfing ... motorcycles ... fast cars ... Rock and Roll ... Sunset Strip nightlife ...

Classic Drive-in movie fare!!

 

[Titus Andronicus]

This is the ONLY movie I remember seeing at the drive-in theater....

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068615/


It was extra-creepy because frogs were actually croaking outside at the drive-in.

I always wondered where Sam Elliott came from? Now I know!

 

[BrianNole09]

OP's Mom.

 

[BubsFinn]

Red Dawn
Friday the 13th IV

 

[BioHawk]

Star Wars. One of my earliest memories.

 

[WildTurk]

I remember watching a double feature in the 90s right before the SE 14th st drive in was shut down in Des Moines . "Twister" and "Grumpy Old Men". It was a weird thrilling feeling watching Twister because we actually had Tornado warning sirens going off in Des Moines that night. I will never forget that crazy night!

 

[INXS83]

I noticed a mention of Drive-ins in the "I have never" thread.

Well, I grew up in Iowa in the 1950's and 1960's ... the glory years of drive in movies and have the sense that some people have no idea what they missed. Movies that we all watched in drive-in theaters were of a special cut and I am sorry, but many of these were not to be missed as part of a Midwestern growing-up experience. Movies about space invaders, movies about Zombies, movies about women in prison, movies about sicko Nazi Doctors ... and yes even movies about car racing and moonshining.

My favorite of the whole bunch? James Caan in "Red Line 7000." Directed by Howard Hawks!

View embedded media

I kind of expect this to be a short thread since Drive-ins are not around any more ... but what the hell, it is appropriate to simply mention films that ... in the day ... properly would have opened at the local drive-in. That will loosen it a bit.

The erotic adventures of Pinnochio. Runner up - Russ Meyer's 'Super Vixens'.

 

[SIXERS24]

Smokey and the Bandit

 

[lucas80]

I only recall going to the drive in in Coralville once. It was a triple header. A Shaggy DA movie. One of the Herbie the Love Bug movies, and something that might have been scary. If a sometimes HROT poster who was there that night remembers the third one feel free to mention it. I think a fellow poster was there. It was a few years ago.
Any idea from the old folks what is up where the old drive in was at? It wasn't directly on Hwy 6, I think it was on 5th Street?

 

[NI hawk]

Probably Pom Pom Girls in late 70's. Just watched it a couple weeks ago on cable. Not quite as good as 40 years ago.

 

[Cougar63]

Hedwig and the Angry Inch