Going to the movies should be an event. Whether you’re seeing a small independent feature or a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster, a trip to the movie theater should be a larger-than-life adventure that transports you completely. Over the years, indoor chain movie theaters like Regal Cinemas and AMC have been the places to catch the latest Iron Man movie, but there is another spot that can be even more fun than elbowing your way through crowded rows of teenagers staring down at the iPhones. The drive-in movie theater is the ultimate cinematic adventure, and for years, it has been slipping from the American public’s memory. Audiences have seemed content to plunk down $13.00 a ticket for a 3D movie, and then forced to spend almost $40.oo more on throwaway concessions. Many family owned drive-ins offer more bang for your buck, provide a breezy family atmosphere, fill you with nostalgia, and practically scream summer right in your face.
Over the past several weeks, I’ve been taking a social media graduate course through Kennesaw State University. The class required us to create and execute a social media campaign. I choose to encourage readers to get out and support a local drive-in this summer, before the cold weather forces us all back into the crowded multiplexes. Over the next week, I will be partnering with John LaRue of The Droid You’re Looking For, Furious Cinema, and The Grindhouse Cinema Database to spread awareness about drive-in movie theaters, educate readers about their rich history, and attempt bring enthusiasm about these wonderful establishments. Feel free to seek any of us out on Facebook and Twitter, share stories about the drive-ins, share information about local drive-ins near you showing retro double features or throwing a nifty summer shindig. Also, share photos of your drive-in trip on Instagram, and make sure to label everything you post to social media with the hashtag #driveinsummer. With only 370 drive-in theaters remaining throughout the United States, lets get out there and show our support by catching a flick under the stars.
The Droid You’re Looking For has kicked things off by posting a map that allows you to find a drive-in theater near you. Make sure to visit and check it out. If you wish to get involved and do posts of your own on your blog, feel free. The more participation there is, the more business and awareness we can drive to these theaters. There is more to come! Enjoy the show!
-Theater Management (Steve)