Back in the day, my parents used to take me, my sister, and piles of our friends to the drive-in in our ‘67 Pontiac Catalina station wagon (complete with faux wood paneling – but that’s a story for another day). Later on, when I had my license, we used to meet up with high-school friends at the Solano drive-in for horror flicks, beers, and fun.
The Solano is still open and showing movies, by they way, but many drive-ins around the country have shut down. The NY Times Wheels blog today notes that “guerilla drive-ins,” or mobile movies, are on the rise, bringing the drive-in experience to communities that no longer have working theaters, and in some cases to people who’ve never experienced the old-time drive-in… er… experience.
Bryan Kennedy, founder of MobMov.org, is promoting grassroots efforts around the country to get folks in their cars and out to the movies. Bryan uses readily available digital projectors, a portable DVD player, and a small FM transmitter as the technology behind his show.
Want to try it yourself? Brian provides a part’s list and instructions on the MobMov.org site, including information about securing permissions for the movie and the site, as well as abiding by FCC radio transmission rules. Several MobMov chapters have set up around the world, so check the site for an event near you.
Of course, like the Solano, there may be an real drive-in still in operation near you. To find out, check Drive-ins.com for a searchable database of theaters.