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The Drive-In Movie
Category: Erie, PA, Humor, Memories, MoviesLast evening while I was watching a pizza commercial on TV, the thought of a Drive-In concession stand Pizza came to mind. Then just as quickly as the pizza thing came and went, my thoughts turned to the greasy Drive-In Hot Dog on the steamed bun.
My parents use to load us up in the family car, a 1950 Dodge Sedan, and off we went to the Drive-in Movies for a fun night out with the family. My sister and I couldn’t wait to get there to play on the playground equipment which all of the drive-in movie theaters had. Heaven forbid if the movie was late to start because the grown-ups would most always lay on their horns to let the movie guy know they were tired of waiting…which always made us kids laugh. If we were still awake at the intermission between the full length feature attractions, our parents would let us play on the playground under the huge floodlights with the bigger kids. Then of course we always begged mom and dad to buy us drive-in movie food, which included popcorn, the above-mentioned hot dogs and that horrible pizza. During the movie if we had to pee…too bad. We were convinced that no body could see us and we whizzed out the car door (tough thing for my sister) so the parents didn’t miss any of the movie. In today’s world our parents would probably be charged with child abuse and have us taken away for that stunt.
We really learned what drive-in movies were all about during our high school years. We would pile as many kids in the trunk as we could and in we would drive on in with an admission ticket for one. On date night, if your date for the night was an adventurous type, you could always talk her into climbing in the trunk and save a buck or two. That maneuver came at a huge risk of being tagged a tightwad though but it was worth the risk. The steamy windows would always come later and you always had to keep one eye open for the drive-in guy with the bright flashlight…or a parent looking for their naughty daughter. The reason being, nice girls weren’t permitted to go to the drive-in movies, also known at the time as “passion pits,” until they were 30. Apparently they lied to mom and dad about where they were going that evening.
Those were fun times growing up in
One of the houses I grew up in was directly across from a drive-in, which is now an apartment complex. Though I have never been to a drive-in, we used to sit on our front lawn and watch the movie that was playing across the street, since we could see it perfectly. We couldn’t hear it, so if was a movie we didn’t know, my sister and I would have fun making up words, with my parents laughing next to us. If it was a movie we did know, it wasn’t too hard to imagine what was being said. It was always a lot of fun.
But I still want to visit a drive-in someday…
What would summer in Erie be like if there was no drive-ins. I am so thankful we still have Waterford and Corry carrying the old torch.
You cannot go thinking that you are anywhere else, but in a field with hundreds of others in their cars. There is dirt, mud, grass, mosquitos, and other bugs. Sometimes the occassional bat can be seen. All of that and more is part of the ambience.
The unmentionable smell of the restrooms, take your own tissue (just in case, your stall is out).
Then there is the line waiting to get food…movie, drive-in food. Maybe not all that great, but you can bring your own. Back in the day, the theatres did not care if you brought your grill and had a little tail gate party. Sure they were oblivious to the keg in the back of the truck.
There is no inside theater in the world that can simulate the feeling of the freedom of a drive-in. Setting outside in a lawnchair, citronella candle, blanket and pillow, cooler for a foot stool, the fresh air…..makes me wish that summer lasted just a little longer.
Thank you for the sentiment in regards to my Mom. If anyone does remember her, good, bad or indifferent please let me know. By the way, as you are reminiscing around my old neighborhood, how about some of the other places? Any of the old establishments on 12th and Peninsula? The Dunkin Donuts, owned by Jerry Pasquerrello, the 2 gas stations one on the ne corner and the other on the sw corner. The old harley shopped owned by one of the Danny Carr. The nursery behind the gas station on the west side of Peninsula Drive. How about the Putt Putt Golf course? Some things may not be as old as others mentioned, but they still hold many memories.