The Rise And Fall Of The Drive-In Theater - Cheddar Explains

Drive-in theaters were a staple of American culture for the better part of the second half of the 20th century. But now, there are fewer than 300 remaining in the United States. So what happened? Advancements in technology like the television and VHS tape are partially to blame, but there’s more to the story. This is the rise and fall of the drive-in theater.

SOURCES:
Smithsonian
New York Film Academy
ThoughtCo
Quartz


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[malachitehawk]

Coronavirus: I’m tired of ending careers. I’m about to restart this man’s whole career!

[beegnome]

Kind of sad I didn't know my city had one until this year.Been twice now and enjoyed a safe date night while watching some classics.

[LiterallyHenry]

Drive-Ins, are honestly much more fun than "normal" theaters

[angelmendez]

My closest drive in in Santa Barbara reopen, and you know what funny is we came on the last day because it was free movie night not knowing it was closing for good until the next day after. I'm so happy it back open.

[Nagatem]

Honestly we really don’t need daylight savings anymore, they really should just scrap it

[sekirokai]

My hometown, the San Fernando Valley used to have a handful of drive-in theaters, but by the 1980s and 1990s, they closed them all down, demolished them, and now their land has been repurposed into new public school buildings, a parking lot for public transportation (Sepulveda station on the Metro Orange Line), and other commercial and residential development projects. I was born in the early 1990s BTW.

[Rocking_J_Studio]

We've still got an active drive-in theater in Tulsa. In fact, Garth Brooks recently put on a couple of small concerts at that theater. It's called The Admiral Twin (two screens).

[chcknpie]

There used to be a drive-in theater about a mile away from my house, but it close down 20 years ago. How could they have known that drive-ins would be big business in the age of Covid?

[Vackret]

There is a Drive-in theater in the city of Brasília, where I live. The last one operating in Brazil, as far as I know. Only a year ago there were online campaigns and events encouraging people to go, as it was on the verge of going bankrupt and closing. And now it was, for a good couple of months, the only movie theater allowed open until shopping malls started setting up their own drive-ins.
Now that’s a good comeback story.

[chadwickhjones]

I want drive-in theaters to make a huge comeback :)

[patriciabradley]

A great documentary! However you should have mentioned about the playground equipment that often was in front of each screen. Us kids (in the '60s) could hardly wait for our family to get to the drive-in early so we could go play with all the other kids before the show started! It was such fun!

[danieljones]

I knew drive-in theatres were a bit scarce, but I didn't know they were rare. It just makes me appreciate the one I live close to during the summer a lot more. Every year when I go to stay with my family in Alabama for the summer (and occasionally on holidays), we usually always go to our local drive-in theatre every so often. It's called the 411 Twin Drive-In located on route 411 in the southeast. We've always have a great experience regardless of what movie is on. Plus the concessions are absolutely superb. Plus they don't charge high way robbery prices like so many other theatres do. If anyone is ever passing through northern Alabama on 411, I highly recommend trying it out.

[rayfridley]

Beginning in the late 50s, many movies were released having stereophonic sound. Those speaker boxes that the drive-in patrons were not able to accommodate stereo, as these was one speaker in the box. Two or more speakers are needed for stereo.

[WobblesandBean]

I wish I could have experienced this when I was younger. It just feels like one of those iconic pieces of classic americana, you know?

[Davidjon]

I was conceived at the Buffalo drive-in movie theater during Saturday Night Fever my parents get drunk and tell me this story every year on my birthday. I'm very happy we still have a drive-in theater here in Buffalo I think everyone should never have that experience taken away from them hope they preserve it

[Dracopol]

I first remember seeing drive-in movies as a kid in the 1960s such as some kind of Disney film and ON A CLEAR DAY, YOU CAN SEE FOREVER. It was a big thing later when they replaced the audio speaker box with a wire that you hung on your almost-closed window with picking up an unused FM radio frequency, since by then no one would be caught dead without glorious stereo FM sound in their case, as movies became stereo and beyond.

[anurakchhettry]

Anyone from Karachi, ❤ Pakistan 🇵🇰 here ? one was closed in late 90s when the real estate market sky high rocketed that’s why 5 acres sold to apartment building remember there used to be only one drive in cinema back in 70s when Nadeem’s Aiena was major hit ? close to either hill park or safari park in gulshan e Iqbal area, miss those beautiful days of Karachi 😢 miss Pakistan, greetings from New York City.

[AverytheCubanAmerican]

Drive-in theaters are popping up and making a comeback because of the current situation. NYC, Long Island, Westchester, and I'm glad there's a revival. I like drive-ins and learning what it was like to watch movies back in the day compared to the modern-day movie theater experience

[AnonymousFreakYT]

When I was a kid, there were three separate drive-in theaters within about a mile of each other - two were right across the street from each other! And I'm not talking the 1950s, I mean the 1970s to early '80s.
Now, all three of those are closed, and the only one left "in town" is in a suburb on the far other side of town.

[Mekowey]

I've grown up with one just outside my town my whole life. It really surprised me that there are only 300 left!!