Drive-In Movie Memories

An icon of post-World War II Americana, the drive-in theater offered millions of moviegoers an alternative to the big-city movie palaces and ramshackle “neighborhood houses” in small towns. Although the first drive-ins dated back to the Depression years, it was during the 1950s and ‘60s that outdoor theaters became all the rage, not only altering the moviegoing experience but also giving birth to a special kind of film targeted directly to the teenagers and young adults who took advantage of their enclosed seating arrangements to do things they couldn't get away with in brick-and-mortar establishments. Covering every aspect of drive-in history, this hour-long documentary features plenty of solid history and nostalgic reminiscences, courtesy of critics and commentators such as Leonard Maltin, John Bloom (a.k.a. Joe Bob Briggs), ‘50s “scream queen” Beverly Garland, and the late Samuel Arkoff, whose American International Pictures made a fortune off cheap genre product intended almost solely for open-air exhibition. A fun, affectionate tribute to a mostly bygone institution that had a huge impact on American pop culture, Kurt Kuenne's film festival award-winning Drive-In Movie Memories is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (E. Hulse)