Movie industry trade paper Variety called them Ozoners when the first Drive-In theater opened in Camden, NJ…
That was back in 1933.
And even though you couldn’t quite tell it by the thermometer this morning, Spring is just around the corner with two of Kansas City’s three Drive-In movie complexes reopening this weekend for the 2016 season.
The I-70, 4-screen Drive-In and the TWIN Drive-In (both in Missouri) are back this weekend with first run movies under the stars.
Both Drive-Ins will switch to a seven day schedule on May 6.
On the Kansas side, the BOULEVARD Drive-In returns one week later on March 25.
As during past seasons, the popular admission policy of admitting kids under 12 free will continue.
During the drive-in movie hay days of the late 50’s and 60’s, America’s landscape had in excess of 4,000 ozones from coast to coast.
Drive-Ins—even in cold weather-country like KC’s—would often operate year around back then.
If it snowed, they plowed part of the parking lot. If it was cold, they would rent you a small, portable car heater.
And on Sunday mornings there were the Drive-In church services with the pastor’s podium hoisted up on the playground front of the large screen tower.
Fast forward to today, where about 340 U.S. Drive-Ins remain operational, and they’ve all been updated from film to digital projection.
Most of those – including our local drive-ins – deliver the movie soundtrack through in-car radios.
In multiplex Drive-Ins like the I-70, a different FM radio frequency is posted next to each screen.
Of course, some purists still prefer hanging a speaker on their car window.
Looking back to the movie pages of an old 1965 newspaper, I found 17 Drive-Ins operating here on the 4th of July holiday.
From the Highway 40, Hillcrest, New Claco and 63rd Street to the Crest, Riverside and Fairyland drive-ins, all were showing triple feature programs with most offering “spectacular fireworks displays” as part of the evenings festivities.
The Terrace drive-in in Lee’s Summit even offered a “Bonus Late, Late Adult Special Feature After Midnite!”
(No fireworks needed in Lee’s Summit)
So how does KC stack up when it comes to the Drive-In movie experience?
Missouri has 11 left – two in KC, none in St. Louis.
Kansas boasts five, including one in Wichita and the BOULEVARD in KCK.
Nebraska? Just two Drive-Ins, with none in Omaha.
Colorado has seven, with just one in Denver.
And three Drive-Ins – with a total of seven screens – in the Kansas City metroplex.
All are digital.; all have radio sound; and all first run. Not bad!
Current movies showing this premier weekend at the I-70 and TWIN Drive-Ins range from THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT, 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE, ZOOTOPIA and DEADPOOL.
Imagine today, convincing your jump off to get in the trunk so you could buy more liquor. I guess things have changed for the better, but when Vicky hopped out of the trunk of my 55 Chevy at the Crest Drive In with two PBRs in her hands, I thought I was in heaven. It was pretty tight in there with lawn chairs, beer and blankets, but by god, that chick was a trooper. It was “Planet Of The Apes” that night.
I remember coming up for air and wondering what the hell the Statue Of Liberty was doing on the beach.
She was so hot.
🙂
I had to go in the service and she had to go get married. I kept her letters for a long, long time.
Back in high school four buddies and I picked up a case of tall boys and headed to the drive-in of our small town. We stopped a few blocks from the entrance and two volunteers climbed in the trunk of the Plymouth Duster we were riding in. We arrived at the gate only to find a sign announcing the drive-in was closed for the night due to a broken projector. Those of us not in the trunk decided we would never have another opportunity like this so we headed out to find some ungraded country roads.
The shouting and pounding from the back of the car grew more fervent with every sharp turn we took. After about 15 minutes we popped the trunk and were met with two red faces and swinging fists. Apparently there was some fishing gear stowed in the trunk and at some point a tub of catfish bait had broken open. It took a fair amount cash to repair the damage done to my buddy’s trunk liner and a good amount of Old Milwaukee to repair the damage done to the friendships. But to this day I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard as we did that night.
Interesting comments on ‘boys in the trunk.’
One Drive-In owner told me that he doesn’t mind ‘stowaways’ at his ozoner.
After all there’s a good chance that the ‘trunkster’ will be buying something—like popcorn—at his concession stand. And the Drive-In will make 95% profit on that sale. Furthermore he doesn’t have to share it with the film company.
By comparison had the stowaway purchased a ticket maybe up to 65% of that sale would’ve gone to the Hollywood distributor—or 65 cents out of every dollar!!!! And after paying for the ticket the stowaway may not have spent as much at the concession stand………:)
RIP kcconfidential