If you are of a certain age, you will certainly remember drive-in theaters. The drive-in, as in, “Let’s go to the drive-in!” and “What’s playing at the drive-in?” You and a buddy (and possibly 3 or 4 more in the back seat hidden under a blanket) would grab some home snacks, hop in your car, wait in the snaking line of other cars, and park in a stall to watch the latest blockbuster through the scratchy speaker attached to your window (and later, through a station on your car radio). Good times.
A few dedicated venues still exist and others are being created so that you can relive those good times – if there is a better way to entertain yourself safely while getting out of the house during a pandemic, I don’t know it. Here are a few opportunities to catch a flick at “the drive-in.”
Paramount Drive-In: Originally opened in 1948, it closed in 1992 and reopened in 2014 to happy suburbanites in the greater Los Angeles area. It has two screens, one showing a kids movie and the other for adults (generally some type of lower-budget horror flick). The cost is $10 for adults, $3.50 for children. I went a couple of weeks ago with my sweetie, a bottle of wine and a bag of popcorn and couldn’t have been happier. People were generally good about staying in their cars and everyone must wear a mask when outside your car and in the bathroom and concession stand, which is still open for snacks (social distancing enforced). More information at their website: Paramount Drive-In
Tribeca Film at the Rose Bowl: 30 films from this prestigious festival, every weekend in July at our venerable stadium. More info here: Tribeca Drive-In
Walmart Drive-in: Tribeca is also partnering with 160 Walmart stores across the country to convert their parking lots into drive-ins from early August to October. Besides the movies, there will be special appearances from filmmakers, and concessions delivered to your car, according to Walmart. More info here: Walmart Drive-In
