Page 19 - CR31R.pdf

seat!) Management soon picked-up on standards, these “horror” films always
this trick and did random searches of managed to raise the screams of some
suspicious cars with young blokes in it. patrons, although I doubt from the folk
I was told (unfortunately a bit too in the panel-vans!
late) a spot at the back of one drive-in One extreme source of annoyance
that one could enter without being was the way some patrons left the
caught. It was soon found and closed. theatre after the show. Without
I was told by one chap at a party, how exception at least within the last five
they used an army rope ladder and an minutes of the film, some cars would
extension ladder bought in on top of start their motors and TURN ON
an electricians panel van, to get their THEIR HEADLIGHTS! This resulted
mates in. He said it was more a case in the screen being blinded by light,
of bravado than saving money! which in turn washed out the image.
battery. If the rain became constant or
A constant annoyance at one drive- This always destroyed the mood ending
heavy, the management would issue a
in (Burwood?) was having the of a good film and drove me mad.
“fog pass” which was a bonus if you
placement of the projector beam
had managed to sit through the blurred
almost at ground level. Of course this
image for most of the movie.
offered a challenge to the young and
Families were encouraged to come
not so young, to show their skills (?)
early with their children, often in
at creating silhouettes as well as rude
nightgowns, so they could use the
thumb signs on the screen. After
playground below the screen whilst
many butterflies, rabbits, eagles etc,
mum and dad cooked dinner on the
the patrons got fed up and the whole
supplied barbecues. Some drive-ins
drive-in responded with horn blasts.
sold meat to be cooked on these units,
Most panel vans parked in the
or sold food to be cooked on them by
reverse with a mattress in the back
yourself. This idea became most On leaving the theatre, one big
and/or a wall bar – which seemed to
popular particularly during the warmer danger had to be avoided at all cost- one
be the “done thing” in those days. I
weather. had to remember to HANG UP THE
well remember one such van at a late
One big drawcard for the drive-ins SPEAKER! To drive off with it still
night session, which was parked in
was their low prices compared with attached did nothing for the speaker
front of us. It started to bounce up and
“hardtop” cinemas, and offering two cord and/or window, which often
down, building up speed, then slowly
films instead of the one, which had shattered. In spite of a announcement on
began a backward roll striking a drink
gradually become standard practice. the screen and over the speakers at the
trolley in the process. A half-dressed
But much of this saving was lost when conclusion of the move, some folk still
chap staggered out of the back of the
the hunger strike hit! For some strange forgot to hang them up.
van and ran around to the drivers seat
reason the purchase of hot foods,
to return it to the original position. I With so few drive-in’s remaining
coffee and/or soft drinks was part of
dare say he made sure the hand brake today, I feel that in general, we have
the night-out, even if one had
was on this time! lost an early part of our culture and
consumed an evening meal before
When late-night horror movies upbringing, and are left without a
coming. This cost had to be doubled
were introduced, people turned up in replacement of its kind. Entertainment
if one took a girlfriend instead of
droves. It was common practice to styles have changed along with our
coming with mates.
start these films just on midnight. values. Of course many folk could say
Not having to book tickets and that their beginning was the result of a
Sometimes they were a bonus to the
getting “dressed-up” was another night out in a panel-van at the drive-in!
earlier screenings, but mostly the
draw-card in those days. (It wouldn’t Long live the memories of both. ★
theatre was cleared before you were
matter either way with today’s
admitted. Although tame by today’s Photographs from the CATHS Archives.
generation who hardly ever dress up Ads & art from Kevin Adams Collection
for ANY occasion!)
Another point lost with today’s
generation was the “midnight factor”.
Most parents of this period were very
reluctant to let their daughters go to a
drive-in, particularly if it was with
someone they hadn’t met before, and
more so if the boyfriend drove a panel-
van! The general rule was “straight
home after the show” and questions
were raised if it was after midnight.
A favourite trick learnt in a very
short time was to hide your friends in
the car boot to save the admittance
fees. (Even under a rug in the back Oakleigh Skyline
CINEMARECORD 2002 19