Does anyone remember their first drive-in movie as a kid?

[Rebecca2004]

The first movie I saw at a drive-in was an Elvis movie...Love Me Tender...I think.  I was five or six and after the excitement of the big screen, all my brother and I wanted to do was run around and play on the swings and slide!  I think we saw all the Elvis movies at the drive-in.  Great memories!  How about you?

[Tempest332]

Nice site to look up the status your old Drive-In theaters:

Cinema Treasures Theaters 

Go down the page to Drive-Ins for drive in's still open...

More than likely you will find them under closed or demolished:

Demolished Theaters 

Closed Theaters 

[KellytheBelly]

Sweet! Thanks! 🙂

[EricC28201]

First one I remember was a double feature.  I was probably 7 or 8 years old (can't remember what grade I was in at school).  It was Bambi followed by Hawaii.  The parents were thinking the kids would fall asleep after the 1st show (and they considered us naive).

I thought Hawaii was boring except for the topless ladies...that was something new to me...and it became a lasting memory.

[Tempest332]

Another memorable Drive-In movie I had seen was LeMans with Steve McQueen. 

Really who could sleep?  Humid summer nights, no AC, but it was still fun.    

[Tempest332]

A documentary on a Drive-In revival.   Seen this last year:

At the Drive-In 

Unable to purchase a $50,000 digital projector, a group of film fanatics in rural Pennsylvania fight to keep a dying drive-in theater alive by screening only vintage 35mm film prints and working entirely for free.

[KellytheBelly]

I remember! Hilarious stories to tell. One, I recall distinctly... my parents had purchased a new station wagon, took about 4 hours to complete the process, I was 6 years old. They took us to get fast food, probably McDonalds, afterwards, and off we went to the drive-in. I think we were living in Laredo, Texas at the time. Double feature was, 'Looking for Mr. Goodbar,' and 'Marathon Man.' My parents told 'us' (me, my brother, and sister) to go to sleep. Yeah, right. I watched the entire movie, 'Looking For Mr. Goodbar' off of our new station wagon hatch/rear/back window. lol The whole movie. My parents never knew what I knew! Funny how vivid that memory is to this day.

In addition, I think I was 4 years old when I went to my first drive-in. I just watched the movie from the back seat. I find it amazing how mature I was to be able to watch such a movie, understand what was going on, and also remember it. Later on in life, I reached out to some online friends to see if anyone knew what movie I saw (it may have been in 1974), described it by memory, and someone actually found it for me. The movie was, 'Terror at Red Wolf Inn.' All I remembered was there was a girl talking the phone, she went to a house with an elderly couple, at the end there was blood splattered on some leaves. lol And, someone actually found it for me (back in Myspace days -- 2006). I was over the moon! I own that very movie on dusty, oversized VHS today. I know for a fact this movie is what turned me on to 'black comedy,' from the age of 4. It was already within me. 😝

Also, locally, we have a drive-in we frequent. They're about to open for the season, show first-run movies, and every year, this is the highlight of my Summer(s).

Thanks for the topic of discussion. 🙂

[Tempest332]

@KellytheBelly "Go to Sleep" LOL, your parents didn't give you Nyquil?. My one ex GF told me her parents used to use it on her & her brothers for "Drive-In Night".   I'm revisiting many Italian Poliziotteschi, & Gallo Horror movies I vaguely remember from my younger Drive-In days (good stuff!), these were rather low budget Double feature runs, or tacked on to first run movies at the Drive-In's.

Funny story, we were at a Drive in & a black or dark colored Cat must had been sleeping on the roof of the car & slowly climbed down the windshield, this looked like a Spider & scared the bejesus out of my mom (& the rest of us too).  

My seasonal lone local Drive-In is like $25+ /car now so kind of inefficient to go.  Still remember all of the Local Drive in's there were about 8 in the area I grew up in, all closed.

[MicheleS11593]

Like it was yesterday...True Grit with John Wayne, Glen Campbell and Kim Darby. My mom was dating a guy with a car. John Wayne shooting his 2 guns riding on his horse on wide screen was wonderful. Those days you could see 2 movies for one price. I can't remember what the other movie was. Freshly popped popcorn with real butter.

I remember seeing 3 movies for one price at the local movie theater, Saturday matinees.

[Tempest332]

I probably was at one earlier but the movie didn't interest me, but the first one I remember was Herbie The Love Bug. 

[WebWiseWoman]

What a fun topic!

Ours was "The Days of Wine and Roses". What I remember is what most who replied remember; we kids having a great time playing and eating way too much not usually allowed food.

But I also remember Mom and the "Aunts" (real and designated 😉 sobbing their hearts out while having imbibed too much of the title beverage.

The men were somewhere across the street from the drive-in doing whatever they did in the early 60s when no sports were being broadcast.

Later, when I watched this movie as an adult I realized the significance; for me it is an outstanding movie, well made and performed; it always brings flash-backs to that night; ALWAYS...  

Thanks @Rebecca2004 for this GREAT topic!

#StaySafe

[Rebecca2004]

You're welcome!  What a fun memory!  I love the 50's and 60's!!!  There were times when I had a lot of my cousins there and we were a terror, I'm sure!  When I watch the movies from the 60's now, I realize they all had a very deep meaning!  

[TheSuzyQ]

I do, it was Benji 1974!  It was a big deal for us. Our dad even splurged and bought us popcorn and drinks. This almost never happened lol. My goodness, my grandkids are spoiled haha.

[Rebecca2004]

Lol, things sure we're different years ago. We appreciated things. Love your childhood memory!

[DaveMcK]

I'm not remembering much but it would have been with my folks and it would have been in the mid 1950's.

[Rebecca2004]

Same here...mid to late 50's. Great time to be a child!

[rc946]

True Grit with John Wayne.  I don't remember much because I was busy socializing @ the playground with all the other kids who didn't care for westerns. : )

[Rebecca2004]

That's funny...seems like all the kids wanted to play instead of watching a boring movie!  I know we drove my parents crazy!!!