Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the American Drive-in Movie Page #10

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getting into the business. People of all ages

discovering the drive-in, either again

or for the first time. -And all these feelings

that they had when they were kids

or when they were younger adults that they kind of

just put aside -- because they thought

drive-ins were dead or dying -- come back out, and they get

really enthusiastic. -It's not the drive-in that

they remember in the '70s, with rowdy kids

and beer parties. -Parents come to us and say

they're really glad that we made it different

than what they remember. -They're amazed

that there's no more speakers, that it comes over the radio. -Put in F.M. stereo sound. -They're definitely not

as interesting as they were. They're usually just a metal

frame with a flat panel. -Finally now

we're gonna be waiting to see what the outcome

of this digital revolution is. We're gonna have to convert

over to digital or close, obviously. But we're gonna have to make

some improvements, because of the physical

requirements of digital. -I don't think

that a lot of people knew that there were

drive-ins around. -When I'm there

on a Saturday afternoon and I'm cleaning up

or I'm doing something and somebody drives in and says,

"A drive-in? Are you open?" -"We thought

these were all gone." -Even the people

that are out here at this one, when you say to them, "Oh, yeah, there are other

drive-ins around," they'll go, "Oh, really?"

Like, "Tell me more." -I think the term "the drive-ins

are dying" is incorrect. They're coming back, and they're coming back

very uniquely, because everyone that builds one

has a really unique personality. [ Mid-tempo music plays ] -When we finally got the paperwork and everything

done and bought the place, it was seven days before it

was scheduled to be demolished. And then in 2000,

we added more screens. -We have room for 3,200 cars. I think

we're the largest drive-in in the country right now. Open 365 days a year in Detroit. -Drive-in theater owners

and drive-in in particular have been very resilient. -Your hometown drive-in

will be different than any other drive-in

in the nation, because of the people

that own them. -What goes around comes around,

you know. And drive-ins --

they were down at one time, and now we definitely feel

that they are coming back. -Will it ever be back

to 5,000 screens? No. But I think that any losses

that we have are now stabilized, and I think there's now room

for some growth. -Maybe we have to put together a 30-second Super Bowl

commercial or something to let 94 million viewers know that there are drive-ins

out there. -I heard in Alabama,

they got around 12 drive-ins. Most of them

have either been new builds or ones that have been reopened after being closed

for several years. That is a testimony right there

to the popularity coming back. 'Cause why would you build

a drive-in? Why would you spend

all that money to reopen a drive-in

if nobody's gonna come? Freedom, Wisconsin -- they actually built a drive-in

from the ground up. I got to witness that. It's kind of nice

to see a drive-in being built instead of being torn down. -We had 150 cars show up

with no advertising, and that was the start

of our drive-in. -We saw the Raleigh Road

outdoor theater in Henderson, North Carolina,

on ebay, and it was in such

a bad state of repair. But we had a dream

as to what we could do with it. -He had the dream.

I was ready to kill him. -[ Chuckles ] [ Rock music plays ] -Tonight,

we're reopening the drive-in after 19 years of being dark. We've been getting

incredible comments. A lot of new

potential customers -- over 7,000 people on Facebook, thanking us

for reopening the drive-in. -As a businessman,

I know for a fact that the highest

and best economic use for my 15 acres in

the industrial park in Watertown is not a drive-in. I know that. -We made a solemn promise that whatever we made

off the drive-in, we're putting it

right back into it. -Walmart's not coming. You know, they're not gonna come

buy my little drive-in and make it a Supercenter. That's not gonna happen. -We've invested

everything we can. We haven't taken any salary

out of our theater. -We're trying to keep it for future generations

down the road to come out and enjoy it. [ Rock music plays ] -I think

families have rediscovered what the drive-in is about. -It's amazing how

it goes through the process of a couple

when they first start dating. And then a couple years later, they'll tell you

they got married. And then you see

kids in the car, and then the kids are grown up,

running around in pajamas. It's just absolutely amazing. -We get first-run movies, where they didn't get

first-run movies before. -There's a lot more

animated movies. -Family pictures

are really, really the bread and butter

of the business. There's just no two ways

about it. -We could have a really bad day. And as soon as we step

on that property, it just, you know,

like there was clouds and rain, and all of a sudden, boom,

the sun comes out. We just love it. -Seeing the families come and seeing the kids enjoy it

is worth a million dollars. -Yes, it is. I agree. -One little girl e-mailed me, and she says

that she's going to the drive-in to find her future husband, because that's where

her mom found her dad. -Here Friday or Saturday night, you got the American family

together under the stars watching an outdoor movie in the nostalgia

of a drive-in theater. What's better? [ Rock music continues ] -And now on with the show. [ Upbeat rock music plays ] - Don't let your parents know We're gonna be

where the cool kids go - At the drive-in - We're gonna stay out late - At the drive-in - We're gonna celebrate And have some popcorn, too You'll know what to do - I'm at the drive-in - You can lay your head

on my shoulder You can cry

when the sad part comes You can hide your eyes

from the monster We'll cheer

'cause the good guys won Don't let your parents know We never really take it slow - at the drive-in - We'll be in the backseat - At the drive-in -[ Singing indistinctly ] You'll know what to do - At the drive-in - We're gonna celebrate We're gonna stay out late - At the drive-in - We're gonna scream

and shout When the stars comes out - At the drive-in At the drive-in At the drive-in -whoo!

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