Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: A Drive-in Not To Be Missed

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Posted by Joseph Pandolfi (Member # 223) on 06-02-2000, 11:30 AM:

Two weeks ago I was up in Cape Cod on vacation. As being a projectionist for about a year (rookie!), I happened to stop by the Wellfleet Drive-in on the main road (U.S. Route 6) at the Wellfleet-Eastham town-line to take in a double feature for $6.50. A few years back I visited the same drive-in and received a brochure about the drive-in itself. This also featured the original projection equipment, with no changes to the booth other than adding an FM transmitter to broadcast the dolby stereo sound to your car's radio. By the way they still have the original car speakers too.
The highlight of my night was the urge to visit the projection booth there. I talked to the projectionist in charge there and he was kind enough for me to visit the booth there and to show me his equipment. To my surprise were two identical Ashcraft Dyna-Arc carbon-arc lamphouses. Also were RCA projector and sound head with RCA Theater sound system. Being that I was trained on Xenon bulbs, platters, and automation, it was an entire different experience to watch him bring the rods close together for the initial spark to light it up and to keep it a short distance apart so you have a constant flame. Finally he turned the motor switch on and as the end of the leader cleared the gate, he opened the changeover and a Tom & Jerry (1.33 Flat) cartoon hit the screen. For a brief moment during the cartoon, was viewed on the side of the motor home as it parked in front of the booth.
The cartoon was followed by Our National Anthem (I never knew it was played at a drive-in). We followed that by a commemoration from the United States Postal Service to the owner of the drive-in an enlarged replica of the drive-in stamp from the 50's decade stamp collection of Celebrate the Century stamp series. That was followed by the policy trailer ad our first feature hit the screen "Toy Story 2".
After the first feature came our intermission reel. This particular one impressed me as it started as a promo for refreshments, then five ads for local business including the one for Cape Cod's biggest and best flea market at the drive-in during the day on weekends. After that came my second highlight of the evening "The Dancing Food Five Minute Countdown" in it's entirety. A part of that (the hot dog flip-flopping around and jumps into the bun) was used in the movie "Grease". Our second feature was "Keeping The Faith"
Throughout the last half a century drive-in theaters have been a part of our lives much like baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet (OK Ford's too). We seen them come. We seen them go (we thank the monsterplex's for that). A lot of us (including me) took our dates and parked in the back and fogged up the windows and could not care less what the movie was about.
For those of us who live in the New England area or plan to visit Cape Cod during the summer. I suggest you visit the Wellfleet Drive-in for a night of good nostalgic fun.

Joseph J. Pandolfi
PANDY2@AOL.COM

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-02-2000, 12:03 PM:

Oooooh! FANTASTIC! I learned on Dyn-Arcs! Purely LOVED them.

BTW, for more on drive-ins, check out the new book by Don and Susan Sanders, called "Drive-In Movie Memories". Tons of great old pictures and stories. It's in bookstores now. An' AH hepped! (I'm in it).

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Better Projection Pays!

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-02-2000, 12:23 PM:

Joe:

Thank you for reminding us of the wonderful nostalgic world of the Drive-In movie theatre, including the cartoons, double feature, countdown clock, steamy car windows, etc. It brought back fond memories of my years as projectionist (1967-1970) at the Grandview Drive-In in Angola, New York. Fortunately, the Grandview is still in operation too.

Drive-In theatres have an especially hard time surviving in the northern USA. The shortened season and value of the suburban land have killed many of them. In western New York state a handful survive, including some wonderful ones in Perry NY (the Silver Lake DI), and near Lockport NY (e.g., http://www.transitdrivein.com ). Near Rochester, a new one in Avon NY just opened a few years ago.

A web site that lists surviving drive-ins and provides links to them is: http://www.driveinmovie.com

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-02-2000, 12:42 PM:

Oh, I forgot to mention, the best drive-in website hands-down, is:
http://www.drive-ins.com/

Every kind of cross-referenced, open/closed locations and research data you can imagine is on this massive site (as well as pictures of many of the theatres).

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Better Projection Pays!

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-02-2000, 02:42 PM:

Dyna arcs were a interesting lamp
my preference was the Peeless Hyandescent (the first lamps I ever ran)
the the Ashcraaft super cinex
Futura2's
and my favorite was running the jetarcs
(especially on a hot humid summer night)

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 06-02-2000, 03:54 PM:

Wow! That's what I call a great drive-in. We need more like that!

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-02-2000, 04:08 PM:

Yes, the Wellfleet DI gets consistently high marks from drive-in fans. There's also a four-screen indoor theatre owned by the same people. Apparently both theatres do great business during the summer.

I'll be at the Cape Cinema (which also burns carbon) this weekend and will try to stop by Wellfleet (which isn't exactly "close") to get some pics for this site.

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 06-02-2000, 04:52 PM:

Scott:

Try to get some good shots of the carbon arc lamphouses and tube amplifiers.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-02-2000, 05:44 PM:

Gordon... YOU RAN HY-CANDESCENTS?!?!!!

This is one lamp I never got to see, but always wanted to. Do you remember any peculiarities about them? (And you wouldn't happen to have a manual, would you?)

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Better Projection Pays!

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 06-02-2000, 06:15 PM:

My first drive-in booth experience was at the Sonomarin D/I with Century DAW2s and Strong Futura IIs with the rotating positive feed system... Running first-run product (usually with a subrun second feature) and the night's first feature was preceded by two of four cartoons (Road Runner, Honey Halfwitch, Pink Panther, and Tom & Jerry) then the first feature (usually the subrun film first on weekends and the main feature first on weekdays-three total runs on weekends, two on weekdays, hope that wasnt too confusing)

Intermission consisted of a 5 minute break followed by a preview reel (if we had any guaranteed bookings) then the 10 minute intermission clock (late 60's generic snack bar ads followed by a bunch of postcard scenery of American mountains, forests, beaches, deserts, etc with a 'Magnificent Seven'-like score with a break every 2 minutes reminding how long till the next feature until it got to 10 seconds when it would count down then c/o into reel one of the second feature)

I would bring food from home and keep it warm by placing it ( wrapped in foil) inside the very hot Altec transmitting-tube amp rack, which drove a field full of speakers (no radio sound until it went porno in late '83)

I miss changeovers at a drive-in Why isnt projection *this* much fun any more?

WAAAH! I want my drive-in back!!! <sniffle> <sob>

Aaron

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-02-2000, 06:50 PM:

Tim thompson used to have an aerial photo of this one on his website www.driveintheater.com but I can't seem to find it right now. I know I've got it stored somewhere. I'll try to dig it out. A few years back, I was living on the Cape and drove past the Wellfleet many times but never made it to a screening (damn). Never mind, it would seem that by doing fabulous shows like that and actually giving a darn (not just shoving a movie on the screen and saying 'bye' at the end) they'll be around for a few years yet...enough time for me to get back there to experience it on vacation.

If any of you guys have not been to a drive-in, find one nearest you at www.driveintheater.com or at www.drive-on-in.com and get there this summer. You won't regret it. It's a great experience.

------------------
"I heard a voice behind me say...'Reach for it, Mister'... I spun around...found myself face to face...with a six year old kid! Well I just threw my guns down, walked away... LITTLE BASTARD SHOT ME IN THE ASS!"

Gene Wilder - Blazing Saddles

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 06-02-2000, 07:39 PM:

Great drive-in nostalgia lives on!

I agree with Tim on Don and Susan Sanders new book "Drive-in Movie Memories" its fabulous, even the parts not contributed by Tim and myself!

There are several photos of Australian drive-ins and a few of the Metro in Rome Italy, it was truely a world-wide phenonmena.

The Coburg triple drive-in here in Melbourne not only runs the Filmack dancing hot dog clock, but also the "speaker theft" and "speaker remove from window" cartoons every night. The highlight is before intermission on all screens runs the Village drive-in snack bar ad shot in the mid 1970's - and it looks every bit like it too, the hair, the cars and the food!

If you want to see more about Australian drive-ins see www.drive-insdownunder.com.au

I also highly recommend the other links listed above.

What's next for your great site Tim?

Posted by Pete Lawrence (Member # 130) on 06-02-2000, 08:09 PM:

You haven't lived until you've run a drive-in. Back in the 70's eastern Long Island was a 100% union shop. The guy that taught me liked to work relief winters and run a drive-in summers. His choice, he was something like number three on the senority list here and could have had any booth he wanted. He just liked to travel. As a result, I got to run most of the booths out here. The drive-in equipment was Ashcraft lamps, Motiograph picture heads, RCA sound heads, motor-generators for the lamp supplies, and water cooled gates and jaws. Anything that could go wrong did.

Here's the short list:

A thunder storm once blew a panel out of the screen. Manager called the main office and they said keep the show on the screen, rain checks only if asked for. No stopping for rain. That's what they also said for most problems!

Cars pulling away with out taking the speakers off their windows! Usually pulled over the post and shorted out the sound on the whole ramp. Occassionally would fry an amplifier.

Water all over the booth floor because the drains for the water cooled gates and jaws pluged up with tree roots. No circulators.

Main water tank in the concession springs a leak. Water comes from a well. They can't shut the pump off because the projectors are water cooled from the same supply.

Motor-generator brushes go bad during a show and send showers of sparks all over the generator room. The spare generator hadn't been repaired yet. Head office said keep the show on the screen till the lamps go out!

Fog! That's when the light doesn't even reach the screen. But what a light show in the mist! They'ed give "rain" checks for this one.

A fire in the consession pizza oven during the show. Fire department and all! More entertaining than what was on the screen!

One manager had a permit to carry a side-arm and would actually ware it! It can get real creepy around 2 AM.

And my favorite, water pouring out of the lamp house because the water cooled jaws wore through in the middle of a reel. They wouldn't allow a set of spare jaws in the booth. They were a silver alloy and were afraid they would be stollen. At least that's what I was told.

Standing orders were "we'll fix it later, keep a picture on the screen and don't give out refunds, rain checks only as a last resort"

Ahhh, memories!

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-02-2000, 08:41 PM:

Was checking through the amps one night and discovered a short on one ramp. Took the torch and found one guy with two speakers in his car trying to get more sound in his car. Right next to him was a pole minus one speaker and the pole was about 3 feet away from where it should have been, on its side and with main wires showing from underneath. Some nitwit had left after the first show with speaker attached to his window.

It apparently didn't occur to this other guy to marry the 'speaker pole being torn out' with the 'hey, it's gone a bit quiet' scenarios and come and complain.

Yep, memories...

David, is that 70's DI film the one with the 'MMmmmmmmmm Banana fritters with whipped cream?' with the monaro driving up at the start? Do you have the end tag as well which says 'before you go...' etc.?

Are these reprints? Can I get one? Huh? Huh?

(Mine are a bit faded, although this adds to the feel, I think)

Gene Wilder - Blazing Saddles

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-02-2000, 08:52 PM:

Hycans
Somewhere in a box is the manual
They were a pain in the ass to use as they had been very poorly maintained I had electroplated the jaws since they were baddly scorched and the condensors were very pitted
But they looked so cool

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 06-03-2000, 08:06 AM:

John,

Monaro? Banana fritters and cream? That is one we don't have but I would love to see it!

The two versions that we have are what we know as the "Chompy ads", as the first version (early 1970's) had a song and theme that went "chomp, chomp, munch munch etc".

I also remember the colour version of a drive-in ad with Holdens from the late 1950's.

I have a reel I use for training that is full of all those old drive-in ads, Australian and Filmack.....wouldn't let it out of my sight though! When next in Sydney I'll let you know. Do GU run any similar stuff at Blacktown or Bass Hill drive-ins?

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-03-2000, 09:55 AM:

Gordon, YES-IN-DEEDY! They did look cool! If you ever come across that manual, I'll gladly pay you dearly for a copy.

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Better Projection Pays!

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-03-2000, 10:04 AM:

David sez: >>What's next for your great site Tim?<<

Well, (thanks for remembering, btw) I plan on using it as advertising for my drive-in (and intermission) video series. Alas, I must upgrade my computer first, in order to finish the videos... which means extra $$$ I don't have at present. As soon as that happens, though, I will go forth in a big way.

Yes, the new drive-in book's very good. Incidentally, I sent Don Sanders about 70 photographs for that book, and he only used 2. How about you? He did use 4 of the 7 stories I sent him (two of which were credited to the people they were about).

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Better Projection Pays!

Posted by Joseph Pandolfi (Member # 223) on 06-03-2000, 10:59 AM:

Great feedback guys, I will check the drive-in website when I get off here. Scott: I hope you get good pictures of this. I have seen a photo like it of the Ashcraft in the South Park Drive-in on the pictures section here. Pete: Thanks for your share of drive-in misadventures. Aaron: I did not forget you for more memories.

By the way their website is www.wellfleetdrivein.com

Posted by Joe Smith (Member # 190) on 06-03-2000, 02:29 PM:

I've just finished taking many pictures of the booth and grounds of Hull's Drive-in in Lexington, Va. Hopefully some of them will be displayed here shortly. It originally opened in 1950 and most of the booth equipment is original. Two Brenkert BX-100 projectors with RCA Sound. This month they are removing one of the BX-100's to install a Potts platter in preparation for re-opening the drive-in, hopefully on Jun 30. They will also replace the old Enarc lamp housing with a 3Kw Xenon upgraded housing, and install an FM sound transmitter. The Drive-in's last full season of operation was in 1998 but it was open in 1999 for a two-day benefit to raise money to start a non-profit community owned operation.

Last night the projectors were fired up for testing using the original Enarc lamps after having been used only once in 1999. Everything worked fine and the projectors were very quiet, but both had noticable ghosting on the screen that adjustments should cure. The flat and scope lens are still the originals and were stored in the booth year round protected only by a coke cup!

Jim Boyd of Van Wert, Ohio provided the booth expertise for the testing and will be doing the upgrades. He had never been in this booth before but it was obvious by watching that he knew the equipment and felt like he had been there for years.

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 06-03-2000, 02:47 PM:

Only a 3kw lamphouse for a drive-in? Must be a tiny screen. Personally, I would keep the booth as it is with carbon arc and changeovers! However, I would recommend adding the FM xmitter in addition to keeping the speakers, too.

Posted by Chris Erwin (Member # 176) on 06-03-2000, 03:01 PM:

Tim,

Thanks for telling us about the book! I gotta get it!!! P.S. I was at the Sky-Vue a couple weeks ago. Screen had work on it recently. Looks great! Opened week before Memorial Day Weekend.

Ken,
I know a Single Screen D.I. that uses a Super-Lumex w/2,000w bulb on a pretty big screen. If you're on the sides,it's a little dim. From front and center,it'll do.

--Chris

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-03-2000, 03:07 PM:

Hi Chris! Did they fix the holes that were coming in from the back?

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Better Projection Pays!

Posted by Joe Smith (Member # 190) on 06-03-2000, 06:55 PM:

Ken,

The speakers are going to be kept and used (all 320 of them) and they all worked last year during a benefit fund raiser held over labor day week-end (sold out one night and abot 50% the second despite the tail end of a hurricane blowing thru town). I don't know the rationale for the 3kw lamp. It may have been a donated one. The drive-in will be run by a local non-profit organization formed last year and lease/purchase negotiations were just recently completed, so funds for operations and capital improvements are just now becoming available. I expect the 3kw is a temporary thing to get thru this year. There was a strong desire from the operations staff to switch to xenon/platter because this is a small rural community and expertise to run change-overs in a 51 year old booth is not available. They may even have trouble finding a regular to simply thread (correctly)and push a few buttons. Finding someone to make up the prints is a different problem as well.

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 06-03-2000, 07:48 PM:

Joe Smith:

I would hope that the 3kw is temporary. For driveins you really should have a 4kw.

I am glad just to see that the theatre is going to be opened and operating! Why doesn't the new owners go with 6000 foot large reels (2 machines). Are they going to operate 7 days a week? If the film is only shown 3 times or less then they should stay with reels. Nowadays you could get a set of large reel arms fairly cheap and run 6000 footers with just one changeover (usually) per feature. If they were to operate 7 days a week, then it would be ok for a platter.
On that Potts platter they're getting, is it an older one or new? If old, does it have any updates like drop-in control plates, or updated motor mounts/toggle handles, or if it has brake cable style variac or the slide rod variac?

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-04-2000, 12:17 AM:

It's great to hear of a drive-in that's re-opening, of course, but I really must question their booth "upgrades." Why would _anyone_ put a platter in a drive-in? Without even keeping the second projector as a spare! This is a real waste of money and effort, since it won't improve the presentation quality and the picture will almost certainly be dimmer than if they'd stuck with arcs. If I were running the place, I would have kept the booth as is and put the money into landscaping, a new coat of screen paint, and general grounds maintenance.

Don't misunderstand--I like platters for certain applications, but they just don't make sense for a drive-in. As for the training/lack-of-skilled-labor issue: I can train someone how to do perfect changeovers in about five minutes. How long would it take to show someone how to properly run a platter system (including makeup/breakdown, threading, and maintenance)?

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-04-2000, 08:56 AM:

The 3K lamp maybe necassary because of the lack of 3phase power and the Strong switcher is good up to 3KW
I don't believe anyone makes a single phase rectifier larger than that.
I abhore putting platters in driveins in a hostile enviroment with no climate control

Posted by Joe Smith (Member # 190) on 06-04-2000, 11:12 AM:

Yes the 3-phase power is an issue right now. The cost to upgrade power will have to wait until more improvement funds are available (hopefully next year). The non-profit group taking over the operation needs to limit initial costs until they actually finalize purchase the drive-in (currently a lease-to-purchase option for 2 years). This year's funds will be spent on equipment needed to re-open the snack bar, fix some minor landscape problems and do some needed screen repairs.

There's a damaged spot right in the center of the screen that has to be repaired before opening, and sections of the screen aged differently since the original screen was for flat prints and scope wings were added later. In daylight the difference between the original portion and the add-on is very visible, (looks like some type of plywood or fibreboard backing in 4x8 sheets) but at night it only shows up on lighter background images. Not sure yet how much screen repairs will be done this year.

My personal preference would be to keep a change-over operation (and possibly adding a platter for occasional use with either projector) and upgrade the lamps to 4kw but I'm not on the decision-making committee (only the volunteer free-labor committee). My way of thinking is that it might be easier to teach someone to properly clean, thread and operate a change-over than to teach someone how to build-up and makedown prints every weekend since initially, the drive-in will only operate on Friday thru Sunday except for any special private showing during the week. Unfortunately there is not enough room in the booth to add a platter and still keep both projectors. The only way that could happen is to remove the existing mens restroom and expand the booth to take over that space (a possibility since the existing restroom is too small anyway. And the operations committee seems to be set in their opinion that it will take someone less specialized to operate the platter system than a change-over system. I'm not so sure. I think it might take more film handling expertise to do make-ups than to operate a change-over). Also, they seem intent on having the operator also help out where-ever he is needed (snackbar) grounds security, etc).

The second projector will be removed and preserved for possible re-use later and for spare parts to keep the primary one operational. The only maintenance techs currently available have to travel several hours from somewhere in North Carolina (Cinex?? possibly).

One of my concerns that nobody seemed to address yet is for a large cooling fan that blows into the booth from the front side (where all the local bugs hang out). It currently has no filter on it and only a medium mesh screen, and it is perfectly centered where the platter will go. Hope they have made some other ventilation plans...

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 06-04-2000, 11:28 AM:

No matter where you put the platter at a drive in, the print will get covered with dust! Our ventilating fans combined with cars driving over the gravel suck dust into EVERYWHERE in the theater.

Please get them to stick with reels--large reels! They can still have someone from the booth work the snack bar and there would only be ONE changeover. You can also get longer carbons that will burn a one hour trim.
I trained a theater OWNER who had just taken over a closed theater and he didn't know anything about carbon arcs or changeovers. In about 20 minutes and some practicing, he was doing changeovers like a pro!

Posted by Joe Smith (Member # 190) on 06-04-2000, 11:50 AM:

Ken wrote:

"Only a 3kw lamphouse for a drive-in? Must be a tiny screen."

From the pictures I took (about 60), if the screen backing is 4x8 sheets the screen would be about 36x82, and the throw was estimated to be about 200 feet, maybe a little more but it wasn't measured. I'm not sure about this but I understand there is a length setting on the scope lens that was initialy set for 200 feet when it was installed for testing.

The reflected light from the center of the screen using the original carbon-arc with minimal adjustments measured from the booth window was about 1.2 lamberts (if that's the correct term), and it dropped off to .8 or .9 at the edges. The light from the other projector (also still carbon-arc and minimal adjustments) measured close to 2.2 lamberts with very little drop-off at the edges, and this lamp had damage to the reflector. The image produced by both projectors had a soft focus.

Both of the flat lens had the glue that holds the elements failing and both were dirty and scratched. The provider of the lamphouse and platter will also provide a better quality lens than the ones currently there.We're told the combination of replacement 3kw xenon and better lens will provide noticably more light.

Pictures to follow as soon as I pick out a few to upload to Brad.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-05-2000, 06:56 AM:

Screen Luminance for Drive-In Theatres is specified by SMPTE Recommended Practice RP 12-1997. Ideally, it should be 16 footlamberts +/- 2 footlamberts. Recognizing the challenge of lighting a huge outdoor screen, "when maximum compromise must be made", it should be no less than 4.5 footlamberts.

In general, use as much power as you can get. I recall burning 11 mm rotating carbons at 120 amperes and 65 volts, or about 7800 watts, to light a 100 x 42 foot screen. A "cold mirror" and water-cooled jaws and gate were mandatory.

I remember the effect of rain or moisture on the screen was like a "gain" surface. If the moisture was coated evenly, the luminance was brighter than on a dry screen. Usually, the rain caused uneven streaks, however.

Projecting on a foggy night was an experience! Likewise thunderstorms! Rats were a constant problem on the lot (discarded food), and occasionally in the booth.

Posted by Joseph Pandolfi (Member # 223) on 06-06-2000, 05:05 PM:

By the way I forgot to mention the projectionist told me, he is running 9000 watts at 150 amps at the Wellfleet drive-in and has a backup DC generator.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-06-2000, 05:56 PM:

If he is useing xenon at 150amps then it would be 6000 watts
If he was carbon that is in the ball park

Posted by Colin Wiseley (Member # 247) on 06-09-2000, 06:25 PM:

The Roanoke Times, the local paper in our area, had an article on the front page of the Entertainment section today about the Hull Drive-In. It had a picture from the inside the booth of Jim Boyd and one of the projectors. You don't see that on the front page of a newspaper section too often. You can read the article at:
http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story94962.html

Unfortunately they didn't post the picture too

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Colin Wiseley
Lyric Theatre
Blacksburg, VA
www.thelyric.com

Posted by Joe Smith (Member # 190) on 06-09-2000, 08:17 PM:

For a few pics of the Hull's Drive-in in Lexington, Va., from Jun 2nd when Jim Boyd was there, check out the link below. Click on the message immediately below the picture of the Mid-Atlantic states about how to save a drive-in. Pic number 7 is of both projectors.

I'll have more pics for Brad to post as soon as I can pick out a few and send 'em, and hopefully some from their grand re-opening night which is still projected to be 30 Jun.
http://members.xoom.com/RKofVA/driveins/frames.htm

Posted by Chris Erwin (Member # 176) on 06-10-2000, 09:35 AM:

Tim,

Sorry so long for a reply! As far as I could tell,it's fixed. The surface looks almost brand new! The back screen is in good shape too.

--Chris

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-10-2000, 12:54 PM:

Chris:

COOL! Did they retain the white house shingles or completely resurface with something else?

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Better Projection Pays!

Posted by Chris Erwin (Member # 176) on 06-10-2000, 11:53 PM:

They kept the shingles. Looks good. I've gottta go see one there this summer. They're running mostly 2nd run,but once in a good while will open one. Hey,what can you can for $5 a carload always?

--Chris

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 09-19-2005, 12:25 AM:

It has been 1926 days since the last post.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 09-19-2005, 12:25 AM:

Bump.

I just spent a most enjoyable weekend shooting a short documentary about this drive-in. F-T member John Vincent and his employees were extremely friendly and helpful and both the drive-in and the adjacent indoor four-plex are beautifully maintained. This is a true quality operation.

(With any luck, I'll have the film edited in 6-12 months and, after it makes the festival circuit rounds, I'll make sure that Brad gets a copy to make available as a download.)

Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 09-20-2005, 05:30 AM:

Joseph I have my own personal web site attached to my server , Having started my projection career at the drive in some 30 years ago i am glad i captured some of the history on film .
david Kilderrys site is well worth having a look at.

I cannot post my site address here as it is not a stand alone site , if you search yahoo on pink lake drive in you will find a site hosted at westnet which is the home of my drive in history.

Posted by Joseph Pandolfi (Member # 223) on 09-27-2005, 07:45 PM:

Thanks for the bump up on my article. Scott I do like to have a copy or view it at a Festival if in the Boston, MA. area. I try to visit one of the two remaining drive-in's left in CT on a yearly basis, but there is no comparison to the one up in Wellfleet. There is another drive-in I found in Milford, New Hamphsire that does an excellant presentation. They also have a web site. that explains everything of what goes on in the projection booth with lamphouse and projector diagrams in detail.