Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: At The Drive-In (2019)

This is topic At The Drive-In (2019) in forum The Afterlife at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Harold Hallikainen (Member # 5405) on 09-21-2019, 09:12 PM:

Documentary describing efforts to keep a drive-in theater going. They could not afford a digital projector, so they just run 35mm film (reel to reel, not platter). One day the film did not show up, so they stacked a few non-DCI projectors and showed of DVD or Blu Ray. They, like most drive-in, run double features on a theme. They really play up the theme. One they had their stacked non-DCI projectors, they had "VHS Night." Watch old movies on a big screen in VHS! Their attendance has been increasing, so it looks like they will be able to keep it going, but most everyone is working for free.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-03-2019, 07:42 PM:

Hmmm, blowing up VHS resolution to a 80 foot wide image....yeah, that's something I'd want to sit thru for 4 hours! And why in the world would play VHS (on PURPOSE) when they can choose from all the titles available on BluRay?

I assume they are getting permission to run this stuff from the studios, yes? That answer would more than likely would be a unequivocal NO because the studios have pretty much closed the door on commercial theaters running anything but DCPs and will not allow other type of media as a substitute, when it is a classic title and let's say the studio doesn't have a DCP; they won't allow the exhibitor to substitute a BluRay, even in such an emergency -- at least that has been our experience in the last five years.

But really...VHS tape?