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People have been trying to write the obituary on drive-in movie theaters for decades.
The decidedly American bastions of family fun, high school hi-jinks, classic car culture and late-night double features have greatly waned in popularity over the last 50 years.
The number of theaters operating in the U.S., according to statistics kept at www.driveinmovie.com, has plummeted more than 90 percent, reportedly going from 4,100-plus during the drive-in theater’s late-1950s heyday down to around 330 now.
Yet, something unexpected is happening in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic:
The drive-in theater is making a comeback.
And for those looking for a movie-going experience – one that, yes, requires, actually leaving the house — the drive-in is basically the only game in town right now. Even with the Bay Area planning to reopen some businesses soon, there is no indication of when movie houses will be running again.
I was thrilled to hear the West Wind Drive-In was reopening its two Bay Area locations – in San Jose and Concord – this month, after being shuttered for most of March and all of April due to shelter-in-place orders. (The Sacramento location has also reopened.)
I’ve missed going to the movies. Heck, I’ve missed doing pretty much everything that requires actually walking outside the front door of my house. And now I finally have the chance to take in some entertainment that doesn’t involve me pointing a remote at the TV or staring at my phone.
It never made any sense to me why the drive-ins had to close in the first place. Non-essential business? I don’t know about that. Having a viable entertainment option to sitting on the couch with my family and watching “Bee Movie” for the 687th time seems pretty essential to me.
Plus, the drive-ins are — by their very nature — uniquely suited for a proper movie-going experience in this time of COVID-19. You want social distancing? That’s what you’ll get as you watch the movie from the safety and comfort of your own vehicle.
Thus, it didn’t make much to rally the troops – i.e., my wife Nancy and our daughter Grace – for a trip to West Wind’s Capitol Drive-In in San Jose this past week. It was our first big outing since March 16, which happened to be the day before the shelter-in-place requirements went into effect in Santa Clara County. And how did we spend that last night of freedom? Also by going to the drive-ins, of course.
At this point I should probably come clean and just admit that I’m a huge drive-in movie fan. But I’m not just a fan. I’m also an expert, having been certified as such many years ago by B-movie historian Joe Bob Briggs when I was asked to join his Board of Drive-In Movie Experts. (No, I’m not joking. And, yes, it was one of my proudest professional moments.)
Of course, I also like going to indoor movie theaters, from the faceless mall multiplexes to the rich-in-character single-screen cinemas like the Castro and Paramount theaters. But none of those other places offer up the pure sense of adventure that comes with embarking on a night at the drive-ins.
So, I prepared myself for adventure as I set out for a return to the drive-in. I started packing the SUV with all the necessities. Pillows and blankets? Check. Sweatshirts? Got them. Tissues, wipes and hand sanitizer? Well, it is 2020, right?
And, of course, I changed into the proper adventurer footwear:
Crocs.
The most important thing to pack, as we all know, are the snacks. That’s particularly crucial right now, since the concession stands are closed at the drive-ins in order to limit people from congregating together. But even if they were open, I still prefer to pack in my own food, which I get from raiding our pantry – microwave popcorn, Red Vines, peanut M&M’s, etc. – as well as from take-out restaurants in the area.
(Pro tip for the Capitol Drive-In: Skip Panda Express and the other nearby fast food places. Instead, call ahead to South Bay favorite High Five Pizza and then pick up the order on your way to the theater.)
Once we had the SUV loaded up, we were off on our adventure to see “Trolls World Tour.” Or, at least, that’s what I thought we were seeing. But Grace pulled an audible and said we should see “Onward” instead.
Living on the edge, indeed.
Some might quibble about the selection of movies being currently shown at the drive-ins, given that most of these films have been out, in some form or another, for several weeks. But the limited choices – due to so many studios deciding not release new movies during the pandemic – doesn’t bother me one bit. I am just happy to have choices at all.
We arrived to the drive-in 30 minutes before show time and only had to wait a few minutes in a line of cars to buy our tickets.
I smiled when the cashier handed me back change from a $20, further underscoring that the drive-ins are one of the more budget-friendly entertainment options for families.
Tickets are $8.25 for general admission, $1.75 for ages 5-11 and kids under 5 are admitted free. Plus, you save even more during “Family Fun Night” on Tuesdays, when general admission ducats drop in price to $5.50. (Prices might vary by location.)
The cashier also took time to outline the new rules that have been implemented to help make our trip to the drive-in a safe one. They are basically the same ones posted on the West Wind website (www.westwinddi.com):
- People must stay in their cars at all times except to visit the restroom.
- You must wear a face covering when leaving your car for any reason.
- You may not park your vehicle within 10 feet of another vehicle.
- Limited number of people in the restroom at a time except adult with child.
- Customers who do not follow these rules will be asked to leave.
I drove off toward the screen where “Onward” was playing, parking a few spots away from the nearest car. We were early, so there was plenty of room in the lot, and I wondered whether things would grow more congested as we drew closer to show times. More people did show up, but everybody respected the rules and spaced out their vehicles accordingly.
I later went out to explore the bathroom situation — hey, I’m a journalist on assignment — and found it all to be quite orderly and respectful. There were employees stationed outside of each bathroom, limiting the number of people who could go in at one time.
Back at the car, I soaked up the scene as much as I watched the movie. It was a warm night, with a beautiful full moon glowing in the sky, and the breeze coming through our open sunroof felt great.
The pizza from High Five was delicious, the M&M’s were bountiful and my Crocs were as comfy as can be.
The whole experience felt new and familiar at the same time, as I tried to take everything in and nothing for granted. It was so good to be out again. It was almost like it couldn’t get any better.
And then it did just that, as my daughter rested her head on my shoulder and cuddled into my right arm.
I love the drive-ins.
WEST WIND DRIVE-IN
Northern California locations: 1611 Solano Way, Concord (925-825-1951); 3630 Hillcap Ave., San Jose (408-226-2251); 9616 Oates Drive, Sacramento (916-363-6572)
Tickets: $8.25 general admission, $1.75 for ages 5-11, free for kids under 5; Family Fun Nights on Tuesdays, $5.50 general admission
Schedules, more information: www.westwinddi.com
Yes. Yes. YES! Finally.
The Drive-ins reopen in San Jose, Concord, Sacramento and Glendale. @WestWindDriveIn is one of my favorite places EVER. @mercnews @EastBayTimes https://t.co/emUSI59Qdj
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) May 5, 2020
Reopening of @WestWindDriveIn is a hit with movie lovers in Concord. https://t.co/eHGAAvuQG9
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) May 9, 2020
