![]() ![]() The pandemic may have brought audiences back but Back to the Drive-In works as a time capsule of this era. When you look at where these theaters are, I cannot say that it is a surprise. It’s no different than some of the terrible stories we’ve heard during the pandemic. One in particular is TMI–a customer is so upset about wearing a mask in public that they choose to just go to the restroom in front of everyone. You’ll get no shortage of mask stories during this film. One theater in the film is already on its final days, what with a demolition and all in 2022. Will the pandemic renaissance be enough? We’ll just have to wait and see. Many of them are struggling to break even, too. Theaters are already having to compete with streaming services when it comes to the audience. You can’t help but feel for them but thankfully it receded before the end of the season. Shortly after April’s visit to the Harvest Moon, a flood hits the area. It allowed many films to hold a premiere in a safe manner. With governments forcing indoor theaters to close, these theaters were a saving grace. ![]() It certainly hasn’t been easy by any means but they’ve battled their way through it. Theaters really got thrown for a curveball during this hundred-year pandemic. Studios, please do better.Īs technology changes, theaters are constantly having to reinvent themselves. When studios hold back their films, it is damaging for the business. The business, much like indoor theaters, also reflect our future. It’s something that we’re especially feeling in August since Hollywood just treats it like another January and gives up on it. But as is the case across the board, fewer theatrical releases just increases the struggle for everyone. The films will populate streaming services down the road but it’s important to let them make as much money as possible during the theatrical release. ![]() Say what you will about streaming but the theatrical releases are important for the economy. TRANSIT DRIVE-IN – Lockport, NY (Buffalo area).GALAXY DRIVE-IN – Ennis, TX (south of Dallas/Ft.HARVEST MOON DRIVE-IN – Gibson City, IL.BENGIES DRIVE-IN – Middle River, MD (Baltimore area).FIELD OF DREAMS DRIVE-IN – Liberty Center, OH (Toledo area).MISSION TIKI DRIVE-IN – Montclair, CA (Los Angeles area) (closing in 2022).WELLFLEET DRIVE-IN – Wellfleet, MA (Cape Cod).QUASAR DRIVE-IN – Valley, NE (Omaha area).BRAZOS DRIVE-IN – Granville, TX (southwest of Dallas/Ft.GREENVILLE DRIVE-IN – Greenville, NY (in the Catskills).Wright focuses on the following theaters: But still, the pandemic brings about hope. They aren’t thriving as well as we thought. Unlike the publicly traded theatrical chains, these family-owned businesses show us a different story. And yes, we even get to see the weather issues at play. She talks to the owners and operators during a single day from before customers arrive all the way through the film playing on screen. April finds out by traveling to 11 drive-ins on a road trip that takes her to eight different states. You may have heard they were thriving but this film shows the bigger picture at play. This film takes place during the summer of 2021 and it comes at a time when theaters were open but struggling. Unlike 500 locations in her earlier film, Wright keeps the focus on just 11 drive-in families during the drive-in renaissance. ![]() She followed this up a few years later with other industry related documentaries, Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace and Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story. In 2013, Wright released her first Drive-In documentary, Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the American Drive-in Movie. It’s not a groundbreaking documentary but it’s a solid film as she continues capturing stories from theater owners and operators. This is the sort of film where there are so many stories that April Wright features plenty more of them during the credits. Back to the Drive-In explores the truth behind the Drive-In renaissance during the pandemic and their struggles to stay afloat. ![]()
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