Child of the 1980's - The Drive-In Theater

                Drive-In movies were a huge part of the lives of children and young adults during the 1950’s and 1960’s.  Though drive-ins technically existed prior to World War I the first true patented drive-in opened in Camden, New Jersey in 1933.  Even after that they did not become a true part of culture until the 1950’s.  The growing popularity of drive-ins was evident at this time.  In 1948 the United States had less than 1,000 drive-ins compared to 17,000 indoor theaters.  By 1958 the numbers were changing with roughly 4,600 drive-ins opened in the country and approximately 12,000 indoor theaters.

                Drive-ins were a welcome change from what could be crowded indoor theaters.  First off one could sit in their own vehicle and watch a movie.  In fact the largest drive-in theater for a long time was located in Dearborn, Michigan and used to hold 3,000 cars.  It was eventually surpassed by the Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop.  When the 1980’s began the drive-in was still going strong with approximately 3,500 screens located across the country.  However this decade would end quite differently.

                Growing up on Cape Cod I remember vividly going to the Yarmouth Drive-In located along Parker’s River.  There were also screens located in Hyannis, Dennis, East Falmouth, and Wellfleet.  During this time in the early 1980’s I got to see movies such as Return of the Jedi, E.T., Flash Gordon, and even Friday the 13^th Part III at the Yarmouth Drive-In.  It was such a thrill as a child barely in kindergarten to be able to lay down under a blanket with pillows and snacks and watch a movie on a screen that was between 90-100-feet wide.  Shows started at dusk and were double-features.  The first movie was usually the more family friendly since it was likely that the kids would be wide awake and wired for the show.  The second movie was usually a little looser, probably not R-rated, but likely a solid PG, or PG-13.  It felt like an adventure, a unique experience, being outside yet feeling like you were in your own living room.

Dennis Drive-In courtesy of Cinema Treasures

               
      The 1980’s began with five drive-ins on Cape Cod, and 3,500 nationwide.  By 1990 that number was below 1,000, and there was only one survivor on the Cape and that was in Wellfleet.  What caused the downfall?  Causes range from the rise of cable television to the wider availability of VCR’s.  Drive-Ins did not totally vanish, and still haven’t, but today they are more of a niche, something neat to experience once during the summer if possible, not a weekly ritual like in its heyday.

So for Cape Cod children of the 1980’s wondering what happened to the other four, here are the answers.  In East Falmouth the Cod Drive-In was first to go as it closed in 1980.  Today it is the site of J.R. Brody’s and Falmouth Lumber, a concrete slab likely where the tickets or refreshments were sold is still there.  The Dennis Drive-In on Hokum Rock Road closed shortly thereafter.  In its heyday it had room for nearly 1,000 cars and even had small planes landing and rolling up to watch movies.  Today it is an overgrown field near an industrial park.  If you walk around you can see old pavement, concrete slabs, and an occasional speaker or speaker pole.  The Yarmouth Drive-In I frequented as a child closed next in 1985.  Today it is an open field across from Capt. Parker’s Restaurant on Rt. 28.  The last Cape drive-in to close was the Hyannis Drive-In which shuttered in 1987.  Today it is a shopping center anchored by Toys R Us, Home Goods and Shaws.

Wellfleet Drive-In today courtesy of Wellfleet Cinemas

The Wellfleet Drive-In is still hanging on and has now found a second life as children of the 1980’s wish to recreate that old drive-in magic with their children.  Today there are only 336 drive-ins left in the country, that’s about 7% when compared to the prime of the late 1950’s. 

What movies do you remember seeing in the 1980’s at the drive-in?  Do you get the chance to go today?  For a trip down memory lane check out Drive-In Theater.com, and stay tuned for more buttery and sugary treats 1980’s style!

Click here for my last Child of the 1980's blog about Mascot Mania!

34 - 2/22/11 - Marshside Storytime

Initial Impressions

34 – 2/22/11 – Marshside Storytime

Snow Chance In Hell: c. 2002/03

Okay so this is a first Initial Impressions to feature Marshside Storytime.  These are pulled from the archives of my nearly 18 years at the Marsh.  They are all hilarious, although some are probably going to make me look like a real asshole.  Whatever, there is a statute of limitations on these actions.  Enjoy.

At the old Marshside we had a large barn located across the small dirt parking lot.  It was here that we had our walk-in fridge, prep area, and a large section of the barn which was filled with paper goods and a lot of random stuff.

                At one point we had a really weak intercom system put in.  It worked at first but not too long after it sounded like when you put your whole mouth over a microphone, it became just a bunch of garbled sounds.  It became more reliable to step out onto our deck and shout or whistle for somebody in the prep area if we needed something to be brought over.

                When it would snow we would take to throwing snowballs at the side of the barn.  Sometimes to get people’s attention, sometimes for fun, sometimes to throw at people.  Hey, we’re only human.

                Anyway, there was one time where this one guy Bento was in the prep room doing his thing when we needed him to bring us something.  A few snowballs and shouts brought him to the door.  I told him what we needed and he went to get it.  Of course, I had another snowball left over, it couldn’t go to waste.

                When he came back out I fired the snowball at him but missed.  He was not amused.  I enjoyed it though and decided that the game of the day would be to see how many times I could call to Bento, get him to come out, and then how many times I could hit him with snowballs.

                After a couple of times, and a couple of bad misses by me, he wised up.  I shouted to him and threw a snowball at the barn but Bento would not come out.  I was not to be denied the satisfaction of drilling him with my perfectly round ball of frozen water so I went in the prep room after him.  

                I quietly opened the screen door and the storm door and crept a few steps back to where our tiny prep area was.  There was an unsuspecting Bento chopping lettuce for salads.  Aww, maybe I shouldn’t since he has no idea?  Wrong.

                Being a sport I shouted, “Hey!”  Bento looked up and his eyes got huge behind his giant Drew Carey-like black-rimmed glasses. 

                “No!  No!”  Bento shouted as he pressed himself up against the wall knowing the end was near for him.  He acted as if I was Jason Voorhees and was about to throw an axe at him.  This scene of pure horror from him caught me off guard and I busted out laughing.  There was no way I could control myself.  Still, it was too late to turn back.  I cocked my arm back while still laughing and fired the snowball from about eight-feet away. 

                My aim was sad thanks to my laughter and the snowball sailed to the left knocking a clock off of the wall.  The snow splattered against the wall the clock spun around in the air bouncing off of the shelves on the left side of the prep room.  Bento breathed a sigh of relief and I dashed out of the prep room still laughing.  I think it took a few weeks for him to trust me enough to come outside when I whistled for him.  Ahh, good times. 

Altered to protect the innocent.

4 - June 3, 2010

Initial Impressions

Christopher Setterlund

June 3, 2010 – In My Footsteps Travel Day

1.      Almost didn’t go today due to the threat of rain, luckily all we got was fog.

2.      There is nothing cooler than driving through the fog and having the sun break out up ahead.  It is also incredibly scary to go over one of the bridges when you can’t see below you. 

3.      Got to visit a cemetery in East Bridgewater where my great-great grandparents are buried, along with many other relatives.  The odd thing was walking across the cemetery and the house next door had ‘Jet City Woman’ by Queensryche playing.  Sort of a weird choice of mood music.

4.      This was my second trip to Bridgewater, second because the first time I did not bring any addresses.  A GPS can’t find places without addresses, yes I am a college grad and did not think of this before.

5.      Hockomock Swamp is the center of all sorts of supposed paranormal activity in East Bridgewater.  I did not see Bigfoot, it was creepy though when the fog rolled back in just as I arrived deep in the swamp.  I did proceed to get chewed like jerky by insects.

6.      Part of me actually started wishing the fog stayed put as it got really hot and humid after the sun came out.  Next week I should bring a change of clothes, not fun.

7.      There was a really nice little farm next to the Keith House on River Street in W. Bridgewater.  There were tons of cows that all seemed a little too interested in me.  Maybe they wanted me to swat the flies off of their backs.

8.      A great surprise was in Pembroke.  There was a carnival being set up across from the Town Hall.  It was on the grounds of the Memorial Park which meant that there were war memorials lying in and among the rides and snack stands.  It made for an interesting dichotomy, too bad it wasn’t open yet.

9.      Again my GPS seems to want to either kill me or confuse me.  It has me take a right from a parking lot and do a big square of driving when a left turn would have saved time.  Is this common in England and since I use the British voice the computer is using their driving habits?

10.  Oh and also the Friends Meetinghouse in Pembroke is really cool, but it is on this dangerous corner which nearly got me killed twice.  Eventually I parked at a party supply store and walked.

11.  I went to see the Winslow House, home of the town’s founding family, in Marshfield at the perfect time.  There was the annual meeting and fundraiser going on just as I got there which made this 17^th century home sound more like a cafeteria.  Do I get an extra scoop of mashed potatoes if I ask nicely lunch lady?

12.  Got to visit the grave of Daniel Webster, plus his law office, and estate.  His name is huge in American history and in the town of Marshfield, but there was another name now synonymous with the town that I had to visit.     

13.  The Marshfield Hills General Store was bought last year by Steve Carell and his wife.  He said he might at times show up to work.  He was not there today, but there is a bunch of ‘The Office’ merchandise for sale.  When I mentioned this to the clerk he was coy, but I got a receipt to remember that I was there.  I should have got a ‘That’s what she said’ shirt, but oh well.

14.  Near Damons Point in Marshfield there was a house along the water with a row of at least 50-60 birdhouses, seriously, it was like a bird hotel.

15.  Was supposed to hit up Kingston today too but the places I listed were not easy to find.  Yeah I know, I had the GPS, and addresses and still failed to find them.  Sorry but the Independence Mall was not going to be the centerpiece of an article.

16.  Funny how people are real quick to let me out of an intersection when there’s a cop behind me. 

17.  Gas was up to 20 cents cheaper per gallon off Cape.

18.   Finishing up the day with a visit to the Thai Garden in the Cape Cod Mall and watching the remake of Friday the 13^th, only giving it a shot because I loved the original.  Nothing special thus far.

Quote of the Day: “Toby is in HR, which technically means he works for corporate, so he's really not a part of our family. Also, he's divorced, so he's really not a part of his family.” – Michael Scott (Steve Carell), The Office.

Song of the Day:  Toes – Zac Brown Band

Photo of the Day:  Statue on Lynn Common - Lynn, Mass.