Drive-In (1976)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

That was an excellent one.

Good concept, poorly executed.

As Good As It Gets

Once upon a time there were drive-in movies which provided double and even triple features.including cartoons,and endless intermission ads between the films,and snack bars which sold a coil shaped mosquito repellant called Pic.This film captures that time even though it features only one movie called Disaster 75 which beat airplane to the punch in parody of Airport and Posidion Adventure type movies.It does include one of those intermission ads {when it was shown on ABC-TV of course they took a commercial break}.The film includes as its characters a gang member,the good guy and the lady he defends,a pair of inept robbers,and many more who make this night in Texas a real fun night at the movies

I could've sworn I had already written a comment on this flick, but guess I didn't. A shame, too. Because this is one of the few non-mainstream movies that I really think deserves a "10" on IMDb's scale.All right. Call me a romantic blatherer, but no movie other than the first "American Graffiti" is still able--this long after its release, and noting how far cinema has come in the meantime--to transport the watcher to a specific time period in a specific place with so little effort. Rod Amateau deserves a place in cinematic history for that, if nothing else. And the amazing thing about it is that the specific time period--and place--to which it transports the watcher is none other than the very one in which it was filmed! Not something lovingly recreated, but fresh while it was happening! No nostalgic tweaking, just slice-of-life with a smile.Perhaps I gush, but I remember very well the first time I saw "Drive-In." It was at a dollar-admission cinema and was a new release at the time. The movie house changed its movies every Friday, and for some reason I went to see this on opening night. I was back on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday--five shows in seven days, and if they hadn't changed the movie again on Friday, I would have been back for more the next week. And I brought people with me to every show after that first one, all of whom claimed to adore it as well. That was 30 years ago, and I can remember no other movie before or after for which I felt that kind of exhilaration with the exception of "O Lucky Man!".What makes the movie so much fun? What makes it amazingly re-watchable? I haven't the slightest idea. It's just a bunch of kids doing what kids do, while the (few) adults around them remain largely clueless. That, and mentally filling in the blanks as to what happens during the unseen parts of "Disaster '76," the movie-within-a-movie on-screen at the drive-in, is always fun. And of course, just the plain old' down-home good humor and never-taking-itself-too-seriously writing doesn't hurt a bit. They pink, Orville...pink as bubblegum! Goodness knows several of the songs are used WAY too often (the Statler Brothers must have gotten GOBS of royalty payments from "Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott" being used more times than I can count) and Enoch is just a little too over-the-top (as is his pseudo-demise) while still being a real character, and NOBODY is believable as being quite what they pretend (just like real life, except these are actors playing parts), so don't look for great performances or something that would make Stanislavski or Strasberg sit up and take notice. But if you're looking for 90 minutes worth of pure entertainment that NO ONE need take seriously but everyone can smile at, I highly recommend searching out a VHS copy of this flick or praying for its release on DVD.Folks, it's a fantasy. Could it have happened? The odds AGAINST it are as high as the percent given in the Ronnie Milsap song on the soundtrack. But it's too pretty a fantasy to ignore. Give yourself over to it, and remember how life used to be, whether it ever really was or not.

I take pictures of Drive In Theatres so I mainly got this movie to see the Drive In Theatre that was shown in this movie. This was filmed at The Terrell Drive In. A small suburb outside of Dallas Texas. Some or most of the actors are I believe local folks from around the area. Some real good footage of the Terrell Drive In not to long before it was closed. But after watching this movie, I thought it was really a cute and funny show. Very enjoyable! There is romance, a little Mild gang violence, and a little slapstick type comedy. Just some kids, and "big kids" having a time at the Drive In. The movie showing at the Drive In is "Disaster '76". A spoof somewhat like that of "Airplane". So this is somewhat a movie within a movie. If you get the opportunity, have a look. I think you will enjoy it. I've watched it 4 times already and I've only had the video for 3 months!! Enjoy! Randy Carlisle

I caught this movie quite by accident on a cable system in 1976, and immediately fell in love with it! DRIVE-IN, featuring character actor Glenn Morshower in his movie debut, is an entertaining comedy about teens (and adults) gathering at a drive-in movie in a small Texas town in the mid 70's. Lisa Lemole is wonderful as the femme fatale who switches romantic partners mid-movie. DRIVE-IN features romance, gang violence, wonderful moments between two brothers, and enough slapstick comedy to satisfy almost anyone! And, let's not forget the movie-within-a-movie, "Disaster '76". which is the movie that's playing at the...DRIVE-IN! Highly recommend this one!