Back to the Drive-In
The Midway Drive-In in Ravenna, Ohio was one I remember going to as a kid. Not a lot, but I have a hazy memory of going to see “Raiders of the Lost Ark” there with my parents and sitting in the back. The only other time I remember going there was in 2014, when Meredith and I made our first visit up North together; it was for “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Into the Storm.” We went because there really isn’t a drive-in theatre near us in Georgia, so it was a chance for us to go to one together. My time in the theatre industry has given me some insight into the business side of the multiplex; when you have weather you have to deal with, I can’t imagine how much harder it is.
In “Back to the Drive-In,” director April Wright takes us on a journey through the drive-in theatre industry that is- at once- a part of the larger exhibition industry, but also almost an entirely different one. When the pandemic hit, and multiplexes closed, drive-in theatres endured a renaissance, even as some theatres opened pop-up ones to stay afloat. Yes, they have concession stands and movies, but when you have to check the weather, keep the grass mowed, and can only show films at night, that is an entirely unique set of problems. One of the things that comes through beautifully in this film is how the owners of these drive-ins are not in it for profit, but because they love the experience, and want to share that with audiences. As movie theatres re-opened, and studios shifted to day-and-date streaming, however, the struggles continued, and listening to some of these owners as they face some difficult questions, it’s heartbreaking.
I’ll admit that there have been times where I think I’d want to run an independent movie theatre, one where I can set the programming and charge what I want and offer filmgoers a unique experience building upon my knowledge of both the industry, but film in general. Something like “Back to the Drive-In” makes me realize why I don’t know that I’d ever really want to do that- it can be stressful enough just being in charge of operations when you don’t have to worry about the bottom line yourself; given how in flux the industry is in general, how much would I want to be on that roller coaster ride myself? The experiences I’ve had with drive-ins over the years, whether its at the Midway or when the Plaza ran their pop-up drive-in during the pandemic, were enough for me to appreciate how much more challenging it is; April Wright’s film drives it home.
There are a lot of movie watching experiences I wish I could have in life, and who knows what the future will bring in that department. As this movie wrapped up, my biggest thought was that I wanted to go to each of these drive-ins, and thank them for what they’re doing to keep the movie experience alive in the best of ways. They all talk a lot about how the attitude of moviewatchers has changed a lot since the pandemic, and you can definitely tell that is something across the board. That the lack of respect for the movie experience, and those that work in the business, is universal but not surprising. If “Back to the Drive-In” does one thing, it’s that- I hope- it gives people a look at how hard running a theatre of any kind is; the least you can do is treat them with kindness.
