The American Drive-In Movie Theatre - Hardcover

Sanders, Don; Sanders, Susan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 078582975X ISBN 13: 9780785829751

Publisher: Crestline Books, 2013

Synopsis

The American Drive-in Movie Theatre relives the magic and excitement of the drive-in experience through rare photographs, lively text, and entertaining personal stories.  From the first theaters of the early 1930s to the successful ozoners of today, the glorious history of the drive-in is told.  For those who fondly recall watching movies under the stars, this book of nostalgia is sure to take you back to the days when life was good, cars had style, and the drive-in theatre was the epitome of American entertainment.

The drive-in's appeal was universal and attracted everyone in nearly every town across the country. Even celebrities—like Elvis Presley, John Wayne, Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, and The Beatles—enjoyed the pleasures of the drive-in experience. With great films, wonderful food, kiddie amusement parks, and opulaent architecture, the ozoner was the place to be!

About this title

Review:

Tracing the history, geography, and ideology of the American drive-in movie theater, authors Don and Susan Sanders present a densely illustrated look at American culture at its most shallow, sensual, and delightful. Noting the need of the newly created class of motorized, moneyed teenagers of the 1940s and '50s to find a dark and private place for their pubescent pastimes, the Sanders place the origin of this outdoor entertainment form in the birth of popular culture. The sections on the amusement park-style rides, refreshments, and attractions that were used to lure the bored and their cash to this form of voyeurism are especially delightful (the "Mono-Rocket" ride and the new high-speed food dispensers provide intriguing images of capitalist inventiveness). In spite of its Pollyanna-ish tone, The American Drive-In Movie Theater works as both a celebration and an insightful analysis of this passing phase of pre-couch potato folly.

About the Author:

Don and Susan Sanders of Dallas are ardent enthusiasts of the American Road.  With an intense interest in roadside Americana, they travel the nation's forgotten highways searching for historic icons of American's past.

About this edition

• Publisher: Crestline Books
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 078582975X
• ISBN 13: 9780785829751
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160