Drive-In Theaters: A History from Their Inception in 1933

The history of this primarily American institution from its beginnings in the 1930s through its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s to its gradual demise in modern-day America is thoroughly documented here: the patent battles, community concerns with morality (on-screen and off), technological advances (audio systems, screens, etc.), audiences, and the drive-in's place in the motion picture industry.

Drive-in theaters, a uniquely American institution, prospered in the suburbs of the postwar 1950s, when the whole family could go to the movies in that newfound symbol of independence, the automobile. Subsequent decades saw the number of drive-ins decline, owing to the encroachment of home television and a number of other socioeconomic factors skillfully delineated in this well-researched study. The recollections of drive-in patrons as well as theater owners enrich the narrative, and there are valuable appendixes, including the text of the original patent for the drive-in theater, statistics covering the number of theaters (overall and by state) operating through the years, and revenues of indoor vs. outdoor theaters. Though this is an academic study, it is filled with the nostalgia of tinted windshields and free children's playgrounds. Highly recommended for serious film collections.
- Richard W. Grefrath, Univ. of Nevada Lib., Reno
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.