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At the Movies
Aug. 2nd, 2020 10:00 amFor the first time in my life, I went to a drive-in movie.
With all the movie theaters in New York a health hazard for the foreseeable future, the drive-in--a forgotten relic of the 1950s--is the only game in town for big screen cinema.
Last night, the fam packed up snacks and drove out to the Skyline Drive-In, located on the water in Greenpoint (Brooklyn). Entry was smooth and safe: electronic "ticket" scanned at the gate, with plenty of attendants to wave you into your spot on the lot. We got there early enough for a good spot; we lined up right with the center of the screen.
If you want to walk around before the movie, the view of the Manhattan skyline is fantastic. (And if you need to make a side trip, the bathrooms are clean and well-maintained.)
Rather than set up speakers for your car like the old drive-ins, you just set your radio to a particular FM station. We brought a transistor radio, since we didn't want to drain our car battery.
Food? As I said, we brought our own. But they do have a short Grub Hub menu, and the attendants bring the order right to your car window.
It was a relaxed atmosphere, some people hanging out (at a safe distance) on lawn chairs. There were families, young couples, even a few dogs enjoying the night air. It was good to be around people again, enjoying a community activity without worrying too much about unwanted contact.
The movies themselves are modern day "classics"--hits from the 80s, 90s, and 00s. You're not going to get new movies here. Last night's selection was "The Goonies," maybe the Spielberg-iest movie Spielberg didn't direct. (Suburban kids on bicycles? Check. Fantastical adventure? Check. Villains from the world of grown-ups? Check. Misunderstood outsider embraced by the kids? Check.)
It was a very pleasant experience. We'll be back in two weeks for School of Rock.
With all the movie theaters in New York a health hazard for the foreseeable future, the drive-in--a forgotten relic of the 1950s--is the only game in town for big screen cinema.
Last night, the fam packed up snacks and drove out to the Skyline Drive-In, located on the water in Greenpoint (Brooklyn). Entry was smooth and safe: electronic "ticket" scanned at the gate, with plenty of attendants to wave you into your spot on the lot. We got there early enough for a good spot; we lined up right with the center of the screen.
If you want to walk around before the movie, the view of the Manhattan skyline is fantastic. (And if you need to make a side trip, the bathrooms are clean and well-maintained.)
Rather than set up speakers for your car like the old drive-ins, you just set your radio to a particular FM station. We brought a transistor radio, since we didn't want to drain our car battery.
Food? As I said, we brought our own. But they do have a short Grub Hub menu, and the attendants bring the order right to your car window.
It was a relaxed atmosphere, some people hanging out (at a safe distance) on lawn chairs. There were families, young couples, even a few dogs enjoying the night air. It was good to be around people again, enjoying a community activity without worrying too much about unwanted contact.
The movies themselves are modern day "classics"--hits from the 80s, 90s, and 00s. You're not going to get new movies here. Last night's selection was "The Goonies," maybe the Spielberg-iest movie Spielberg didn't direct. (Suburban kids on bicycles? Check. Fantastical adventure? Check. Villains from the world of grown-ups? Check. Misunderstood outsider embraced by the kids? Check.)
It was a very pleasant experience. We'll be back in two weeks for School of Rock.
