Saps, another great story! Yeah, the Larkfield marquee was so SMALL. So I have no idea how you could have “juiced up” the movie titles—except with an exclamation point here and there. LOL.
What was the last movie playing there when you had left in 1978? Do you remember a strange double bill at Larkfield of “TunnelVision” and a cheap movie called “American Tickler” circa 1977? Also, like I said earlier…do you remember when people actually smoked POT in movie theaters? I remember this was a common practice for the early Cheech and Chong movies, and other related “head” movies.
Concession stand prices in movie theaters SKY-ROCKETED in the Regan 1980’s and never slowed down. Today, the price is obscene (mainly the popcorn issue, as to how actually cheap it is, per pound, when you visit the supermarket). But who goes to the movie theater to eat? Have dinner first.
Per:BobT “walking out on a movie”. I have only walked out of two movies in my lifetime: 1) “Something Special” (look it up on IMDB—-too complicated to explain). 2)The “Batman” movie (part 3? Part 4?) the one with with Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy.__-Movie I WISH I could have walked out on but did not because I was with friends :—>“WILLOW”, “Summer Rental”, “Hellraiser”.
Hmmm… I’m gonna go with the last bit of information. Wouldn’t it be a hoot if the Commack Drive-In explained it on their marque in plastic letters! “Please excuse the distributor’s title change on Revenge of the Living Dead…It’s former title was Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things…we just thought you’d like to know that before paying so there was no mistake or deception. Enjoy the show!”
P.S. BobT’s “Revenge of the Living Dead” comment : That series in the “Orgy” ad, was from the Spanish “…Living Dead” series (“Tomb of the Blind Dead”, etc) …just assumed they were obscure retitles from God-knows-where. If indeed one of those titles was actually “Children Shouldn’t…” we will never know for sure!? Also, this “Orgy…” was mentioned in Michael Weldon’s Psychotronic Film Guide with no mentions of “Children…” and he’s pretty dead-on about those things…but who knows, it was the willy nilly 1970’s when ANYTHING could happen!
I meant that “Day of the Locust” was not exactly a great movie choice for the typical Long Island Drive-In Family (and I do remember it being a BOMB….box office-wise). Although I would like to see it as I have a serious Karen Black fixation. Isn’t it funny how she was on the Hollywood “A List” till “Burnt Offerings” happened!? In a fairly recent interview (maybe 10 years ago), she was telling of her role as a mother of at least one teen-aged daughter. Ms. Black was telling some story about picking her daughter up from school, and the daughter was embarassed by the choice of vehicle her Mom was driving (an out-dated looking SUV?).Anyway, I just imagined being in the high school parking lot——and seeing Karen Black pulling up! LOL. That would be an image that would stay with me FOREVER!
Dear Sirs,
We here at the C.V.S. Corp. would love to buy this theater for a good price and gut it for one of our many,many,many,many,many locations! Give us a call as soon as you can!
Willard Dribbleman
(V.P. of demolition to old theaters)
BobT, I think they should have called “Liztomania”….. “Tommy , Part 2” and then it would have done better or even a nudge at the box-office. I don’t remember this movie getting any promotion at all—even in the wake of Tommy. As for “Sgt. Pepper”…people will wonder “How did the (all still living) Beatles let this happen?” Well, their mentor/producer George Martin, produced the soundtrack, so they figured “OK, if George is involved, it will retain some dignity”. Oops. The soundtrack double LP was in “cut out” bins for years to follow. The same winning team/producers of “Grease” cranked out another musical wanker in 1980 with the awful movie “Times Square”—-that produced another double LP for the “cut out” bins!
Saps, another great story! Yeah, the Larkfield marquee was so SMALL. So I have no idea how you could have “juiced up” the movie titles—except with an exclamation point here and there. LOL.
What was the last movie playing there when you had left in 1978? Do you remember a strange double bill at Larkfield of “TunnelVision” and a cheap movie called “American Tickler” circa 1977? Also, like I said earlier…do you remember when people actually smoked POT in movie theaters? I remember this was a common practice for the early Cheech and Chong movies, and other related “head” movies.
Gutted! Drove by today,saw heavy construction at the former site, July 27, 2007. The pylon/sign is still out facing Route 110! Someone grab it.
Nobody has pictures of this place?
Concession stand prices in movie theaters SKY-ROCKETED in the Regan 1980’s and never slowed down. Today, the price is obscene (mainly the popcorn issue, as to how actually cheap it is, per pound, when you visit the supermarket). But who goes to the movie theater to eat? Have dinner first.
Per:BobT “walking out on a movie”. I have only walked out of two movies in my lifetime: 1) “Something Special” (look it up on IMDB—-too complicated to explain). 2)The “Batman” movie (part 3? Part 4?) the one with with Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy.__-Movie I WISH I could have walked out on but did not because I was with friends :—>“WILLOW”, “Summer Rental”, “Hellraiser”.
Great story! Maybe on E-Bay you can find one?
So this does not exist yet?LOL
wish someone had a picture….
Hmmm… I’m gonna go with the last bit of information. Wouldn’t it be a hoot if the Commack Drive-In explained it on their marque in plastic letters! “Please excuse the distributor’s title change on Revenge of the Living Dead…It’s former title was Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things…we just thought you’d like to know that before paying so there was no mistake or deception. Enjoy the show!”
P.S. BobT’s “Revenge of the Living Dead” comment : That series in the “Orgy” ad, was from the Spanish “…Living Dead” series (“Tomb of the Blind Dead”, etc) …just assumed they were obscure retitles from God-knows-where. If indeed one of those titles was actually “Children Shouldn’t…” we will never know for sure!? Also, this “Orgy…” was mentioned in Michael Weldon’s Psychotronic Film Guide with no mentions of “Children…” and he’s pretty dead-on about those things…but who knows, it was the willy nilly 1970’s when ANYTHING could happen!
I meant that “Day of the Locust” was not exactly a great movie choice for the typical Long Island Drive-In Family (and I do remember it being a BOMB….box office-wise). Although I would like to see it as I have a serious Karen Black fixation. Isn’t it funny how she was on the Hollywood “A List” till “Burnt Offerings” happened!? In a fairly recent interview (maybe 10 years ago), she was telling of her role as a mother of at least one teen-aged daughter. Ms. Black was telling some story about picking her daughter up from school, and the daughter was embarassed by the choice of vehicle her Mom was driving (an out-dated looking SUV?).Anyway, I just imagined being in the high school parking lot——and seeing Karen Black pulling up! LOL. That would be an image that would stay with me FOREVER!
…and a zowie ad from 1971…
View link
Did Jerry actually approve of that ugly caricature that was used on the ads and marquees?
(SATIRE)
Dear Sirs,
We here at the C.V.S. Corp. would love to buy this theater for a good price and gut it for one of our many,many,many,many,many locations! Give us a call as soon as you can!
Willard Dribbleman
(V.P. of demolition to old theaters)
555-6756
I’m sure the Disney corp. has no nostalgia for “Tron” that few years before and after!
…aren’t you glad it’s not “Star Wars”?
No listing for the Smithhaven Mall theaters on this site?
Wow! This would be the Anti-Multiplex…
BobT, I think they should have called “Liztomania”….. “Tommy , Part 2” and then it would have done better or even a nudge at the box-office. I don’t remember this movie getting any promotion at all—even in the wake of Tommy. As for “Sgt. Pepper”…people will wonder “How did the (all still living) Beatles let this happen?” Well, their mentor/producer George Martin, produced the soundtrack, so they figured “OK, if George is involved, it will retain some dignity”. Oops. The soundtrack double LP was in “cut out” bins for years to follow. The same winning team/producers of “Grease” cranked out another musical wanker in 1980 with the awful movie “Times Square”—-that produced another double LP for the “cut out” bins!
Does ANYBODY remember Rocky Horror at the Haupauge theater circa late 1970’s?????????? It never gets mentioned.
and a clunker for Commack in the late 1960’s:
View link
OPPS: here is the evidence:
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Oh, new evidence that Larkfield coulda turned “adults only” at some point:
View link
A good 1975 booking for the Commack Drive In …and a bad booking for the 110 Drive In on the same week:
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