\o/ @ Norman Plant for that mid 70’s marquee shot. LOL @ the fact that “Flesh Gordon” was playing there! Somebody at Mid-America must have loved that movie…it ran at the Holiday Drive-In probably one or 2 weekends a year every year too. Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised – they DID operate a full blown porn house (Fine Arts) and featured a weekly diet of T & A at the Holiday, I-70 AND the Falcon Drive-Ins!
Wow! The U-City Cinema! The place where this whole movie loving obsession of mine began some 36 years ago! Wish I could read what was on the marquee! Thanks again, Norman!
Value of land is higher than teenyboppers at a Snoop Dogg concert. They’d rather put Wal Marts and grocery stores on that land than something that will only make them money after it gets dark outside. Greedy, I know, but unless some benevolent benafactor plunks down a couple of mil on a piece of land and demands that a drive-in MUST BE operated on it, this is what we’re stuck with.
As stated in another blog post, I’ve been splitting time between both the Vineland and Mission Tiki since Daylight Savings Time descended upon us. 2 movies for the price of a matinee. Can’t beat that!
BTW: The “Tiki Dogs” at the Mission Tiki (Bacon wrapped hot dogs with grilled onions & jalapeno peppers on a warm hot dog bun) are KILLER!
Some other group tried this concept last year with AMC tickets via Groupon. Demand overwhelmed supply to the point where folks never received their tickets and they had to shut down. I wish I could remember their name…
Although I’m not surprised. As I said in my post “Thor” comments, 3D doesn’t quite work in there. I’m going to Transformers 3 at Rave 18 (The Bridge) IMAX.
I took a tour yesterday and uploaded 4 pics to this theatre’s page. The status needs to be changed to “Open.”
As for the theatre itself, it is considerably smaller than it was during the Magic Johnson era. Lobby is drastically smaller with 1 concession area servicing the whole theatre (a nightmare waiting to happen for the poor soul who gets to the theatre 5 minutes before showtime!).
Auditorium seating ranges from 90 to over 300. The 300 seaters are their “raveXtreme” auditoriums featuring nicely wide screens (but not tall like IMAX or even the wannabe Digital IMAX/AMC ETX/Cinemark XD screens) and top notch sound. I caught the 2nd half of “Fast Five” in the X2 Extreme auditorium…pity the poor souls who have to sit dead in front!). Regular auds fluctuate between side masking in some and top masking in others. Theatre is all digital projection with 7 auditoriums exclusively dedicated to Real 3D projection.
IMO, their biggest issue will be controlling the teenyboppers who will crush this place to bits on weekends!
Rave has been advertising in print media for their other Los Angeles location (Rave 18 + IMAX – formerly known as The Bridge) in the LA Tines since their takeover of the theatre over a year ago. At the bottom of the print ad they included a blurb about the opening of this new location.
As for the theatre itself, I took a tour yesterday. It is considerably smaller than it was during the Magic Johnson era. Lobby is drastically smaller with 1 concession area servicing the whole theatre. Auditorium seating ranges from 90 to over 300. The 300 seaters are their “raveXtreme” auditoriums featuring nicely wide screens (but not tall like IMAX or even the wannabe Digital IMAX/AMC ETX/Cinemark XD screens) and top notch sound. Regular auds fluctuate between side masking in some and top masking in others.
IMO, their biggest issue will be controlling the teenyboppers who will crush this place to bits on weekends!
Nice 70’s marquee shot. I’d kill to see an “Andy Warhol’s FRANKENSTEIN 3D” marquee shot!
Crossing my fingers in hopes that someone out there in cyberspace has pics of the Holiday in the midst of its 4 screen era!
\o/ @ Norman Plant for that mid 70’s marquee shot. LOL @ the fact that “Flesh Gordon” was playing there! Somebody at Mid-America must have loved that movie…it ran at the Holiday Drive-In probably one or 2 weekends a year every year too. Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised – they DID operate a full blown porn house (Fine Arts) and featured a weekly diet of T & A at the Holiday, I-70 AND the Falcon Drive-Ins!
Thank you, Norman, for helping retrace the tracks of my childhood!
Got any Varsity, Stadium I & II or any other drive-in pics (crossing my fingers for Holiday circa 1976-77) in your archives?
YEAH! OLD SCHOOL ESQUIRE!!!
Wow! The U-City Cinema! The place where this whole movie loving obsession of mine began some 36 years ago! Wish I could read what was on the marquee! Thanks again, Norman!
My money’s on JAlex’s comment. The brother’s fact checking skills are second to none!
I’ve noticed quite a few pics posted from other websites and publications as of late. Thanks for addressing this.
Value of land is higher than teenyboppers at a Snoop Dogg concert. They’d rather put Wal Marts and grocery stores on that land than something that will only make them money after it gets dark outside. Greedy, I know, but unless some benevolent benafactor plunks down a couple of mil on a piece of land and demands that a drive-in MUST BE operated on it, this is what we’re stuck with.
Perhaps Wickes & Levitz should have utilized a similar concept to avoid going out of business. LOL!
Good riddance…
As stated in another blog post, I’ve been splitting time between both the Vineland and Mission Tiki since Daylight Savings Time descended upon us. 2 movies for the price of a matinee. Can’t beat that!
BTW: The “Tiki Dogs” at the Mission Tiki (Bacon wrapped hot dogs with grilled onions & jalapeno peppers on a warm hot dog bun) are KILLER!
So…an IMAX theatre located inside a furniture store? Now I’ve seen it all!
GREAT PIC! I walked along that parking lot many many times in the early part of my life! Memories…
Chomping at the bit to see Norman post some more St. Louis area pics up in here…especially those captured during the 70’s!
I’m splitting my time between the Mission Tiki in Montclair & the Vineland in City of Industry (Southern CA area in case you’re wondering).
I’ve been to the drive-in darn near every other weekend since April. Had to break in my new Jeep! :) I LOVE SUMMER!!!
Why they wouldn’t get theatre chain approval BEFORE launching this is RIDICULOUS!
Some other group tried this concept last year with AMC tickets via Groupon. Demand overwhelmed supply to the point where folks never received their tickets and they had to shut down. I wish I could remember their name…
OUCH!
Although I’m not surprised. As I said in my post “Thor” comments, 3D doesn’t quite work in there. I’m going to Transformers 3 at Rave 18 (The Bridge) IMAX.
I took a tour yesterday and uploaded 4 pics to this theatre’s page. The status needs to be changed to “Open.”
As for the theatre itself, it is considerably smaller than it was during the Magic Johnson era. Lobby is drastically smaller with 1 concession area servicing the whole theatre (a nightmare waiting to happen for the poor soul who gets to the theatre 5 minutes before showtime!).
Auditorium seating ranges from 90 to over 300. The 300 seaters are their “raveXtreme” auditoriums featuring nicely wide screens (but not tall like IMAX or even the wannabe Digital IMAX/AMC ETX/Cinemark XD screens) and top notch sound. I caught the 2nd half of “Fast Five” in the X2 Extreme auditorium…pity the poor souls who have to sit dead in front!). Regular auds fluctuate between side masking in some and top masking in others. Theatre is all digital projection with 7 auditoriums exclusively dedicated to Real 3D projection.
IMO, their biggest issue will be controlling the teenyboppers who will crush this place to bits on weekends!
Rave has been advertising in print media for their other Los Angeles location (Rave 18 + IMAX – formerly known as The Bridge) in the LA Tines since their takeover of the theatre over a year ago. At the bottom of the print ad they included a blurb about the opening of this new location.
As for the theatre itself, I took a tour yesterday. It is considerably smaller than it was during the Magic Johnson era. Lobby is drastically smaller with 1 concession area servicing the whole theatre. Auditorium seating ranges from 90 to over 300. The 300 seaters are their “raveXtreme” auditoriums featuring nicely wide screens (but not tall like IMAX or even the wannabe Digital IMAX/AMC ETX/Cinemark XD screens) and top notch sound. Regular auds fluctuate between side masking in some and top masking in others.
IMO, their biggest issue will be controlling the teenyboppers who will crush this place to bits on weekends!
Lots of pics & ads for the South Twin here: St. Louis Flashback Movie & Drive-In Theatres
Lots of pics & ads from Ronnie’s D/I here: St. Louis Flashback Movie & Drive-In Theatres
Here’s that link I was talking about earlier: St. Louis Flashback Movie & Drive-In Theatres
Tons of T-Bird ads. No 2001 in any of them.