Vineland Drive-In
443 N. Vineland Avenue,
City of Industry,
CA
91746
443 N. Vineland Avenue,
City of Industry,
CA
91746
15 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 43 of 43 comments
Screen 1 replaced in 2003.
Technalight was an enhanced lamphouse for the 35mm projection system that greatly increased the amount of light emitted from the projector. This was particularly important at a Drive-In where ambient light around/behind the screens would wash out the projected image making dark scenes difficult to view. I believe once everybody converted to digital projection it improved image quality even more, making Technalight irrelevant/obsolte. Ambient light continues to be a challenge for most Drive-Ins that aren’t isolated or on the outskirts of town.
What is Technalight?
“The Rocketeer” was presented here beginning on Friday June 21, 1991.
The Vineland is now featuring digital projection on all 4 screens. Needless to say, visibility has improved by leaps and bounds!
Permanently resting inside its concession stand is one of the old film projectors to remind everyone of the “good old days of 35MM!”
I still come here every Summer on the regular. With 4 of us in our family, it’s the cheapest way to see 2 first run flicks for the price of a 1 MATINEE! Having said that, I’m sorry to report that the presentation of films is declining. Whatever maintenance that needs to happen regarding Technalight is not happening. Picture is darker and blurrier than it should be on most nights.
They did upgrade their FM transmitters so the sound isn’t as bad as it used to be. They upgraded the Men’s restroom too with the new waterless toilets (hopefully they maintain them properly…without regular maintenance, those things can get STINKY!). They still need to upgrade the lots and paint the screens. But it’s still the only (LEGIT) drive-in in LA County (no HD projectors showing old DVD’s on the sides of abandoned office buildings). For that reason alone, the place still gets my support.
This was seen on the 605 freeway on Saturday.
http://tinyurl.com/ye9syn6
The Vineland was the 26th drive-in opened by Pacific. The April 16, 1955, issue of Boxoffice said that it had opened on the 15th.
Here is a related site:
http://tinyurl.com/9kmo6v
It is my understanding that the Vineland now has Technalight on all four screen now.
Gary
Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2zoytv
Ask and ye shall receive…
Technalight has recently been installed on Screen #2 (the biggest field) at the Vineland. I haven’t checked it out yet, but I’m sure the quality is superb!
From socaldriveins.com:
View link
The Vineland is still doing big business. There are consistently long lines throughout the night as the 4 screens run their double features. There’s always rumors of this place closing, but Pacific Theatres is holding on to the place.
They’ve recently replaced their marquee and original screen tower. Hopefully they’ll repave the lots, clean up the restrooms, redo the snack bar, and upgrade their projection system. One of the nearby drive-ins is using a new system called Technalight that projects what is possibly the most clear and bright picture ever seen at a drive-in. It’s so clear that even dark movies are nearly crystal clear with minimal loss of detail. If Pacific forks down the $$$ to get this new system, it will pay off in dividends in the years to come!
There is also another operating drive-in in Riverside. It is called the Van Buren Drive-In. It is located off of the 91 freeway off the Van Buren exit. This is also a good one.
Thanks, Jeff! Is it still operating?
The Mission Drive-In is the one you are thinking of in Montclair, off Mission Blvd on old US 60.
I’m surprised it took as long as it did to include the Pacific Vineland in the database. Slightly further north, the Hi-Way Drive-In (Santa Maria) and the Sunset Drive-In (San Luis Obispo) still operate and do rather decent business. I think there’s another drive-in in Montclair (nearer the Vineland), but I can’t immediately recall its name.