
The drive-in, relic of yesterday, finds itself suited to now
JAKE COYLE
AP Film Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — The drive-in theater, long a dwindling nostalgia act in a multiplex world, is experiencing a momentary return to prominence.
With nearly all of the nation's movie theaters shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic, some drive-in owners think they're in a unique position to give moviegoers a chance to do something out of the house while keeping distance from others. This weekend, some drive-ins aren't the only show in town. They're the only show in the country.
The Showboat Drive-In Theater in Hockley, Texas, about a 30-minute drive outside Houston, normally sees ticket sales go down about 40% on a weekend when they don't have any new movies. Last weekend, they saw a 40% increase, says the theater's owner, Andrew Thomas. Usually open weekends