Why did the popularity of outdoor drive-in movie theaters die down?

Answer 1

Smaller cars

Higher gas prices

Land values soared and it was better financially to sell the property to developers.

Property taxes got too high and admission prices had to be raised.

Cineplexes got surround-sound and Air conditioning (with no mosquitos)

At the cinema, you can still see the screen if it got foggy outside.

Inside a theatre usually doesn't stink if it is downwind of a dairy farm.

Lots of reasons... but they are still out there and lots of fun to go to.

Answer 2

i don't understand it either. there was nothing like a huge bag of sliders (White Castles), some wine, snuggling up with my lady (while sometimes my best friend and his lady snuggled in the back seat), and three movies on a huge outdoor screen. god, i've got some memories...

it would seem tho that the huge multiplexes helped to kill it. i know that personally if i really want to see a film and really enjoy the effects, i would opt for a theater. but for B movies, i loved the drive-in. the last movie i remember seeing was a clunker called The Devil's Rain--not really worth paying for separately at a first run theater but perfect on a triple bill at a drive-in.

what someone with some cash should do is open one showing B movies or movies that go straight to DVD, and triple or double bill those suckers. i bet they could make some money off of that. there is nothing like a drive-in on a warm summer/cool spring or fall/cold winter night.

Answer 3

Just like they killed the main street and broadway 5 and 10 cent stores,the creation of malls killed the outdoor drive in theaters,now people could go to a mall,meet other people,shop,eat,play video games or go to the cinemas with a large selection of movies,
But now even cinemas are begining to lose their grip on movie goers because they are getting to expensive,sometimes dangerous and people can rent a movie and enjoy it the confort of your own home

Answer 4

Over the last 20 years the quality of theatres has gotten better. Whereas nothing has really chaned in the Drive in industry, except there are less of them. Most people now prefer to be in an Air Condition theatre vs in their car when the weather is 100 degrees outside. Now all theatres are THX quality and I don't believe that many, if any Drive ins are.

The Drive in, used be a place for teenagers to hang out and/or make out. Now, most theatres now have more to attract teenagers(they are ones who make up the box office anyways) They have arcades, ice cream and alot of people just go there to hang out instead.

Plus it is a lot easier for teens to sneak into R rated movies. Before you had to hide then in the trunk of your car, now you buy tickets to a pg-13 movie and go watch the R rated movie instead.

There could be other minor factors but these are the ones that make the different. It very sad that the Drive in is no longer the cool place to be.

Answer 5

This is an excellent question. I'm sorry I don't have an answer. They were so much fun. Even after I was grown, I wore my pajamas, had a cooler full of treats, and went to the concession stand. It was the drive-in! Some rich mogul should bring them back.

Answer 6

I've never actually been to an outdoor drive-in movie theatre before... have to try it sometime. Why are they becoming less popular well I dunno, too many people in the other cars 'making too much noise' if you get my drift. Is there any theatres such as the one pointed out in the question located anywhere in Australia? hmm

Answer 7

People got the stupid sense of liking social living. Therefore idiots liked to go to flicks that had other people in it. But isn't staying in the comfort of your own car better then sitting in a sticky theater with a bunch of hooligins.

Answer 8

No.Just regular indoors movie theaters.

Answer 9

They didn't die down. They're still cool

Answer 10

I don't know but i used to love them