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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » 16mm at the drive-in? In 2001? You bet! (Page 1)

 
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Author Topic: 16mm at the drive-in? In 2001? You bet!
Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

- posted 12-02-2001 08:38 PM      Profile for Dave Bird   Author's Homepage   Email Dave Bird   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Check it out, the "5" in Oakville Ont. (near Toronto) is installing 16mm so that they can project old drive-in fare (Blob, Body Snatchers, etc.). Yes kids, 16mm at the drive-in in 2001!!!
When's the last time you've seen that? You can read about it here.....
http://www.5drivein.com/content/facilities.asp

PS-
By the way, this is a lovely setup in about as urban a setting as you canget. The picture below right on this page is of Screen 2, attached to the side of an old warehouse, with original screen at the far end. #3 was added this year, but not attached to the other side as that would face a metropolis of light, it's free-standing and perpendicular on the other side. 3 screens, 3 booths and I believe, 3 snack bars! Open most of the year, usually only closed for Jan-Feb,
located as it is in the Great White North (where it's still 50 degrees at night for goshsakes, is ski season ever coming?).

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 12-02-2001 10:18 PM      Profile for Gordon McLeod   Email Gordon McLeod   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
There used to be several driveins in northern ontario with a pair of hortson 16mm with peerless and corlight lamps on the back of them

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

- posted 12-02-2001 10:41 PM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
16mm kicks 35mm's ass! I'd much rather watch 16mm than 35mm anyday! I'm still waiting for an IMAX drive in. But who wants to learn about whales or dirt at a drive in?


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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

- posted 12-02-2001 11:21 PM      Profile for Bobby Henderson   Email Bobby Henderson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
16mm at a drive in? Wow, that must be some kind of "bright" film image. Do you suppose there will be any subtitles in Braille?

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Ken Layton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1452
From: Olympia, Wash. USA
Registered: Sep 1999

- posted 12-02-2001 11:39 PM      Profile for Ken Layton   Email Ken Layton   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I've been running occasional 16mm shows at driveins since 1985 with my B & H 567 arc machines (Marc-350 arc lamp).

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Neil Chue Hong
Film Handler

Posts: 19
From: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Registered: Nov 2000

- posted 12-03-2001 07:30 AM      Profile for Neil Chue Hong   Author's Homepage   Email Neil Chue Hong   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
We do an annual outdoor "stroll-in" on 16mm every year.

Enclosed, large courtyard (with bar on one side ), 500W xenon in our Fumeo, big speakers and a three storey screen. No cars though.

Screenings have included: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Jaws, The Evil Dead, and the Muppets Take Manhatten!

For the Evil Dead screening, we had the idea of making it more "atmospheric" by using a fog machine and lighting about 200 candles around the courtyard. Unfortunately, the wind was so strong it blew out all the candles at the start of the film, and all the fog ended up in the bar...

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Don Sneed
Master Film Handler

Posts: 451
From: Texas City, TX, USA
Registered: Aug 2001

- posted 12-03-2001 07:51 AM      Profile for Don Sneed   Author's Homepage   Email Don Sneed   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
ok Guys I just got to say it.....How many of us took a date to a drive-in to watch the movie, I know I didn't or is it just me !!

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Randy Loy
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 156

Registered: Aug 1999

- posted 12-03-2001 08:46 AM      Profile for Randy Loy   Email Randy Loy   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Somewhere in an old industry trade publication, dating back to the 40's or 50's, I once saw a reference to a long gone drive-in here in Maryland that ran 16mm. I can't recall the exact name or location of the drive-in (I'll have to see if I can find the information at home this evening), but I do know that it was long gone before I moved to Maryland in 1987. Hopefully 16mm wasn't the sole format the theatre ran, but rather another option they had available to them.

I understand that the Free Christian Drive-In Theatre near Columbus, Ohio runs only 16mm. I've not yet had a chance to visit and check out their booth set-up but a photo in a newspaper article I saw a few years back showed a guy operating what appeared to be a vintage RCA 16mm carbon arc machine. Since they show only specialized product I imagine they probably have more available to them on 16mm than they would on 35mm.


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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

- posted 12-03-2001 10:04 AM      Profile for Jerry Chase   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
OK, I'm braced. Who is going to be the first to start a Super-8 drive-in?

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Randy Loy
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 156

Registered: Aug 1999

- posted 12-03-2001 10:20 AM      Profile for Randy Loy   Email Randy Loy   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Jerry, I'm on the phone right now with a cinema equipment dealer to see if they can put a 5,000 watt xenon lamp on my little Bell and Howell Super 8mm portable...

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Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

- posted 12-03-2001 11:32 AM      Profile for Mark Lensenmayer   Email Mark Lensenmayer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The FREE CHRISTIAN DRIVE-IN was located on the west side of town in a vacant lot about 100 yards long by 50 wide. Booth was in a trailer. Showed lots of "end of the world" and "rapture" films. I think the last summer they ran was in 2000, after a few years off. Ran carbon-arc 16mm from an old projector with speakers on the roof of the trailer. Screen was small, and was not a professional installation.

It was run by Jimmy Rea, a former baseball player who became an evangelist and also ran an audio/video store. Bought lots of reel-to-reel equipment and audio equipment from him about 25 years ago. He started the drive-in as a personal ministry. Last few years, it was run by his son, Jimmy Rea, Jr. I think Junior is doing Christian video work full time...he might have been affiliated with Leroy Jenkins at one time.


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Randy Loy
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 156

Registered: Aug 1999

- posted 12-03-2001 12:31 PM      Profile for Randy Loy   Email Randy Loy   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mark, thanks for the update. I didn't realize that the Free Christian Drive-In had closed up shop. I guess that explains why I couldn't find much about it on the world wide web and also why my wife and I couldn't find it when we were visiting drive-in theatres throughout Ohio and Indiana last year. I was really curious about how their projection was set up and what kind of screen image they got.

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Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

- posted 12-03-2001 12:37 PM      Profile for Dave Bird   Author's Homepage   Email Dave Bird   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hey, I just report the news.........

Why do you suppose that they are using 16mm to show these films?
My theory is that probably most 35mm theatrical versions were shredded wheras 16mm used to be marketed for "home use", hence that's
really all that's available?????

Randy, let me know, my super-8 awaits conversion!

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Randy Loy
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 156

Registered: Aug 1999

- posted 12-03-2001 01:22 PM      Profile for Randy Loy   Email Randy Loy   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Dave, I'll let you know as soon as we've figured everything out. We're stuck on how to water cool the aperture. Once that's figured out you and I can share the distinction of having the only super 8 drive-ins in Canada and the U.S.

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Barry Floyd
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1079
From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

- posted 12-03-2001 01:23 PM      Profile for Barry Floyd   Author's Homepage   Email Barry Floyd   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Super-8... at the Drive-In, I hadn't even thought of that!!!

I wonder how many of my future patrons would be willing to watch reel after reel of my 1970's home Christmas Movies??

I think for now I'll just plan to install my vintage 35mm equipment and make provisions and plan ahead for digital conversion.

Don had asked about "watching movies" at the drive-in??? I remember about 6 years ago I was setup on a blind date by several friends of mine and we had all planned to go to the drive-in. We (the guys) thought it would be a nice "change" from the normal mega-plex date type of thing, and thought the girls would love it. Turns out, my date brought her 16 month old son with her. During the movies, my friends cars were parked next to us with the windows fogged over, whereas my car was the only one in the lot with the trunk popped, wipers going, hazard lights flashing, and the windows going up and down. My date thought it would be fun to put the baby in the drivers seat, while we sat in the back. I never did take her back to the drive-in after that!!

P.S. I noticed on another forum where our ol' buddy "Andrew" was inquiring about drive-in construction... God help us all!!!!


------------------
Barry Floyd
Floyd Entertainment Group
Nashville, Tennessee
(Drive-In Theatre - Start-Up)


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