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Topic: Cinemascope ....passing fancy ?

Steve Matz
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 672
From: Billings, Montana, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 11-23-2015 10:01 PM

This was our 2nd built Drive-in Theater here in town built in 1952. The Owner was a well known business man who had plenty of Money. I remember going to this DI as a kid in the mid 50's and that Screen never changed in size, clear up to when the Drive-in closed in 1977. It was finished months before "Cinemascope" came on the scene. I always wanted to contact his wife years back, to see why he didn't have the Screen built to Scope Specs even when he knew Cinemascope was coming or modify it later on. The other 2 Drive-in's in town almost immediately modified their Screens for Scope but Mr. Trenka left his Screen the way it was originally constructed. The only change being it's exterior was painted yellow after it was renamed("Big Sky Drive-in")(original name "City-Vu") It was always considered the Bottom Feeder DI of the 3 we had. Probably the only reason my Parents took me and my brother to it was the other 2 were clear on the other side of town more than 15 miles from where we lived.

I don't know if Mr. Trenka had already signed a Construction Contract for the Screen size project or he was skeptical of Cinemascope being a passing fancy. I'm curious if any others out there in other States saw OutDoor DI's that had the Old Academy Screen Ratios. As I kid I could have cared less what Aspect Ratios were back then; we were just thrilled to be going to an outdoor theater. The times I went as an adult right up to it's closing; it didn't seem to bother me that I wasn't seeing a scope picture in it's proper aspect ratio. The screen remained standing for another 20 + yrs before being torn down and replaced by a parking lot for a Target Store. I guess when I drove by it for years after the DI closed and watched it slowly deterorate, it still brought back good Childhood Memories from when Drive-in's in the USA were something we took forgranted.....Don't take things Forgranted ! [beer]

Original ("City-Vu Drive-In -1952)....First "Holiday-Inn" to the
right of Screen....It's Gone Too !

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James Westbrook
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1133
From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa
Registered: Mar 2006

posted 11-24-2015 01:17 PM

There is a drive in to the north of Olton, Texas, it's tower built of cinder block which had the pre-Cinemascope screen ratio. I believe the tower is still standing though a family has built a house by the property and I think the lot belongs to them, which discourages picture taking. It is next to a Farm to Market road leading north of town.
I recently looked it up on Google Satellite Map and it appears the roof to the concession booth building is mostly gone.

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Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted 11-25-2015 06:41 PM

The Sky-Vue in Colville WA had an Academy screen until a year or so ago. The screen was damaged and the theatre nearly closed forever, but they've now replaced it with a Scope screen. My own drive-in was built in 1953 with Academy screen, which was enlarged shortly after.

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