I am a huge sucker for Americana, so I jumped at the chance to write a story about Dallas’s Motor-Vu Drive-in, which is included in the “PLAY” insert of the current issue of Salem Monthly in a story called “Drive-in Nostalgic for Many Patrons.”
I want you all to know that this is absolutely NOT the title I gave to the piece. When I turned it in a few weeks ago, I called it “Nostalgia and Nookie,” which I think is a better description of what actually goes on at drive-ins. It is a little understood fact that writers don’t really get to pick their headlines — that job generally goes to the copy-editors. Chalk this one up to Salem being such a family-friendly community, I guess.
****UPDATE: The paper issue has my headline, the online version has the lame one ****
But really, the Motor-Vu — is there any better drive-in in the United States? I’m a total Drive-in fetishist and have sought them out in every area of the country where I’ve lived. Thanks to the hard work of Jeff Mexico, the Motor-Vu is the best that I’ve seen: authentic, slightly kitschy in a 1950s nostalgia kind of way, eye-poppingly American.
Oh, and the movie line-ups are pretty damn fine. For $18 bucks per car, you can see a double feature of two generally well-paired summer flicks (recent line-ups have included “Up” and “Drag Me to Hell,” current lineup is “Ice Age” and “Year One.”
Here are two more pics from the Motor-Vu’s retro-fitted snack shop (you can see the scree through the back window).
I can smell the popcorn just looking at them.
Dude, sold-out Raisinettes? Seriously?
See you at the Drive-In! And don’t you dare peek in my car. I’ll be the one making out with my husband — in the back rooooowwwww…
Lame, indeed. And why would the online story have a different headline!?
I love the drive-in! The only thing missing here is… grass! Growing up in the Midwest, drive-ins are more common still (the value of land didn’t skyrocket like it did here). Before moving here we had THREE drive ins within easy reach.
Most had strips of grass that you parked on, making for great spaces to lay out a blanket, or just sit in your camp chairs. The all-gravel lot they have is a bummer.
Ah, yes, you are correct. I guess I was just planning on spending so much time in my car that I ignored the lack of grass. It would be welcome here in Oregon since there are — ta da! — few bugs out.