Manitoba’s Stardust looks back on a great year

Donated groceries on a drive-in concession stand counterWe have Pembina Valley Online to thank for the latest drive-in retrospective. Marlene Nelson, the part-owner of the Stardust Drive-In, near Morden MB, described her first year with a digital projector as “phenomenal.”

Although the new projector was installed just days before opening night, the Stardust Drive-In was open every weekend from May 21 to the close of the season. Nelson described some of her promotions, including outreach nights with local churches, and some “throwback Thursdays” for old movies. On one Thursday, patrons were encouraged to bring non-perishable food for the local food bank.

There’s a lot more to the article, including plenty of details, a touch of history, and a much better version of the photo I have thumbnailed here. You really should go read it!

Drive-In survival: A tale of two Starlites

Here’s a depressing story about the Starlite Drive-In (Mitchell SD) which we’ve discussed previously. According to the Argus Leader and the theater’s web site, the Starlite will close “forever” after the last show this Saturday, September 21. You know, it takes optimism and an overwhelming dedication to survival to invest in digital projection equipment for a seasonal business with modest profits. I don’t think this Starlite’s owner wanted to take on that huge debt just to keep it alive. That’s his business, and he’s not alone, but it’s still darned sad to us drive-in fans.

It was so sad that I just had to find something else for balance. Let’s shift our gaze to a different Starlite Drive-In, almost due east from Mitchell to Grand Bend, Lambton Shores, where that little Ontario peninsula reaches down from the rest of Canada. The Starlite Drive-In there is excited about reopening next May with new digital equipment. The Sarnia Observer tells us that owner Allan Barnes will stay open through October using the old film projectors. “I’m pretty much the last hold out on film, which probably annoyed the customers a couple of nights ago when the film broke,” he said.

Barnes told the Observer that he didn’t think customers would notice the difference next year, but I disagree. From my experience, digital projection has noticeably brighter colors and sharper details, especially in the corners. I’ll bet that Barnes will discover this for himself next spring. But according to the Observer, “He even plans on keeping his old projection equipment so he can keep showing the drive-in’s collection of film shorts and cartoons that he jokes, ‘we abuse, or entertain, our customers with every night.'” That’s a great reason for keeping the old equipment around even while doing what needs to be done to keep a decades-old institution alive.

North York Drive-In calls it quits

Twilight at the North York Drive-InEven as we celebrate the unexpectedly large number of drive-ins that have weathered the storm of converting to digital projection, we need to pause and recognize those that aren’t going to make it. As CityNews Toronto tells us, the North York Drive-In announced that it will not be reopening this season, and apparently forever. The North York is between Holland Landing and Sharon north of Toronto.

On its Facebook page, the Murrell family wrote, “Regrettably the drive-in will not be open this summer 2013. Thank you for 58 years of support.” (Actually, the Murrell family used all caps, but I thought I’d spare you.) ““Unfortunately due to development and changes to digital film we are unable to continue the tradition this year. It is with much regret that we say goodbye to summer evenings at North York.”

CityNews Toronto wrote that it couldn’t reach anyone from the North York for further comment. How sad it is to see another great drive-in fade away.

Update: The Toronto Star ran a story quoting Mark Murrell, the owner’s son. “Yes, it is sad for all of us,” he said. “It was my dad’s life.” The Star article also discusses digital conversion and the future of other Ontario drive-ins, so you probably ought to go read it!