56 Auto Drive-In pulls them in from across the border

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Screen being repaired at 56 Auto Drive-InYes, drive-ins are so powerful, they can pull in visitors from other countries. Take as an example the 56 Auto Drive-In of Massena NY. It’s such an attractive draw that it’s featured in an affectionate profile in the Cornwall (Ontario) Seaway News.

Still more good news, one of the owners of the 56 is quoted as saying that it will convert to digital projection in time for the start of the 2014 drive-in season. One note of caution: “bug spray is a prerequisite on a night like this.”

The 56’s web site confirms that the first family waiting in line was from Cornwall. (That site also has a nice set of photos documenting the repair of its screen.)

The lengthy article in the Seaway News includes a nice little video clip of what it looks like from the projection room when the movie gets started, plus a small photo gallery. It’s worth a visit, no matter what country you’re from.

Glen Drive-In looks to recoup its digital costs

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The Glens Falls (NY) Post-Star ran a very nice, very long article about the Glen Drive-In (Queensbury) and its efforts to recoup the money it spent for new digital projectors.

Unlike a lot of these local conversion articles, this one had lengthy quotes from John Vincent, president of the United Drive-In Theater Owners Association. “Film has been around for 100 years, and truth be told, it’s a very intense use of plastics,” Vincent said. “Each copy of a movie for a theater in 35 mm is about two miles of film. So, I’m actually quite surprised that it lasted 100 years, and particularly, I’m surprised it’s lasted the last 10 years.”

The Glen has also joined nine indoor theaters in the area for a general fundraiser to finance the digital conversion. The Andirondack North County Association and the Adirondack Film Society are launching the “Go Digital or Go Dark” campaign at Adirondack.org.

The Post-Star article has so much more inside it, and it includes five photos, including a cool projection of a digital test pattern. You really should go check it out!