Tom Stockman estimates that back in 1961 鈥� the year he was born 鈥� about 4,100 drive-in movie theaters dotted the U.S. landscape. Now their ranks have dwindled to a total of roughly 350.
66 Park-in, The Airway Twin, Holiday 鈥� these and most other St. Louis-area outdoor theaters that were all the rage in the Gateway City several decades ago have disappeared. Much of the industry鈥檚 demise locally had to do with real estate, Stockman said on Friday鈥檚 St. Louis on the Air.
鈥淏ack when the drive-ins were built in the 鈥�40s, they were were sort of built out in the far west [St. Louis County],鈥� he explained in conversation with host Don Marsh. 鈥淔or example, the first drive-in in the St. Louis area was at Manchester and Ballas where West County Mall currently sits 鈥� as the city expanded and the county expanded out west, that real estate became more and more valuable.
鈥淚t made more sense to build West County Mall than to keep the drive-in open 鈥� the drive-in was only open several months of the year; it was only open at night.鈥�
Stockman, creative editor for the website , discussed the history of the region鈥檚 drive-ins and some of the nostalgia, films and stories associated with them.
He noted that not all of the drive-ins are gone and praised Skyview, located in downtown Belleville, Illinois, as a still-thriving local destination.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very nice drive-in, and it really packs them in and is very well kept up,鈥� Stockman said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 another one in Cadet, Missouri, which is about an hour southwest of St. Louis near De Soto.鈥�
The ever-changing film industry has made it difficult for drive-ins to keep up, he added, citing everything from the proliferation of VHS tapes to today鈥檚 digital technologies.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a little spoiled now 鈥� we go to these theaters, and they have these reclining seats and these big giant IMAX, beautiful digital image, state-of-the-art sound,鈥� Stockman said. 鈥淎nd you go to the drive-in, and it鈥檚 sort of dark and muddy and the sound鈥檚 not quite as good. It鈥檚 not quite the same as back in the day.鈥�
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What:
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, June 14, 2018
Where: Missouri History Museum (5700 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63112)
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