We’re still in lockdown (sort of), but in Europe there’s a new choice: you can stay in with Netflix or go see a film from the safety of your own car.
Drive in movie theatres have been around since before the Second World War. Films were projected onto a giant outdoor screen. Audience members sit in their cars which are parked facing the screen. Drive-ins were especially popular in the USA from the 1940s to the 1960s. But they declined in the 1970s with the emergence of Hollywood blockbusters reliant on special effects. In the context of COVID-19, they’re making a comeback. I decided to try out the drive-in experience for myself.
After booking our tickets online, we drove off to the Telenor concert arena near Oslo, where they were screening one of last year’s Oscar winning movies, 1917. I had been there for concerts myself; but never expected my next visit would be for a movie. I had high hopes but sadly I was disappointed.
The Telenor arena is big enough for lots of people to drive into, but it’s still an indoor venue. When we entered, we were immediately instructed on the rules. These include not leaving the car, unless there was an emergency or desperate toilet use. Also, we were not allowed to leave the car door open – it was stifling inside after a couple of hours.
The sound of the movie was streamed through the car radio (no good if it’s in an old car!). Although the sound was fairly good, we had to restart the car every fifteen minutes for it to replay. The movie itself was nice, but not ideally suited to the venue. Additionally, some of the passengers in our car had trouble seeing the screen because it was too small.
Overall it was a disappointing experience and I would not recommend it, at least not indoors. I can imagine the experience being richer if it was done in the big outdoors, and if we were able to leave the car during the movie.
It doesn’t look like there are any indoor drive-in cinemas running in London at the moment. But for future reference, bring a lot of snacks and not your parents!
Here’s a sneak peek of the experience!
