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It consists of, quite simply, a large field, a projection booth and a large, whitewashed wall. It allows the audience to "drive-into" the theater, and view the features from the comfort and privacy of one's own car. Audio, originally, was provided by speakers on posts next to which a car would be parked. This system has been superseded by the more economical method of broadcasting the soundtrack at a low output power to be picked up by a car radio. This method is also advantageous as it allows the soundtrack to be picked up in stereo by the audience instead of monaural.
The drive-in reached peak popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly in rural areas. Among its advantages was the fact that a family with a young baby can take care of baby while watching a movie. However, revenue was more limited than regular theatres on account that shows can only start at twilight at the earliest. There were abortive experiments to try to create suitable conditions for day viewing like large tent structures, but nothing viable was developed.
During the 1960s, the movies shown changed from family-oriented pieces to sexploitation movies. In addition, the economics of real estate with the large properties becoming increasingly expensive for the owners to successful operate their businessse. These changes, and the advent of VCR, led to a sharp decline in popularity of drive-in theaters. It is now approaching a quasi- noveltyNovelty is the quality of being new. Although it may be said to have an objective dimension (e. a new style of art coming into being, such as abstract or impressionism) it essentially exists in the subjective perceptions of intelligent, sentient beings. status, with the remaining handful catering to a generally nostalgicNostalgia currently describes a longing for the past: Often an idealized and unrealistic past The term was originally coined in 1678 by Johannes Hoffer ( 1669- 1752) from Latin roots, to refer to "the pain a sick person feels because he is not in his nati audience.