Project Drive-In by Honda

[Joie DeVive]

I searched and didn't come up with this, so I thought I would start a new thread. If I missed something, bartenders, please do combine.

I just ran across Honda's Project Drive-in.
It seems that without digital updates soon, that a many of the remaining drive-in movie theaters will close for good.
Honda has created a campaign to help. They will give away 5 digital projectors to drive-in theaters, winners determined by voting.
They also have helped set up a indiegogo fund to collect donations to help with change over.

I thought this was cool and of interest to the FL. Enjoy!

Here's the link: http://projectdrivein.com/?cmpid=PDI_SEM&ef_id=2gJPwbpjLS8AAEu-:20130828192307:s

 

[Gingerella72]

What a great idea! I've shared this on my Facebook page.

 

[Joie DeVive]

I did too, and I did the online voting. It's shocking to think that this piece of Americana could forever disappear.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

A good cause, indeed.

Funny that a Japanese car company is embracing something so quintessentially American, while the US car companies grow further away from their roots.

Good for Honda.

 

[Stearmen]

A good cause, indeed.

Funny that a Japanese car company is embracing something so quintessentially American, while the US car companies grow further away from their roots.

Good for Honda.

My thoughts exactly Tom!

 

[Joie DeVive]

Ironic isn't it? It's something, I personally, would have liked to see a company like Chevy sponsor, but ce la vie. I'm just glad someone is doing it, and want to get the word out that this is an issue.

 

[JonnyO]

Great post Joie. I wonder how you can vote to save a Drive-in that isn't listed on the site. I've voted for the closest to where I live listed, but I know of one just a few miles down the road that I frequent during the summer that wasn't listed. My assumption would be that they have already upgraded digitally and don't need to be "saved."

 

[ButteMT61]

My thoughts exactly Tom!

I bet Honda makes more vehicles here in the US than "we" do. Awesome. Going to spread this around.

 

[Joie DeVive]

Good question JonnyO, I was wondering that myself, as I know that there is at least one in my area that isn't on the list. I must assume that either they have upgraded, or that they weren't included for some reason (didn't submit and application or some such). It might be worth checking with your local one to find out if it needs help.... You could start your own fundraising drive.

I'm glad people are spreading the word. It would be a shame to lose such historic treasures.

 

[Stearmen]

I'm glad people are spreading the word. It would be a shame to lose such historic treasures.

Yes, it is imperative that we save as many drive in theaters as posable! My city had at least six back in the 60s and 70s, now there are none, and we are twice as big population wise as in the 70s! A Wall-Mart sits on the sight of one.

 

[TallErik]

I bet Honda makes more vehicles here in the US than "we" do. Awesome. Going to spread this around.

You'd lose that bet. By a lot.

 

[Worf]

Yes, it is imperative that we save as many drive in theaters as posable! My city had at least six back in the 60s and 70s, now there are none, and we are twice as big population wise as in the 70s! A Wall-Mart sits on the sight of one.

Blasphemy! Infidel defilers, they should be driven from the temple and scourged! There are few things I would find more vile than losing a Drive-In to a Wally-World! Makes my blood boil!

Worf

 

[dh66]

Blasphemy! Infidel defilers, they should be driven from the temple and scourged! There are few things I would find more vile than losing a Drive-In to a Wally-World! Makes my blood boil!

Worf

AMEN BROTHER!!! Preach it!

 

[dh66]

I bet Honda makes more vehicles here in the US than "we" do. Awesome. Going to spread this around.

They certainly produce more here in Alabama. As do Hyundai and Mercedes. The foreign manufacturers like the south because all the states are "right to work" states - no unions, cheaper labor. That being as it is though, Hondas's presence has been very good for the little towns nearby.

 

[Fading Fast]

They certainly produce more here in Alabama. As do Hyundai and Mercedes. The foreign manufacturers like the south because all the states are "right to work" states - no unions, cheaper labor. That being as it is though, Hondas's presence has been very good for the little towns nearby.

I absolutely, truly do not want to take this in a political direction (I really mean that), but your point is a good one, as so many foreign-owned companies have plants here (just like GM and Ford have plants overseas) that the lines between a domestic and foreign car company get blurred. But I really just wanted to point out that, to me, this is a great story of how global trade can bring cultures and people together as they learn each others' culture and history. Honda, I'm sure for good publicity for itself - but probably also because someone in the company in a management / sales / promotional role likes Americana and drive-ins - puts a campaign like this together. It's a nice win all around.

I saw a show on PBS the other day called "New York Originals" which is about old Mom and Pop stores that are still in business in NYC today and it featured a Jewish Deli-like store where the counter help are now all Puerto Rican immigrants who started working at the deli decades ago. Apparently, they where somewhat dismissed by the older Jewish counter men and Jewish customers when they started, but they learned the business and the Jewish language and, now, they are the senior countermen conversing in the Jewish language with the Jewish customers. Puerto Rican immigrants working in an old Jewish deli, speaking the language and being embraced by the Jewish clientele - that is a great story of cultural harmony - like a Japanese company trying to save American drive-ins.

 

[TallErik]

There is a huge difference, however, between putting an assembly plant somewhere, and being able to do the engineering, design, etc. That is the important part of the automotive industry, and that is what the Big 3 give to the country, that the others don't. Yes, those plants have helped done sectors of the US. However, overall they have greatly hurt the US economy!

Anyhow, gotta go pick up my Honda!

 

[tonyb]

Much as it pains me to acknowledge it, the drive-in movie theater has been in decline for longer than most of the population has been alive, for reasons almost too obvious to recount. But wotthehell, I'll tick off a few of them anyway: escalating real estate values on the outskirts of towns and cities; competition from other forms of entertainment; the changing economics of the movie-showing business in general (the drive-in multiplex is a strange bird indeed, although such things do exist, and they appear relatively well represented among the few remaining drive-ins); screenings limited to one per night, and then only in the warmer months (in the northern climes, anyway); et cetera.

Times change. The era of the drive-in may not be past, but its glory days certainly are, and those days didn't last all that long, really. Three or four decades at best. A night at the drive-in is now more a drive down Nostalgia Lane than anything a large segment of the population would do routinely.

As to Honda's motives ...

Advertising. It isn't lost on the marketing geniuses that a large segment of the population is now of that age when people get to treasuring the memories of their increasingly distant early years, and that they now have a bit of scratch to spend, and they wish to, while they're still here to spend it. And mid-century stuff in general has been hot for a few years now. Even the youngsters have embraced the styles. What little I've seen of those Honda Project Drive-in ads certainly evoke that whole 1950s/'60s car culture zeitgeist.

If a few drive-in theaters get saved in the process, well, no complaints from me.

 

[tonyb]

It occurs to me that the land on which some drive-in theaters once stood is now occupied by automobile dealerships -- Honda dealerships among them, I'd wager.

No slam on Honda, though. The drive-in theater would have been gone regardless. Something would have gone up on that land.

 

[dh66]

Didn't mean to pee in the well (ok, maybe walmart's well). Honda's presence in Alabama has had some positive effect. It's pretty cool what they're doing with the drive-ins. On a similar note there's an old theater on the town square in Talledega, probably from the 20s or so, that has been restored and is now in use again for concerts, plays, etc. My wife and I had gone down there several years ago and saw Brenda Lee. Honda has had a hand in all that, and the restoration of a golden era theatre is something most FLers could get behind I'm sure

 

[tonyb]

Nice short film on a drive-in that's been around since 1952 and has adapted to changing times. Even so, though, its operations manager questions how much longer the drive-in will be with us.

http://vimeo.com/69447976