Drive-in movies remain popular family draw

Relinquishing the last of its orange glow, the sun dips below the mountains in the background, while the digital projectors gear up in preparation for another night at the West Wind Las Vegas Drive-In.

It’s a breezy 81 degrees on a Tuesday, family fun night, as the previews begin. There is still some chatter, but because the sound emanates from car radios, people can usually drown out the talk around them.

Some cars park face forward with the passengers sitting staring out the windshield. Other drivers have their vehicles — mostly vans and trucks — parked with the trunk facing forward.

Children pile into truck beds laying on their bellies as they gaze at the screen. Alongside them, couples set up makeshift picnics with blankets and chairs.

In the middle of all this, Shanarae Miller sits in the front row of screen No. 4 waiting for “Furious 7” to begin.

“You should always try to get here early to get a good spot,” she says, unwrapping the fast food she purchased for the movie. “Though, there really isn’t a bad spot.”

Miller and her husband have been going to this drive-in since they were dating.

Now, married and with a 3-month-old, they have returned. Coming to the drive-in not only offers a cheaper alternative to other cinemas, it also lets them manage a baby who can be sometimes fussy.

Regular customers like Miller show that drive-in theaters are still popular, says Tony Maniscalco, vice president of marketing for Syufy Enterprises, which owns the West Wind Las Vegas Drive-In.

“Our business is up,” he says. “We have even opened theaters in Santa Barbara and Concord (in California).”

Maniscalco says West Wind Drive-In at 4150 W. Carey Ave. used to be part of Century Theatres, a Cinemark brand, until the chain sold it about eight years ago.

“We decided to keep the drive-ins,” he says. “We wanted to stay in the movie business and thought this was a good way.”

He says it turned out to be a good investment.

“When the recession hit, people were looking for an entertainment alternative,” Maniscalco says. “At the drive-in, you could get two movies for less than the price of one.”

He adds parents also could get their children into the movies more economically.

During that time, West Wind officials worked to better their theaters.

The first step was turning away from the ’40s-era projectors and using a digital presentation.

“Those (projectors) are so beautiful,” Maniscalco says. “But you couldn’t get the picture that bright.”

With a digital system, the quality of what people can see on the screen is much better, he says.

Business remained steady as the recession eased. “As the economy got better, people stuck around,” Maniscalco says.

The Las Vegas location is one of seven the chain owns.

Tickets are $7 per person for two movies. Children ages 5 to 11 are $1; children younger than 5 are free. Tuesday night is family fun night, and tickets cost $5.

The drive-in plays top movies — it’s now showing “San Andreas,” “Tomorrowland,” “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “Pitch Perfect 2.”

Most movies start at 8:15 p.m. After the first movie, a second movie, usually of the same genre, is shown at the screen starting about 10:30 p.m.

People stick around — some at the same screen while others migrate to see a movie on another screen.

While not every night might be a good showing, depending on weather and temperature, people are still lining up at 7:15 p.m. to come to the drive-in.

A variety of cars, trucks and minivans pay at the front gate.

Drivers switch on their designated radio station and follow the other cars as they converge in front of six screens spread across the dirt lot.

The first cars have arrived a few minutes before the theater has even opened, hoping to claim the best spots at the movie of their choice.

The gravel crunches beneath the tires as vehicles spin around to have the cars’ trunks face the screen.

Miller says they typically set their chairs up at the back of their van, leaving the back door open while they watch the movie.

“When we purchased our vehicle, we actually thought about what would be best for the drive-in,” she says. “I know that’s kind of weird, but it’s true.”

During the fall and spring, they usually can sit outside to watch the movies. But in the summer and winter, or anytime it might be windy or too hot or cold, they flip the van around and watch it from the comfort of their seats.

Miller isn’t the only drive-in regular.

Dan Sanchez sits in his black truck with his left arm hanging out the window waiting for his movie, “Hot Pursuit,” to start. In his backseat are his two children who are just as excited.

“I remember when I was their age, my parents would take me to the drive-in movies, too,” he says. “My first movie there was ‘Robocop’ when I was 3 or 4.”

Though that was in the late ’80s in California, the memory stays with him.

“My mom used to take me to buy candy beforehand,” he recalls. “It was a good experience I’m glad I get to share with my children.”

Sanchez has been coming to the Las Vegas Drive-In off and on since he was 14.

“I probably come a couple times a week now,” he says.

Though Sanchez has never had a bad experience at the drive-in, he does have advice.

“Bring a pair of jumper cables just in case and always start your car during the intermission,” he says.

Before and even during the movies, people from every screen make frequent trips to the concession stand, which sits in the middle of the lot below the projector booth.

Arturo Lozano and his family, who arrived about 7:30 p.m. to see “Home,” settled in early at the drive-in. Now ample time before their main feature begins, they mosey over to the concession stand.

Lozano and his family are also drive-in theater regulars.

“We are here at least once a month,” he says. “This is the best place to go if you have kids. Sometimes they can get really loud. This allows them to move around more.”

As the first movie begins to end, many of the children who were at first full of energy have tuckered out. But the evening is just starting.

One more movie to go.

Contact reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5201. Follow @mjlyle on Twitter.