The Sky & The Screen: The Summer Quartet Drive-In
The Lazy Days of Summer (Ave.)
Memphians know the drill. Enjoy your drizzly, cool days of April. Brace yourself for serious heat during the “mild” days of May, and try not to just give up and die during June, July, and August. Summer in the city can be brutal, weather-wise. But Summer is also when the city comes alive with activity and fellowship, and the long, long days seem to go on forever. One of the most pleasant ways to spend one of those endless summer nights is at Memphis’ very own vintage treasure…the Summer Quartet Drive-In. A local landmark since its construction on Summer Avenue in 1966, the theater is one of only a handful of drive-ins left in the state of Tennessee. In fact, only 321 drive-ins are still operating in the entire country. And while the general popularity of drive-in movie theaters has certainly decreased over the last 50 years, the original attraction of double features out under a late, summer sky remains a draw for many. There’s something magical about curling up in the back of your car with your family and friends, the screen and the sky blurring above you. It’s just not something you do every day.
Covid: The Renaissance of Drive-Ins
“Feeling groovy like a drive-in movie.” The statement hadn’t rung truer in decades until 2020. In a surprise twist of events, the pandemic forced us further away from each other and highlighted the perks of drive-in movie theaters all across the country. As CNN Business reported in August of 2021, “Last year, from late-March through mid-August, drive-ins generated 85% of North American box office revenue (and some weeks contributed north of 95%). During that same period in 2019, drive-ins accounted for just 2.9% of box office revenue.” The charms of outside movie viewing, safely tucked within your “pod” became the best way to do things again.
Memphis’ Summer Drive-in suddenly became a hive of excitement again too, hosting virtual recitals for dance troupes and local movie festivals. The theater’s lot, with it’s classic Volkswagen Beetle-topped marquee and it’s Mid-Century lighting, was like a welcome home for pandemic weary Memphians looking for a place to safely gather and enjoy the arts of the city. You could “greet” neighbors and friends but keep a good distance, finding your community again and reveling in the locally produced entertainment.
The Show Must Go On
Memphians of all generations remember seeing their first drive-in movies. Mine was “Blank Check” and one of my favorite traditions was the real, air-popped popcorn drizzled with butter my mama always brought along for the occasion. But I also have memories in high-school of horror flicks that I thought I would never recover from after watching them under the black, foreboding sky. For decades, the pattern of the double feature remained consistent from when the very first drive-in opened in Memphis, out on Lamar in 1938: a family-friendly flick first and a more serious drama afterward, for when the kiddos were fast asleep in the backseat. Nowadays, the Summer Quartet Drive-In still features four mega screens but only single features. The shows are at 7:45 nightly and you can still cram your car full of loved ones for $25.
Sure, you can’t beat the value but you certainly can’t compete with the experience. Set aside an evening this summer to enjoy one of our nation’s landmarks, the Summer Quartet, and give your season a little vintage flavor.