The 2010 Fall Throwback Series at the McHenry Outdoor Theater: Double features of modern cinema's finest
Drive-in cinemas have been in decline for the past thirty years, but the ones remaining in Chicagoland have figured out a way to remain relevant. Beginning at the end of summer and concluding around the autumnal equinox, McHenry Outdoor Theater hosts six weekends of double feature cult films, ‘80s movies and themed-weekends to perpetuate the drive-in spirit.
Located an hour away from Chicago, the McHenry, Illinois theater opened in 1955 and originally held nearly 800 cars in its gravel lot. Currently run by company "C" You at the Movies, the current incarnation can still accommodate hundreds of cars and families wanting to experience celluloid under the stars. A recent weekend kicked off the "Fall Throwback Series," with a double feature of Monty Python comedies The Life of Brian and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The features are held on Saturday and Sunday evenings only, from August 20th through September 25th.
Since the theater aims to have something for the entire family, Spielberg Weekend September 10th-11th will screen the poignant classic E.T., followed by the action-packed dinosaur adventure Jurassic Park. Mid-September sees "‘80s Weekend," with two other Spielberg produced films, The Goonies and the time traveling romp Back to the Future, which should evoke nostalgia in adults and help a younger generation discover these stalwarts.
For the musical crowd, there’s a "Sing-A-Long Weekend of Broadway," featuring hits Grease and Hairspray, and for horror fans, scare master Stephen King’s Oscar-nominated drama Shawshank Redemption screens, as does the frightening and not suitable for small children Shining. Wrapping up the series is "Cult Classics Weekend" with the hilarious and quirky Big Lebowski and another musical, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Summer nights are waning, so get outside before the chill of October sets in.
Posted by Garin Pirnia
