A Volkswagen Beetle, a paper cone filled with kacang puteh (roasted nuts) and a giant movie screen in an open carpark, that’s probably what my parents’ movie date was like back in the 1980s.

These days, our closest alternative to a drive-in cinema are outdoor screenings such as the ‘Under the Banyan Tree’ series at the National Museum of Singapore or ‘Movies in the Park’ at Fort Canning Park.

Since the Jurong Drive-In Cinema closed its doors in 1985, the concept of having a drive-in cinema in Singapore had seemed like a far-fetched reality until I stumbled upon MovieMob, an outdoor drive-in movie event organised by events company Ape Communications.

This event, which has been endorsed by the Singapore Tourism Board as part of the “2009 reasons to enjoy Singapore” campaign, is described as a “fortnightly movie screening series that aims to recreate a nostalgic experience” for free. Yes, you read right, it’s free.

It turns out that MovieMob is a tad different from the typical drive-in cinema concept. Instead of a fixed venue, each screening is held at a different location which is kept “top secret”, and only revealed a couple of days before movie night.

“By setting it up at different locations, it will be like an exploration trip whereby Singaporeans can get to know more about the country,” said Mikhail Choo, director of Ape Communications. Since its premiere two months ago, MovieMob has sprung up at open areas at Merchant Court, Selegie Road and most recently Marina South Pier.

To enjoy the show, all you have to do is to visit their website at www.moviemob.sg to vote for your choice of movie and then return a couple of days before the screening to find out the venue and film that will be screened.

Choo told Channelnewsasia.com that the idea for this guerilla drive-in movie concept was conceived during a trip to the United States.

“I was in United States a couple of years back and they were screening movies on buildings. The last time we had a drive-in movie concept was probably more than 20 years ago, so we thought it was time to bring this nostalgia back to Singapore.”

Their efforts were clearly rewarded as more than 60 cars turned up at the open field beside Marina South Pier 30 minutes before the screening of “Stardust” a fortnight ago. The vehicles ranging from sport coupes to family-oriented multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) were parked neatly in rows before a giant inflatable screen. The figure eventually rose to approximately 200 and marshals had to turn away latecomers due to the lack of space.

No car? No problem.

There was a large canvas sheet set aside just for those without wheels or bring your own mat if you’re afraid it might get a bit crowded on the communal mat.

After securing a good spot, my focus turned to image and audio qualities. Being an outdoor event, it is unrealistic to expect the same top notch cinematic experience offered at multiplexes, but I wasn’t let down either.

The images were sharp and focused despite the slight movement of the inflatable screen due to the sea breeze. In fact, from where I was sitting some 400 metres from the screen, which was unfortunately not spared from the annoying distractions from the street lamps, Claire Danes looked as fine as she would appear on a television screen.

Sound was not an issue as a frequency was specially set up for the audience to tune to and listen from their car radios. Sure, it wasn’t ‘Dolby Surround’ quality (it might work out for those cars equipped with a solid audio system) but it was good enough as Ian McKellen’s baritone voice sounded crisp and clear without interruptions.

For those without cars, even though there were speakers set up near the screen, it is advisable to bring along a pocket radio or purchase one at the venue.

Hotdogs, popcorn and drinks are also sold on site but fill yourself up before heading down for the show. A growling stomach isn’t the best way to enjoy a movie under the stars.

When the movie ended, road marshals were on hand to ensure a smooth exit. Under their directions, there was no blowing of horns, flashing of headlights or any signs of road rage. Within 20 minutes, the 200-odd vehicles had cleared the field.

For the older generation, MovieMob is like a time capsule that brings you back to the good ol’ 80s. The Volkswagen Beetle and kacang puteh may have been replaced by MPVs and vacuum-packed Camel nuts but nevertheless, it is a great, not to mention economical, way to spend a Saturday night, bonding with friends and family.

The next MovieMob will be held on Saturday, September 19. More details on movie selection and venue available at www.moviemob.sg.

Tips for an enjoyable evening at the MovieMob

• A quick check at the website to vote for your choice of movie and confirm the location.
• Arrive early as latecomers may be turned away due to space restrictions.
• For those without a car, do bring along a mat, pocket radio, as well as an umbrella – you know how unpredictable the weather is.
• Though drinks and snacks are available on site, it is advisable to have a meal before heading down.

By Favian Ng, channelnewsasia.com

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/lifestylenews/view/1005270/1/.html

Singapore’s only open-air drive-in cinema, the Jurong Drive-in, was opened by the then Minister of Culture, Jek Yuen Thong, on 14 July 1971. The brainchild and pride of Cathay Organisation, it was located at Yuan Ching Road, next to the Japanese Gardens. Built on a 5.6 ha site leased from the Jurong Town Corporation (JTC), the cinema could accommodate 900 cars and an additional 300 people in its walk-in gallery for outdoor movies. The Drive-in closed on 30 September 1985 due to poor attendances and increasing competition from video pirates.

History of the Outdoor Cinema

Cathay Organisation adopted the drive-in outdoor cinema concept from the O’Halloran Hill cinema in Adelaide, Australia, and opened Singapore’s first and only drive-in theater in Yuan Ching Road, Jurong (next to the Japanese Garden) on 14 July 1971. Also the largest in Asia, the opening of the Jurong Drive-in was officiated by the then Minister of Culture, Jek Yuen Thong. Premiering at the opening night of outdoor movies was Ralph Thomas’ Doctor in Trouble. Box-office proceeds for the opening were donated to Jurong Town Creche and Jurong Town Community Centre.

On the opening night, about 880 cars packed the 5.6 ha drive-in with an additional 300 patrons occupying its walk-in open gallery. They viewed the outdoor movie on a giant screen measuring 47 ft by 100 ft. Tilted at an angle of six-and-a-half degrees, the screen was raised 25 ft above ground. The movie soundtrack was played over 899 speaker stands on the drive-in grounds and special car speakers attached to individual cars. Patrons munched on snacks and ate ice cream sold during the outdoor film screening.

Description of the Drive-In

The drive-in theater attracted thousands during its heyday in the 1970s. Outdoor movies were screened daily at two time slots 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Tickets were priced at S$2 for adults and S$1 for children under 12 years. It featured mainly first-run English language films and Hong Kong action movies. For instance, films starring Bruce Lee were very popular with patrons. His movie, The Big Boss, broke the drive-in cinema’s box-office record, collecting S$12,000 for one night.

The popularity of the Drive-In owed to the experience of watching a giant outdoor screen in the privacy of the car. It was also one of the few outings in which the whole family could go to. But the novelty slowly wore off as the open air cinema was at the mercy of tropical weather conditions, especially heavy downpours. Patrons complained that prolonged use of their windshield wipers throughout the shows when it rained was hazardous to their car’s ignition system. The open-air screening was also harder to manage and led to chaos as patrons who were impatient when car queues leading to the Drive-in became too long got off their vehicles and walked. Gate-crashers also added to the unruliness and many who turned up did not pay for their tickets. Getting audiences to settle down led to delayed screening of shows. Plans to open other drive-in cinemas never materialised, leaving Jurong as Singapore’s only drive-in theater.

Outdoor Movies: Winding-up

As early as 1981, Cathay Organisation was already musing about closing the Drive-in. Dismal attendance and illegal racing activities were their major concerns. For the past several years before it closed in 1985, on average only 200 people or 100 cars turned up for its daily outdoor film screenings, occupying only a fraction of its 900-car capacity lot. The drastic drop in cinema attendance was attributed mainly to video piracy. The large vacuum invited unwelcome guests as motorcyclists were reported to use the drive-in site for illegal racing activities after the shows ended. In view of these factors, Cathay Organisation decided not to renew its lease from Jurong Town Corporation (JTC). On 30 September 1985, Jurong Drive-in theater screened its last outdoor movies and closed its chapter after 15 years of operation.

Drive-in Theater Revival

Through the years, drive-in cinemas were periodically revived. As part of the 1996 arts festival fringe, the People’s Association Paya Lebar carpark was transformed into a temporary drive-in from 31 May to 1 June, screening family-oriented outdoor movies on both days. In 2003, Kallang carpark was the venue for a drive-in movie organised during the Romancing Singapore Festival. Currently, outdoor films are held once a month at Carpark B, Downtown East, an NTUC Club at Pasir Ris.

From “Jurong Drive-in cinema” By Nureza Ahmad -National Library Board Singapore. Read full article at: http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_478_2005-01-22.html.

The National Museum of Singapore has announced the return of the popular ‘Under The Banyan Tree’ outdoor movie series. The National Museum Cinematheque invites you to join in the romance and magic of outdoor cinema with your family and friends in a romantic open air setting. The series will include outdoor film screenings of some of the most beloved movie classics.

Venue: Stamford Garden
Dates: April 25th – June 28th

Friday, April 25th
Open Air Movie Screening: Wizard of Oz

Saturday, April 26th
Open Air Movie Screening: Singin’ in the Rain

Friday, May 30th
Open Air Movie Screening: Hong Kong Nocturne

Saturday, May 31st
Open Air Movie Screening: Come Drink with Me

Friday, June 27th
Open Air Movie Screening: Madu Tiga/Rivals Three

Saturday, June 28th
Open Air Movie Screening: Bujang Lapok/Old Bachelor

The Singapore Zoo will be organizing an outdoor movie screening – the first for 2007.

This outdoor movie event will feature ‘Arctic Tale’, an epic adventure that explores the vast world of the Great North. The film follows the two giants of the icy North Pole – Seela, the walrus and Nanu, the polar bear on their journey from birth to adolescence to maturity as they learn about life from their mothers and have to deal with the catastrophic changes in the arctic weather caused by global warming. The outdoor movie will help people sympathize with the plight of the arctic wildlife.

Narrated by Queen Latifah, this open air movie event will feature music from Cat Stevens, Ben Harper, Aimee Mann, and The Shins.

Details of the outdoor movie screening at Singapore Zoo are as follows:

All donations made during this outdoor movie event will go to Wildlife Conservation Singapore Fund (an institute of public character and registered charity).

S$8 per outdoor movie pass (minimum contribution).
S$6 per outdoor movie pass for 20 or more outdoor movie passes purchased in a single transaction.

A tax deductible receipt will be issued for donations over $50.00.

No returns or refunds will be entertained.

Outdoor movies and inflatable movie screens have been appearing in locations all around the world. Over time we will be adding links to articles about outdoor movies and open air cinema events. These articles are listed according to the country where the inflatable movie screen has been set up or the country where the outdoor movie event takes place.

A

• Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia
• Afghanistan – Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
• Akrotiri and Dhekelia – Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK overseas territory)
• Åland – Åland Islands (Autonomous province of Finland)
• Albania – Republic of Albania
• Algeria – People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
• American Samoa – Territory of American Samoa (US territory)
• Andorra – Principality of Andorra
• Angola – Republic of Angola
• Anguilla (UK overseas territory)
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina – Argentine Republic
• Armenia – Republic of Armenia
• Aruba (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
• Ascension Island (Dependency of the UK overseas territory of Saint Helena)
• Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
• Austria – Republic of Austria
• Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan

B

• Bahamas, The – Commonwealth of The Bahamas
• Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain
• Bangladesh – People’s Republic of Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belarus – Republic of Belarus
• Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium
• Belize
• Benin – Republic of Benin
• Bermuda (UK overseas territory)
• Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan
• Bolivia – Republic of Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana – Republic of Botswana
• Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil
• Brunei – Negara Brunei Darussalam
• Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria
• Burkina Faso
• Burma – Union of Myanmar
• Burundi – Republic of Burundi

C

• Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia
• Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon
• Canada
• Cape Verde – Republic of Cape Verde
• Cayman Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Central African Republic
• Chad – Republic of Chad
• Chile – Republic of Chile
• China – People’s Republic of China
• For “China, Republic of”, see Taiwan
• Christmas Island – Territory of Christmas Island (Australian overseas territory)
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands – Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australian overseas territory)
• Colombia – Republic of Colombia
• Comoros – Union of the Comoros
• Congo – Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Congo – Republic of the Congo
• Cook Islands (Associated state of New Zealand)
• Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica
• Côte d’Ivoire – Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
• Croatia – Republic of Croatia
• Cuba – Republic of Cuba
• Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus
• Czech Republic

D

• Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark
• For “Dhekelia”, see Akrotiri and Dhekelia
• Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti
• Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica
• Dominican Republic

E

• East Timor – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
• Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador
• Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt
• El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea – State of Eritrea
• Estonia – Republic of Estonia
• Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

F

• Falkland Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Faroe Islands (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of Denmark)
• Fiji – Republic of the Fiji Islands
• Finland – Republic of Finland
• France – French Republic
• French Polynesia (French overseas collectivity)

G

• Gabon – Gabonese Republic
• Gambia, The – Republic of The Gambia
• Georgia
• Germany – Federal Republic of Germany
• Ghana – Republic of Ghana
• Gibraltar (UK overseas territory)
• Greece – Hellenic Republic
• Greenland (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of Denmark)
• Grenada
• Guam – Territory of Guam (US organized territory)
• Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala
• Guernsey – Bailiwick of Guernsey (British Crown dependency)
• Guinea – Republic of Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana

H

• Haiti – Republic of Haiti
• Honduras – Republic of Honduras
• Hong Kong – Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (Area of special sovereignty)
• Hungary – Republic of Hungary

I

• Iceland – Republic of Iceland
• India – Republic of India
• Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia
• Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran
• Iraq – Republic of Iraq
• Ireland – Ireland
• Isle of Man (British Crown dependency)
• Israel – State of Israel
• Italy – Italian Republic
• For “Ivory Coast”, see Côte d’Ivoire

J

• Jamaica
• Japan
• Jersey – Bailiwick of Jersey (British Crown dependency)
• Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

K

• Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan
• Kenya – Republic of Kenya
• Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati
• Korea, North – Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
• Korea, South – Republic of Korea
• Kosovo – Republic of Kosovo
• Kuwait – State of Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic

L

• Laos – Lao People’s Democratic Republic
• Latvia – Republic of Latvia
• Lebanon – Republic of Lebanon
• Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho
• Liberia – Republic of Liberia
• Libya – Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
• Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein
• Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania
• Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

M

• Macao – Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (Area of special sovereignty)
• Macedonia – Republic of Macedonia
• Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar
• Malawi – Republic of Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives – Republic of Maldives
• Mali – Republic of Mali
• Malta – Republic of Malta
• Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania
• Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius
• Mayotte – Departmental Collectivity of Mayotte (French overseas collectivity)
• Mexico – United Mexican States
• Micronesia – Federated States of Micronesia
• Moldova – Republic of Moldova
• Monaco – Principality of Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Montserrat (UK overseas territory)
• Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco
• Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique
• For “Myanmar”, see Burma

N

• Nagorno-Karabakh – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh)
• Namibia – Republic of Namibia
• Nauru – Republic of Nauru
• Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
• Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands
• Netherlands Antilles (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
• New Caledonia – Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies (French community sui generis)
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua
• Niger – Republic of Niger
• Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria
• Niue (Associated state of New Zealand)
• Norfolk Island – Territory of Norfolk Island (Australian overseas territory)
• Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Northern Mariana Islands – Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US commonwealth)
• For “North Korea”, see Korea, North
• Norway – Kingdom of Norway

O

• Oman – Sultanate of Oman

P

• Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan
• Palau – Republic of Palau
• Palestine – Palestinian Territories
• Panama – Republic of Panama
• Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay
• For “People’s Republic of China”, see China
• Peru – Republic of Peru
• Philippines – Republic of the Philippines
• Pitcairn Islands – Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Poland – Republic of Poland
• Portugal – Portuguese Republic
• For “Pridnestrovie”, see Transnistria
• Puerto Rico – Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (US commonwealth)

Q

• Qatar – State of Qatar

R

• Romania
• Russia – Russian Federation
• Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda

S

• Saint Barthélemy – Collectivity of Saint Barthélemy (French overseas collectivity)
• Saint Helena (UK overseas territory)
• Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Martin – Collectivity of Saint Martin (French overseas collectivity)
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon – Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French overseas collectivity)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa – Independent State of Samoa
• San Marino – Most Serene Republic of San Marino
• São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
• Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Senegal – Republic of Senegal
• Serbia – Republic of Serbia
• Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles
• Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone
• Singapore – Republic of Singapore
• Slovakia – Slovak Republic
• Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia – Somali Republic
• Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland
• South Africa – Republic of South Africa
• For “South Korea”, see Korea, South
• South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia
• Spain – Kingdom of Spain
• Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
• Sudan – Republic of the Sudan
• Suriname – Republic of Suriname
• Svalbard (Territory of Norway)
• Swaziland – Kingdom of Swaziland
• Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden
• Switzerland – Swiss Confederation
• Syria – Syrian Arab Republic

T

• Taiwan – Republic of China
• Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan
• Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania
• Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand
• For “Timor-Leste”, see East Timor
• Togo – Togolese Republic
• Tokelau (Overseas territory of New Zealand)
• Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga
• Transnistria – Transnistrian Moldovan Republic
• Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
• Tristan da Cunha (Dependency of the UK overseas territory of Saint Helena)
• Tunisia – Tunisian Republic
• Turkey – Republic of Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Turks and Caicos Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Tuvalu

U

• Uganda – Republic of Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• United States – United States of America
• Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay
• Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan

V

• Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu
• Vatican City – State of the Vatican City
• Venezuela – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
• Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam
• Virgin Islands, British – British Virgin Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Virgin Islands, United States – United States Virgin Islands (US organized territory)

W

• Wallis and Futuna – Territory of Wallis and Futuna Islands (French overseas collectivity)
• Western Sahara – Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Y

• Yemen – Republic of Yemen

Z

• For “Zaire”, see Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Zambia – Republic of Zambia
• Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe