The “old antique” drive-in theaters are becoming popular again in many countries

When regular movie theaters in many countries ceased operations due to the epidemic, drive-in theaters, an "antique" that was popular in the last century, have recently successfully "rebounded" overseas. As a relatively safe form of cultural and entertainment during the epidemic, they have returned to people's attention and have been welcomed by audiences of different ages.

According to local media reports, Autokino Essen, one of the only two drive-in cinemas in Germany that is open all year round, has been in short supply of tickets for every screening since the country issued quarantine measures in March. Even without new films being released, business has not been affected at all. On April 6, the cinema sold out 500 tickets for the German comedy "Manta Manta", which was a great success. This movie is already an old movie from 1991.

"It doesn't matter what we show. People just want to go out and see a movie," said Frank, manager of the Essen Drive-In Cinema. "Our movie tickets are now sold out weeks in advance."

In addition to a dozen older drive-in theaters in Germany that have seen a sudden surge in box office sales, temporary drive-in theaters have also sprung up everywhere. D.Live, a performance management company, set up a temporary drive-in theater in the parking lot of the Düsseldorf Exhibition. It opened for the first time on April 8 and screened the niche music biopic "Lindberg!", and tickets were quickly sold out. Loe Studios, an independent cinema in the German town of Marl, found an empty space behind a bar and installed an LED screen to start a drive-in theater business. It opened for the first time on April 6 and screened "The Lion King" and "Parasite", and movie tickets were snapped up within hours.

"Initially, the government was also concerned about possible health risks," said Heiko Desch, who runs a chain of drive-in theaters in Germany. "But we had no problem at all, as long as we told people to stay in their cars and not go out, except to go to the bathroom. No one was in contact with each other during the whole viewing process."

South Korea has been severely affected by the epidemic since February. After the closure of ordinary cinemas, drive-in cinemas have also shown similar counter-trend growth. The box office revenue of Cine 80 Drive-in Cinema in Daegu increased by 20%, while the box office of Jayuro Drive-in Cinema in the suburbs of Seoul soared by 30%.

"We have managed to maintain our business since the outbreak," said the operator of Jayuro Drive-In Cinema. "People have found that drive-in cinemas are a safer option for enjoying cultural life." Temporary drive-in cinemas have also appeared in many parks and parking lots in South Korea. Some local governments in South Korea play old movies in parks for free. For example, Nowon District in eastern Seoul built a 1,100-square-foot screen in a local park to let people who drive there watch movies for free, alleviating the emotional distress caused by the epidemic and social isolation measures.

The situation in each country is different. Of the approximately 320 drive-in theaters in the United States, less than 25 are still in operation, and their box office has remained stable. As audiences prefer new Hollywood films, the box office has not seen a significant increase. While regular theaters remain closed, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on April 12 that he was considering reopening drive-in theaters: "Where is the controversy over public safety? This is an open-air venue, and you stay in your car with the same people (in home quarantine)."

"Whatever measures the government asks us to take, we are willing to arrange them," said the owner of the Warwick Drive-In Cinema in the United States. "We hope that people can go out in a safe environment. A family driving out to watch a movie is a bit like an outing."

"We think drive-in theaters may be the first to be allowed to open," said Brian Allen, president of a chain of drive-in theaters in Canada. He closed five theaters in March at the request of local health authorities, but he hopes to evoke people's memories of the golden age of drive-in theaters in the 1950s and 1960s during the epidemic.