Few things in this world are more seminally American than that of the drive-in movie theater. It's one of our favorite summer activities here at Bend Honda and there's truly no better way to go see a movie. Unfortunately, our drive-ins across the country are in danger of going extinct. But if Honda has anything to say about it, these institutions are here to stay.
In case you haven't heard, every major movie studio will no longer distribute their movies on reel-to-reel film by the start of 2014. As much as we enjoy the upgrade in quality that comes with switching to digital, the downside is that every drive-in in America shows movies on reel-to-reel. As a result, the only way for them to stay in business come the new year will be to dish out $75,000 for a digital projector. It's an inordinate fee for any drive-in to pay and it's even worse for those that have multiple screens.
As of July, the National Association of Theater Owners has helped roughly 40% of drive-ins across the country switch over to digital. As for the other 60%, Honda has launched "Project Drive-In" to help save the day. As for why they would take a vested interest in such a campaign, the reason is clear:
"Cars and drive-in theaters go hand-in-hand, and it's our mission to save this decades-old slice of Americana that holds such nostalgia for so many of us," says Alicia Jones, manager of Social Marketing at American Honda Motor Co. "We're committed to helping the remaining drive-in theaters flourish with the move to digital projection."1
With that said, head on over to Honda's website to vote for them to save your local drive-in by September 9. And since we're on the subject, hop in your Honda Ridgeline and pay a visit to your local drive-in here in Bend, OR. You'll be awfully glad you did.
Source: 1http://variety.com/2013/film/news/honda-on-the-move-to-help-save-drive-in-theaters-1200576911/