WNYDIMS - June 2009 Newsletter

The WNYDIMS Newsletter

The official newsletter of the Western New York Drive-in Movie Society

Issue 2 - July 2009

Welcome to the interactive Western New York Drive-in Movie Society newsletter! We will try to offer a lot of helpful information here about the local Drive-in theaters in Western New York, and anything about Drive-ins anywhere in the world!

If you have some content you would like to include in our August newsletter, please email us and we will do what we can to include your story or information in the next issue!

The Western New York Drive-in Movie Society, known as WNYDIMS, is all about bringing the Drive-in experience to a generation that may not be too familiar with it. We welcome young parents, and anyone else, looking to find out more about the Drive-in to contact us with any questions you may have and we will do what we can to get you an answer.

We hope you enjoy the newsletter and participate in its evolution! Don't forget to ask about joining the WNYDIMS. It's free and we are going to be adding members-only events and specials very soon!

Thanks!

George N Root III

WNYDIMS

Save The Grandview!

We here at WNYDIMS support the efforts of the Friends of the Grandview to try and revive this classic Drive-in. This story ran in our first newsletter, but we felt it was so important that we decided to run it again this month. Please support the efforts to revive the Grandview. Contact us here at WNYDIMS for more information, or contact the Friends of the Grandview.

Regrettably, Angola 's Grandview Drive-in is no more. Friends of the Grandview fought to the very last day to save the historic landmark.

However, we are proud to announce its rebirth is in progress! Fund raising will begin shortly to help pay for its reconstruction and we are also hopeful we can have a temporary Drive-in operational yet this summer with some help. We are in need of a 35mm-film platter system, as well as a concession trailer to serve as a snackbar, and something to house our projection equipment.

This is a countywide effort and we ask any contractors or electricians interested in helping please contact us. A benefit concert is also being planned, anyone who wishes to participate in any way please help us bring the Drive-in and Family Friendly Entertainment back to Erie county!

Friends of the Grandview can be reached at 716-771-8324 or grandview@bluefrog.com

Grandview demo picture from the Buffalo News

The Grandview screen tower as we will all remember it.

Go Fly A Kite

Stuart Forsyth

Owner, Airsport Shop

Kites. We all had them as kids. Paper, wood, string and a windy day. Little did we know that we were just part of a 3000 year old tradition. For that show long mankind has been flying kites.

It may have been a Chinese famer who, frustrated that his hat kept blowing off his head, tied a string to it, and held on when it lifted skyward…His children saw it, and soon he could find none of his hats, as they had taken them all and tied strings to them and were in the field flying dads hats…

I have no idea how they were made. or what his hats looked like, but I would love to have a kite I could wear. Traders then took the new found things to the corners of the earth. Some remained child's playthings, others found more adult uses. One was used to measure the distance needed to tunnel under a Japanese fortress during Japans Feudal age. Others were used to carry bombs over enemy positions at night in china.

As man moved, so did kites. One inventor in the early 18 th century built a “horseless carriage” that was pulled along by a series of kites. Since in those days, road taxes were figured by the number of horses used to pull the cart, it was a great tax dodge.

It worked well, up till the point that one day, he passed the Duke of Wellington. In those days, you didn't do such a thing…despite the fact that the Duke was moving much slower than the kite powered car…The Duke was insulted, and informed the man that he was to “cease this rubbish and be pulled along by a horse like a gentleman should”

I am not sure how a kite powered car would work today, with power wires and street lights, but it might be fun to try , as many fun seeking folks do with the modern traction or power kites available, used for everything from kite surfing to kite skiing.

There is one local history note that many do not know of. Around the turn of the century, it was decide to build a bridge from Niagara Falls New York to Canada . The problem was getting the first steel cable across the dangerous Niagara River . A contest was held for anyone who could get a “starter line” across the gorge.

One 10 year old boy from Niagara Falls came up with the idea of flying a kite from Canada to the US, lifted up and carried over by the winds…He was to bring the kite down on the US side, then more and heavier lines then finally cables cold be strung across the Gorge.

It worked too well. He traveled to Canada , launched his kite, and waited. Night time fell, and his kite remained aloft. Bonfires were lit for the crowds to see the event. The next morning came, the sun rose to find the kite still airborne.

Then it happened. The line began to fray. He pulled the kite in, but he was too late, and the kite crashed into the west side of the Gorge wall. Early fall weather had taken a turn for the worse, and he found himself stranded in Canada . A kind family took him in, and for the next 10 days, he worked to repair and improve his kite.

When the weather finally broke, he tried again. This time, he was successful in his attempt. The first cable was laid for the bridge. For his efforts, he was paid a healthy sum of 10 dollars.

Kite flying today remains a great family activity, being a way to spend time with the kids, and to let the kid in all of us out. There are several groups and organizations in the area that you can contact or go see kite flying in action. It's in our blood. 3000 years of experience has shown us that.

So when somebody says, ‘Go Fly A Kite”…do just that.

- Stuart Forsyth is a member of WNYDIMS and reviews movies on our message board. Send us your Drive-in memories and maybe you can get your story into our next newsletter!

Drive-in Jack (Part 1)

by Drive-in Jack

(This is an ongoing series we will feature in the coming newsletters of one of the most colorful characters in the Western New York Drive-in scene - Drive-in Jack. Jack has a lot of stories, and he has a lot of experience from his years working in the movie business. This is the first installment of many to come.)

The following is a chapter in a series of my life in Drive-in theatres to include my early years of how I got acquainted with movie presentation in general.

My earliest recollection of going to a movie theatre starts out about 1952 or 1953 when my grandfather noticed a movie playing at the indoor Cataract Theatre in downtown Niagara Falls, NY. This was the Clifton Webb musical titled Stars and Stripes Forever. It was a must-see for grandpa as he was the conductor of the Bergholtz Fire Co. Band (1940 - 1961). Mom, my brother Dan, and I were eager to go but my dad wasn't interested until grandpa said he would pick up the tab. So it was off to the invitingly decorated and well-kept Cataract Theatre for the show. We sat in the special lounge area where grandpa could puff on his favorite cigars! All of us enjoyed the film.

I don't remember which one of us was so inspired by Clifton Webb that we decided to make the movies a regular stop, but we went on to see the 1953 version of Titanic which I liked, and the 1954 movie A Woman's World. I didn't like that one, plus I really did not understand it. Later in 1954 we saw another musical called Three Coins in a Fountain which I liked. Somewhere during this time period we tried a movie at the the only Drive-in theatre in Niagara Falls, the Starlite Drive-in.

Next issue - Drive-in Jack's first trip to the Drive-in and the long strange journey it started.

The Sunset Drive-in at night. Still one of our favorite Drive-in pictures.

Don't forget our picture page!

Send us your Drive-in pictures and we will see if we can post them on our picture page for everyone to enjoy!

It is a fun way to share your Drive-in experience with the whole world!

Just make sure you give us your name, the month and year the picture was taken, what Drive-in it is, and where it is located. We can't post a picture without that info.

You can make a caption for it, or you can let us do it for you! Submit your pictures today!

Drive-in History

WNYDIMS is proud to be a supporter of the New York Drive-ins historical website.

It is a labor of love put together by a local Drive-in enthusiast, and the amount of work required to collect all of the information was quite a story in itself.

We are hoping that in the next newsletter, the creator of New York Drive-ins will tell his story so that everyone can understand the amount of dedication that goes into some of the things we do to preserve the Drive-in theater.

Summer

Stuart Forsyth

Summer is here. Now comes the age old question of what do with the kids.

It doesn't matter if you are a parent or grandparent, sometime soon, you will have to play activities director for the family.

But what to do that won't cost an arm and a leg?

I don't begrudge the amusement parks, they do a great job at what they do, and for some folks, its the most popular way of spending the summer vacation.

But for a lot of us, families are faced with “right sizing” our summer vacation.

So how do you do that?

Well, get back to basics.

In the current Pixar movie “UP” the boy recounts the time spent with his dad eating ice cream and counting cars...he says it sounds boring, but you remember the boring times.

Maybe we should spend more “boring times” with our kids.

This area is filled with many great state, county and municipal parks that host many summer activities. From self guided nature trails to playgrounds and water front access, this summer is a great time to pack a picnic lunch, and take the family to the park.

Play catch, fly a kite (my favorite) or just enjoy the outdoors. Cap off the day with a movie at the drive in theater of your choice, and you have an unforgeable summer time day.

Your kids will probably not remember how much you spent on park admission, and one roller coaster is pretty much like another, but they will remember the times spent with you.

So when they go back to school in the fall, and they are asked what they did over summer vacation, they can answer “ I met my parents”...

The WNYDIMS Newsletter The official newsletter of the Western New York Drive-in Movie Society Issue 2 - July 2009
Welcome to the interactive Western New York Drive-in Movie Society newsletter! We will try to offer a lot of helpful information here about the local Drive-in theaters in Western New York, and anything about Drive-ins anywhere in the world! If you have some content you would like to include in our August newsletter, please email us and we will do what we can to include your story or information in the next issue! The Western New York Drive-in Movie Society, known as WNYDIMS, is all about bringing the Drive-in experience to a generation that may not be too familiar with it. We welcome young parents, and anyone else, looking to find out more about the Drive-in to contact us with any questions you may have and we will do what we can to get you an answer. We hope you enjoy the newsletter and participate in its evolution! Don't forget to ask about joining the WNYDIMS. It's free and we are going to be adding members-only events and specials very soon! Thanks! George N Root III WNYDIMS		Save The Grandview! We here at WNYDIMS support the efforts of the Friends of the Grandview to try and revive this classic Drive-in. This story ran in our first newsletter, but we felt it was so important that we decided to run it again this month. Please support the efforts to revive the Grandview. Contact us here at WNYDIMS for more information, or contact the Friends of the Grandview. Regrettably, Angola 's Grandview Drive-in is no more. Friends of the Grandview fought to the very last day to save the historic landmark. However, we are proud to announce its rebirth is in progress! Fund raising will begin shortly to help pay for its reconstruction and we are also hopeful we can have a temporary Drive-in operational yet this summer with some help. We are in need of a 35mm-film platter system, as well as a concession trailer to serve as a snackbar, and something to house our projection equipment. This is a countywide effort and we ask any contractors or electricians interested in helping please contact us. A benefit concert is also being planned, anyone who wishes to participate in any way please help us bring the Drive-in and Family Friendly Entertainment back to Erie county! Friends of the Grandview can be reached at 716-771-8324 or grandview@bluefrog.com Grandview demo picture from the Buffalo News The Grandview screen tower as we will all remember it.
Go Fly A Kite Stuart Forsyth Owner, Airsport Shop Kites. We all had them as kids. Paper, wood, string and a windy day. Little did we know that we were just part of a 3000 year old tradition. For that show long mankind has been flying kites. It may have been a Chinese famer who, frustrated that his hat kept blowing off his head, tied a string to it, and held on when it lifted skyward…His children saw it, and soon he could find none of his hats, as they had taken them all and tied strings to them and were in the field flying dads hats… I have no idea how they were made. or what his hats looked like, but I would love to have a kite I could wear. Traders then took the new found things to the corners of the earth. Some remained child's playthings, others found more adult uses. One was used to measure the distance needed to tunnel under a Japanese fortress during Japans Feudal age. Others were used to carry bombs over enemy positions at night in china. As man moved, so did kites. One inventor in the early 18 th century built a “horseless carriage” that was pulled along by a series of kites. Since in those days, road taxes were figured by the number of horses used to pull the cart, it was a great tax dodge. It worked well, up till the point that one day, he passed the Duke of Wellington. In those days, you didn't do such a thing…despite the fact that the Duke was moving much slower than the kite powered car…The Duke was insulted, and informed the man that he was to “cease this rubbish and be pulled along by a horse like a gentleman should” I am not sure how a kite powered car would work today, with power wires and street lights, but it might be fun to try , as many fun seeking folks do with the modern traction or power kites available, used for everything from kite surfing to kite skiing. There is one local history note that many do not know of. Around the turn of the century, it was decide to build a bridge from Niagara Falls New York to Canada . The problem was getting the first steel cable across the dangerous Niagara River . A contest was held for anyone who could get a “starter line” across the gorge. One 10 year old boy from Niagara Falls came up with the idea of flying a kite from Canada to the US, lifted up and carried over by the winds…He was to bring the kite down on the US side, then more and heavier lines then finally cables cold be strung across the Gorge. It worked too well. He traveled to Canada , launched his kite, and waited. Night time fell, and his kite remained aloft. Bonfires were lit for the crowds to see the event. The next morning came, the sun rose to find the kite still airborne. Then it happened. The line began to fray. He pulled the kite in, but he was too late, and the kite crashed into the west side of the Gorge wall. Early fall weather had taken a turn for the worse, and he found himself stranded in Canada . A kind family took him in, and for the next 10 days, he worked to repair and improve his kite. When the weather finally broke, he tried again. This time, he was successful in his attempt. The first cable was laid for the bridge. For his efforts, he was paid a healthy sum of 10 dollars. Kite flying today remains a great family activity, being a way to spend time with the kids, and to let the kid in all of us out. There are several groups and organizations in the area that you can contact or go see kite flying in action. It's in our blood. 3000 years of experience has shown us that. So when somebody says, ‘Go Fly A Kite”…do just that. - Stuart Forsyth is a member of WNYDIMS and reviews movies on our message board. Send us your Drive-in memories and maybe you can get your story into our next newsletter!
Drive-in Jack (Part 1) by Drive-in Jack (This is an ongoing series we will feature in the coming newsletters of one of the most colorful characters in the Western New York Drive-in scene - Drive-in Jack. Jack has a lot of stories, and he has a lot of experience from his years working in the movie business. This is the first installment of many to come.) The following is a chapter in a series of my life in Drive-in theatres to include my early years of how I got acquainted with movie presentation in general. My earliest recollection of going to a movie theatre starts out about 1952 or 1953 when my grandfather noticed a movie playing at the indoor Cataract Theatre in downtown Niagara Falls, NY. This was the Clifton Webb musical titled Stars and Stripes Forever. It was a must-see for grandpa as he was the conductor of the Bergholtz Fire Co. Band (1940 - 1961). Mom, my brother Dan, and I were eager to go but my dad wasn't interested until grandpa said he would pick up the tab. So it was off to the invitingly decorated and well-kept Cataract Theatre for the show. We sat in the special lounge area where grandpa could puff on his favorite cigars! All of us enjoyed the film. I don't remember which one of us was so inspired by Clifton Webb that we decided to make the movies a regular stop, but we went on to see the 1953 version of Titanic which I liked, and the 1954 movie A Woman's World. I didn't like that one, plus I really did not understand it. Later in 1954 we saw another musical called Three Coins in a Fountain which I liked. Somewhere during this time period we tried a movie at the the only Drive-in theatre in Niagara Falls, the Starlite Drive-in. Next issue - Drive-in Jack's first trip to the Drive-in and the long strange journey it started.		The Sunset Drive-in at night. Still one of our favorite Drive-in pictures.
Don't forget our picture page! Send us your Drive-in pictures and we will see if we can post them on our picture page for everyone to enjoy! It is a fun way to share your Drive-in experience with the whole world! Just make sure you give us your name, the month and year the picture was taken, what Drive-in it is, and where it is located. We can't post a picture without that info. You can make a caption for it, or you can let us do it for you! Submit your pictures today!	Drive-in History WNYDIMS is proud to be a supporter of the New York Drive-ins historical website. It is a labor of love put together by a local Drive-in enthusiast, and the amount of work required to collect all of the information was quite a story in itself. We are hoping that in the next newsletter, the creator of New York Drive-ins will tell his story so that everyone can understand the amount of dedication that goes into some of the things we do to preserve the Drive-in theater.	Summer Stuart Forsyth Summer is here. Now comes the age old question of what do with the kids. It doesn't matter if you are a parent or grandparent, sometime soon, you will have to play activities director for the family. But what to do that won't cost an arm and a leg? I don't begrudge the amusement parks, they do a great job at what they do, and for some folks, its the most popular way of spending the summer vacation. But for a lot of us, families are faced with “right sizing” our summer vacation. So how do you do that? Well, get back to basics. In the current Pixar movie “UP” the boy recounts the time spent with his dad eating ice cream and counting cars...he says it sounds boring, but you remember the boring times. Maybe we should spend more “boring times” with our kids. This area is filled with many great state, county and municipal parks that host many summer activities. From self guided nature trails to playgrounds and water front access, this summer is a great time to pack a picnic lunch, and take the family to the park. Play catch, fly a kite (my favorite) or just enjoy the outdoors. Cap off the day with a movie at the drive in theater of your choice, and you have an unforgeable summer time day. Your kids will probably not remember how much you spent on park admission, and one roller coaster is pretty much like another, but they will remember the times spent with you. So when they go back to school in the fall, and they are asked what they did over summer vacation, they can answer “ I met my parents”...