Everything’s up to date in Kansas City—especially when it comes to Drive In movies…
The Boulevard Drive-In made its debut in 1950 and remains as the oldest, continously operating movie theater in the greater Kansas City area.
In 1999 the outdoor venue’s owner and operator Wes Neal installed DTS Digital Sound, a first for Drive In’s anywhere.
And for the 2012 season, Neal and grandson Brian Neal are really stepping it up with another FIRST.
The BOULEVARD Drive In is currently in the final stages of converting its facilities to state-of-the-art Christie 4K Digital projection equipment powered by a 6,000 watt Xenon bulb .
According to the Neal’s, "No other Drive In in the country will have as sharp and crisp a picture on the screen as we will and our digital sound will be crystal clear."
Note that just as at the I-70 and TWIN Drive In’s, movie sound is broadcast to car radios via FM frequencies.
The BOULEVARD will be showing off its new 4K digital projection system next Friday, April 6th with an absolutely free, one night Fan Night featuring a great double feature of Steven Spielberg classics, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK starring Harrison Ford and the original BACK TO THE FUTURE with Michael J. Fox.
You can print your free Fan Night pass good for one carload (each) now on the BOULEVARD’s Facebook page:
facebook.com/boulevard.drive.in
Do it soon before they’re gone!
Havent been to a drive in in YEARS….
but just printed off the pass to make it a family night!! Great story, thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the Tip!
I’ll be there. Love the drive-in, but it’s always been more about the experience than seeing the movie as quality issues often kept me from seeing any movie of consequence in that setting. Perhaps this new & improved digital projection equipment is a step in the right direction and the cost effectiveness of seeing 2-for-1 first-run movies will attract myself and others back to the ozoners. The freebie along with the two classic films should be the perfect way to test drive this new setup. Kudos to the Boulevard for always thinking outside the box.
Love the place, but
The damn train tracks are right next to the lot and they are LOUD
Had my tickets for for a week now and for all you old drive in folks there is a FB pge just for KC drive in’s “Remembering the Drive-In Theaters of Kansas City” come check it out we have fun once in a while.
boulevard was great…
I knew the original owners of the drive in. We’d all get together and go down there and sit on top of the cars and watch the movies.
The original owner was a super great guy. He was one of the most popular veterinarians in johnson county.
We did some serious partying at the boulevard. Despite floods/demographic changes/and increased competition the boulevard
is really a survivor….great place to go to..haven’t been there in years.
Harley, Super Dave, we’ll be there Friday Night!
Come by and have a beer! White Cadillac SRX with a personalized plate that shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. i KNOW Super Dave will get it! And, Im being serious. We are going to get there a little early, set the kids up, then plop down in the lawn chairs, have a drink and a cigar. I’ll bring extras! Come on DOWN. I haven’t been to a drive in in decades!
love it…but friday i’ve got clients in town…
they’re in for a seminar and I’ve got to make sure they stay out of jail this weekend..
wish i could come…we could probably get free passes if i call doc…or we could do what
you did in your “day”…pile a bunch of people in the trunk…is that car a hatchback or does
it havea trunk..
then i can instruct you on how to buy that bar you’lve been trying to buy…also..
we used to go down three…smoke our stuff with the windows rolled up then hit
the concession stand…cost us $100 a nite in food….
Good point, Harley!!!!
They didn’t care whether you came in via the trunk or the legal way back then. After all whatever you paid at the boxoffice is shared with the film company so the theatre only ends up with a fraction of the amount.
But since the theatre keeps ALL of the concession revenues, hey THAT’S WHERE THE PROFIT IS!!!
The the more bodies…the merrier.
ALSO—VERY IMPORTANT! There’s a good chance that the Drive-In will fill up for the free night and classic movies next week. So even though you may have a pass, you could be turned away if it’s full—or end up on the first or last couple of rows.
So MY SUGGESTION: Get there early—like maybe an hour before dawn!!!!!
Actually, there WASN’T a “MY day”, Harley…
I was raised in a very fudamental household where I wasn’t allowed to ATTEND movies!!
We already have our free pass and are ready to go!
And thanks for your offer of “instructions”. I almost called you this morning to see how I should go to my office.
Touche
The suggestion should’ve read ‘Dusk’ instead of ‘dawn.’
But seriously Paul you’d be surprised how many people WITH PASSES show up at advance studio screenings these days and are turned away due to overbooking. (The agencies handling these public/critic screenings want to make sure they end up with a full house.)
Jack, this is a “kid night” for us…..
so we’ll be there PLENTY early. Like I said, activities and snacks for the kids PRIOR, cigar and adult beverages for DURING. I’m not a huge movie buff, but on occasion I’ve seen the advanced screening crowds!! In the words of James Carville, its amazing what happens when you drag a dollar bill through a trailer park!
wilson? (notice the return of ?) are you really going to mov
ie? I know doc well…next time i’ll gety ou passes and yes…you’ll get front row seats>>>>>>
also…you’re quite funny…maybe open micnight at glaze’s place…first there was laural and hardy…
then lewis and martin….then penn and teller….then harley and wilson…..we’ll be bigger than….
jj dynomite walker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
harley
qqqqqqq
harley
Doc Gatzoulis will be home in a week. Had some operations at S M Hospital. He is going to be fine. You should call him up to cheer him up. He is over 90 now. I spent this morning with his son George.
BTW
Pass says they’ll open gates at 6pm so I’m sure they’re expecting more than a full house..
wtf…doc g…. will get on it…
probably one of the greatest story tellers i’ve known. Wed’ get together and talk about
exploits in vegas…he had some doozies….
Doc had a golf course in his back yard and we played there…he saved my dog.
My dog ate a huge bag of pot. Took him to see doc but didn’t want to tell him my dog ate the pot.
Got there and doc kept asking me what he ate…i reluctantly told him what he ate and doc starting laughing
and said “oh hell…we get dogs in here doing that all the time…doesn’t hurt them…just cleans them out”…..
i’m on it….
wilson..seems like today things get turned around…
“activities and snacks for the adults prior…cigars and adult beverages for the kids during”
hell…things have changed!!!!!!!!!
Memorial Day Drive In Blowouts
Hey Jack…if I bring Katey McGuckin in, will she get maced? Will she have to pay extra for it?
After having spent my entire high school working at a drive in(a Sumner Redstone drive in mind you), nothing beats a full lot.
I used to be the little prick that caught you sneaking in the exit and when you parked threatened to call the cops if you didn’t pay double admission.
And then kept the dough.
Hope the weather holds.
Hey Randy…
…I managed my share of Drive-In’s in Nebraska and Kansas.
Used to love when a hottie would ‘escape the clutches of her date’ and show up at my office trying to get a ride home.
I always helped them out—one way or the other 🙂
Jack, do you remember back in the late 70s and early 80s, at least at the 63rd St Drive-In, that after the two main movies were over they’d play a porn flick at 1am? I remember my parents taking me to 63rd when I was about 9, don’t remember what movies we saw, but during the second movie we all fell asleep. We woke up during the countdown for the “next movie” – which was filled with all those old “Come visit our delicious snack bar” cartoons from the 60s (they still show those at the Boulevard by the way). We were driving out of the lot when the opening credits were rolling and I distinctly remember seeing bush before we were too far for me to see the screen anymore. Can’t believe they used to show that stuff on drive-in screens, in full view of anyone who was rolling by! Those screens at the 63rd St Drive-In were easily visible from 350 Hwy and 63rd St, as well as Brywood Plaza (back when it was thriving).
Bush at drive-in’s?
Yeap, I remember it. Most bush though was shown on one of the two screens of the Fairyland Drive-In. The other screen usually featured kung-fu.
A lot of the small town theatres out in the sticks played Saturday midnight sex shows. No real promotion for them. Just word of mouth. Everyone showed up. Even the cops. They like watching a little bush just like the next guy.
…Ahhh, those were the days before VHS and porn from your favorite cable operator.