Drive-in to the future from the Hutt
WHILE Back to the Future fans are not yet travelling around on hoverboards, they will soon have the opportunity to watch one of their favourite movies from landbased cars in Hutt City.
Drive-in movie operator Firefly Cinemas is calling Lower Hutt’s Riverbank car park its home this month as it brings fans Back to the Future Part II at 8.30pm on October 21 – a date true aficionados will recognise.
The sequel’s plot details October 21, 2015 as the day Doc, Marty McFly, and Jennifer Parker arrive in the future, travelling in a flying DeLorean time machine and leaving October 26, 1985 behind.
Firefly Cinemas founder and director Jonno Morrissey is organising the event with Hutt City Council.
He says the night will be huge for Back to the Future fans.
‘‘[It is] a once-in-a-lifetime experience. [People get] to be a part of history and to say they were at a drive-in movie in Lower Hutt watching the movie on the very date Marty and Doc went back to the future.’’
To make the night even more memorable, a DeLorean car will be in the front row for fans to snap a photo with.
Firefly Cinema marketing director Brady Dyer hopes Wellingtonians will find the experience novel and exciting.
‘‘We wanted to revive the drivein experience, something that’s quite iconic to America. We wanted to bring it to Wellington.’’
Not only is Firefly helping nostalgic fans tick an item off their bucket lists, the company is also helping three local charities with Halloween-inspired drive-in events the following weekend.
Riding for the Disabled, Heart Kids, and Te Awa Kairangi Trust hope to raise $1000 each from three drive-in films being played between Thursday, October 29, and Saturday, October 31.
The movie lineup starts on Thursday with What We Do In The Shadows, a Wellington-based vampire comedy featuring Jemaine Clement.
Families and 90s kids are catered for on Friday with the classic Halloween flick Hocus Pocus.
Morrissey says there will be additional features at each event ‘‘that will be sure to give patrons their scare fix for the year’’.
On Halloween night, brave movie-goers can watch Omen from the safety of their cars.
Morrissey says the aim is to give back to Hutt City.
‘‘Together with Hutt City Council, we decided these were three local charities that were doing great things for the community.’’
Riding for the Disabled provides safe riding services for people with intellectual, emotional, and physical disabilities. Shona Belcher, the organisation’s president, says it’s wonderful to be chosen as a recipient of some of the money raised.
‘‘No matter how big or small [the donation amount] may be, it will be a huge help, and very much appreciated.’’