SM Cinema brings back the drive-in experience

SM Cinema reopens with the newest out-of-home entertainment experience for movie lovers, The SM Cinema Drive-In, which premieres at the Amphitheater of SM City Pampanga on July 31. It brings back the attraction of watching movies under the stars, this time as #SafeAndFunMovieWatching from the comfort of their own cars in the new normal.

The classic movie experience began on June 6, 1933 when Richard Hollingshead, who had earlier patented the concept, opened the first drive-in theater in Camden, New Jersey. According to Robin Reid in a smithsonianmag.com article, people paid 25 cents per car as well as per person to see the British comedy Wives Beware under the stars.

The success of Hollingshead’s drive-in caused more and more theaters to appear in the US and spread internationally as well. Drive-ins peaked in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and by 1958, there were 4,063 theaters. They were popular both as a space for families to spend time with each other, as well as an affordable date-night option.

While the popularity of drive-ins declined over the years with less available land, smaller cars and the advent of home entertainment systems, some 300 theaters remain in the US. Today, the drive-in concept is being transformed into a safe and fun way of movie watching.

The SM Cinema Drive-in will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at the SM City Pampanga Amphitheater with the most-anticipated horror movie from South Korea,

Train 2 Busan: Peninsula. Other films to be screened are Sea Monster on July 31 at 8:20 p.m. and My Spy, Aug. 1, 5:30 p.m. Entry to the SM Cinema Drive-in will start at 4:30 p.m. There will be two movie screenings per day. The first screening will start at 5:30 p.m. and the second screening will be at 8:20 p.m. All tickets must be purchased online in advance. Each ticket costs P400 per person, and this includes a Snack Time bundle consisting of bottled water, regular-sized popcorn and beef franks.

Food concessions will be available onsite. A separate menu will be provided upon entering the SM Cinema Drive-in. For additional orders, simply raise your flags and a server will approach your vehicle to take your orders.

For the best movie-viewing experience, two persons are allowed per vehicle with a maximum of four persons. To optimize the viewing experience for the guests, each vehicle will be assigned their parking spots upon arrival depending on the size of their cars. Traffic marshals will assist guests and direct them to their designated spot.

Once parked, guests will be instructed to turn on their car’s FM radio to a specific frequency to broadcast the sound straight into their vehicles. Guests are also welcome to bring their own radio and other devices with FM capabilities. The venue can accommodate between 80 and 90 vehicles per screening, and individuals aged between 21 and 59 will be admitted in accordance with IATF Guidelines and Safety Protocols. Buy your tickets at https://bit.ly/SMCinemaDriveinTickets. All ticket purchases must be through the website.