PHILADELPHIA — New venue will screen cult films, classic movies







    PHILADELPHIA - Movie enthusiast John Hanks and his friends in the Watcher's Council Film Society never planned to open a drive-in theater — it just sort of happened.

    Hanks, founder of The Watcher's Council Film Society, has been looking for a suitable place to screen movies for years, but he was looking for an indoor theater. The idea of a drive-in never occurred to him or his wife, Melody McLain-Hanks, until they heard about a music festival that was put on at Thunder Ridge Raceway, just outside Philadelphia on Highway 19 North.

    After hearing about the Joe Fusky Creek Music Festival, Hanks thought he'd drive by just to check it out.

    What Hanks found was not only what looked like a suitable venue for a drive-in, but a property owner who was more than willing to participate.

    "He was excited about what I was trying to do and he said, 'I've been thinking about doing that myself,'" said Hanks.

    With the land ready to go and the equipment on its way, the film society expects to start screening films for the public sometime in August.

    Hanks and the film society began screening classic and cult films for the public at Meridian's Temple Theater shortly after the theater was sold by the Shriner's to a private owner who was looking for new ways to bring people into the historic theater, but the venue, which seats 1500, proved too large for the film society's audience.

    "100 people to me was a big turnout," said Hanks, "but 100 people at the Temple Theater doesn't (amount to) anything."

    Leaving the Temple Theater after several screenings, Hanks began to look for a place to hold public screenings in Philadelphia, where he lives. The only venue he could find that would work was the The Ellis Theater - much smaller than the Temple, but large enough to invite the public to screenings.

    Unfortunately, the fee for use of the theater was just too high, and plans to have screenings there were abandoned. It was after indoor venues proved too hard to come by that Hanks came up with an idea for his screenings that would not only attract movie lovers, but fans of novelty and nostalgia as well.

    "The drive-in is a new idea out of necessity," Hanks said. "I wasn't ever a plan to have a drive-in because I always thought that would be too difficult."

    But as Hanks started to consider the idea of a drive-in, things started to fall into place. He already had a projector, so after he found the Thunder Ridge venue,  he only had to purchase a screen and find a way to deliver sound.

    Since theater-style speakers aren't a good option for an outdoor venue, Hanks decided to use a radio modulator that will allow patrons to listen to movies through their own car radios.

    The venue is already equipped with a stage, where the screen will be mounted, and a concession stand with a full kitchen. Once the remainder of the equipment arrives, Hanks says he will do a test run with members of the film society and then start public screenings as soon as possible.

    Hanks said screenings will likely be on Saturdays and will be mostly traditional drive-in type movies.

    "We want to show a lot of old sci-fi movies and a lot of the old junkie drive-in stuff... The thing about those kinds of movies is that they're fun to watch with other people," said Hanks, "The cool thing about a drive-in is nobody wants to go by themselves."

    Hanks said he also plans to show classic family films like Ghostbusters and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

    Hanks said he doesn't expect to make a profit and will be happy if he makes enough money from ticket sales to cover the licensing fees and other costs of showing the films. Currently, the film society is registered with the state as a non-profit organization and accepts donations, though the donations are not tax deductible.

    So far, the project has been funded mostly by Hanks and other film society members, but he said he hopes to get some business sponsorships once the project proves successful.

    While it would be nice to make a profit, Hanks said he's in it for the love of movies.

    "It's pretty much just a fun project for us," said Hanks. "It's like a kind of expensive hobby."

    For more information about the film society and its projects, visit them on the Web at www.twcfilmsociety.org or call (601)885-3455. To read film reviews written by film society members, visit www.thewatcherscouncil.com.