As the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep indoor movie theaters closed for now, drive-in cinemas have staged a comeback on Long Island, most recently in Lake Grove. Event producer Starfish Junction has entered into a partnership with Simon Malls to safely entertain families this summer with the launch of MOVIE LOT — a pop-up drive-in series offering movies shown on a giant 52-foot screen erected in the parking lot of the Smith Haven Mall.
Visitors may enter the mall area via Middle Country Rd. Follow signs to the Verizon lot. Security and staff will direct you where to park. The lot will open 45 minutes prior to show time. Radio frequencies are used to play sound in your vehicle. Upon arrival, you’ll see the radio station channel up on the big screen.
Ticketholders are permitted to bring their own food and snacks to enjoy during the show. Attendees may also consider Smith Haven Mall restaurants for curbside pick up before filing into the lot for the movie. Portable restrooms will be available for use.
“Drive-in movies naturally adhere to the social distancing guidelines and gives people something fun to do. We’ve all been sheltering in place for weeks, our goal is to deliver a safe and entertaining way to lift the spirits of our neighbors while at the same time adhere to social distancing guidelines,” said Lauren Powers, Senior Director at Starfish Junction. “I think we are all ready to go out, do it safely, and have some fun.”
“We’ve got a great lineup for the summer and we anticipate a great response from the local community. But make no mistake about it, we will be strictly enforcing social distancing rules and regulations at each and every showing,” said Powers.
Kicking off the series on Thursday, May 28 at 8:45 p.m. will be the 1981 mega-hit Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (PG). Other movies included in the summer series weekend kick off include the newly-released Sonic the Hedgehog (PG) on Friday, May 29 at 8:45 p.m. followed by the 2005 version of King Kong at 11:45 p.m. (PG-13); the 1976 The Bad News Bears (PG) on Saturday, May 30 at 8:45 p.m. followed by the 2020 blockbuster Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker at 11:45 p.m.
The rest of the summer lineup will be announced soon and will include movies perfect for date nights, family fun nights, girl’s night out, sing-alongs, and midnight showings of fright-night classics. There are a limited number of tickets available for each showing. Tickets are on sale now ($40 per carload) and must be purchased online in advance at www.MovieLotDriveIn.com.
“How would you like to star opposite the tallest, darkest leading man in Hollywood?” Enticed by these words, brunette leading lady Fay Wray dyed her hair blonde and accepted the role of Ann Darrow in King Kong — and stayed with the project even after learning that her “leading man” was a 50-foot ape.
FAY WRAY AND ROBERT RISKIN: A HOLLYWOOD MEMOIR is a Hollywood love story, a Hollywood memoir, a dual biography of two of Hollywood’s most famous figures, whose golden lives were lived at the center of Hollywood’s golden age, written by their daughter, an acclaimed writer and producer. Fay Wray and Robert Riskin, legendary Academy Award winning screenwriter, lived large lives finding each other after establishing their artistic selves and after each had had many romantic attachments—Wray, an eleven-year-long difficult marriage and a fraught affair with Clifford Odets, and Riskin, a series of romances with, among others, Carole Lombard, Glenda Farrell, and Loretta Young. Here are Wray’s and Riskin’s lives, their work, their fairy-tale marriage that ended so tragically. Here are their dual, quintessential American lives, ultimately and blissfully intertwined.
