Drive-in cinema comes to town

The Maple Garden Drive-in Cinema is the first of its kind in Beijing. (China Daily Photo)

During the golden age of its love affair with the automobile, America's drive-in cinemas were as much a part of the landscape as roller-skating carhops at hamburger stands and weekend drag races. Rising fuel prices and lifestyle changes brought an end to those freewheeling days, though they live on in the movies themselves as depicted in numerous iconic films that pay homage to a time more carefree and innocent.

But movie aficionados could be forgiven as they drive along Liangmaqiao Road in northeast Beijing and think they are passing a scene from the 1973 classic American Graffiti.

There, in real life, is an actual drive-in, complete with a beckoning entry that looks like a portal to the 1960s.

The Maple Garden Drive-in Cinema opened in 1998, the first of this kind in Beijing, and has since enjoyed a "silent success", said General Manager Gu Haiqiong.

"We now have around 100,000 registered members and are enlarging one of our viewing lots to hold more cars," she told Metro.

In the first few days of October this year the drive-in hosted more than 500 cars a day over the eight-day national holiday break, a new record, as it showed blockbusters such as the Founding of the Republic and The Message.

The 3,772-sq-m grounds with surrounding eateries and BBQ bars have a special atmosphere for nighttime moviegoers - a place for friends, family, food and even pets.

"Young mothers can bring their newly born with them and dog-lovers take them along. You stay in your own car without fear of disturbing others. That would be impossible at indoor cinemas," Gu said.

It usually costs each car 100 yuan to enter the cinema and customers can watch more than one movie.

"People tend to think such a lifestyle is costly, but actually it is not. We charge by the car, not by the customers inside. If more people sit in one car, each will spend less," Gu said.

One regular is Miss Guan, a white-collar professional living near the cinema. She tells Metro that she usually watches three movies in a night with friends and eats copious amounts of popcorn.

"It is very cozy when it is cold at midnight, but you are watching a movie comfortably in the car," she said.

The 11-year-old Maple Garden before had two competitors, one in the Fragrant Hills area and another in Daxing district, but they have since closed, Gu noted.

"Location is very important. People call this part of Beijing 'the backyard of the embassy area'. It is easier for us to survive as we are surrounded by people with cars."

Ironically the Western-style drive-in in an area home to thousands of foreigners has not attracted many. "We do see some foreigners come from time to time, but they are the minority because most of the movies we show are Chinese," she said.

Gu and her team are now trying to attract more foreign customers. "More Chinese movies have English subtitles, like the recent hit The Message. We advertise those that have English on our billboards outside to let people know."

"We also plan to show more Hollywood movies in the future. Even some Chinese are expecting that," she said.

"It will be fun to see more foreigners here, everyone bringing their children together."

Source: China Daily