Drive-In Horror

It has been many years since I have been to a drive-in movie, but I remember how much fun it always was. My last time at a drive-in, my sister and I went on a candy shopping spree, put on our pajamas, and went for a double feature. I can’t remember what movies we saw, but I remember a crackling speaker that special feeling of being in your own personal bubble to watch the movie. I guess it was long before our best entertainment choices were at home, so it felt more special.

In honor of Twister… Ride It Out at Universal Orlando, I thought about which classic horror films that I’d love to see at the Galaxy drive-in (sans tornado):

Dementia 13

When I was younger, I’d always watch for PBS to play this movie on Halloween. A scheming widow, an old Irish castle, a foggy lake, ghosts, and an ax-murderer. It isn’t the scariest movie I’ve ever seen, but it is so weird and creepy. I feel like it has the perfect haunted, on-edge ambiance to make for fun drive-in viewing.

Psycho

I mean, Alfred Hitchcock made Psycho for drive-ins, right? A woman in trouble and running, paranoia, a rainy night, a creepy dude, and an ill-advised bologna sandwich and shower. I wish that I could have watched it with some of those first audiences that had no idea what they were in for. Sometimes, I still forget what I’m in for at the end. I think I’ve met a few too many guys with that Normal Bates vibe.

The Mummy

All of the Universal classic horror collection are excellent movies. After the release of The Shape of Water, I have such deep respect for Creature from The Black Lagoon. But still, I have a soft spot for Boris Karloff in The Mummy. While Karloff has a commanding screen presence that brings the Mummy alive, it is the heart that he shows while longing for his lost love that always gets me.

The House on Haunted Hill

As a kid, I was obsessed with Thriller. I would play the part with Vincent Price over and over again, even though it always scared me. So, while the idea of being locked inside a creepy, old haunted house overnight with a bunch of ghosts is scary enough, if you add Vincent Price as the host, you have the perfect scary mix.

Night of the Living Dead

I cannot imagine a movie better suited for scaring people at a drive-in movie. Night of the Living Dead is creepy and dark, and for the characters, no place is safe. They’re boarded up in a house, peeking out at zombies milling around the front yard. At drive-ins, you always see the shadows of people milling around, going to snack counter or finding a bathroom. You think about how unsettling it is that no place is safe, and someone accidentally bumps against your car, and all your popcorn ends up in the back seat.

What classic horror films would you pick?