#Drive in movie theater seattle movie

I secured my standard popcorn & soda combo and skipped (okay, walked) to the cinema house speculating on the sensory supernova that I was soon to sublime in. Making my way upstairs to the box office and concession counter, I was already in like with the unique layout that all but eliminated the bunching up that typically happens at the standard ticket/concession counter. Nestled on a downtown corner across from the convention center that once housed PAX West and Emerald City ComicCon, I found a multilevel monument to cinema culture that delivered a fine first impression. Aw yeah, this bore investigation, schnell!

#Drive in movie theater seattle movie

(That was my Gold Edition, Director's Cut happy place, man, I'm not joking.) So, imagine my shock and joy upon discovering a local movie theater with the same atmospheric special effects (wind, water-spritz, peripheral-vision lightning flashes, gently gliding seats, etc.) as my beloved Minions and Shrek 4D attractions (before being replaced). Moving from FL to Seattle recently, I was wearing a black armband over the uselessness of my still-active Universal Studios Annual Pass. One really good or bad thing doesn't tell the story. So many movies played that I couldn’t even begin to start.As you can tell from any of my reviews, I recognize that the overall experience - from start to finish - is what's actually important. Our father died in 1970, but the former management knew us and hired us at the time because of him. Tickets were cheap! You can’t imagine how it was with lots of customers standing in line for snacks and tickets, etc. Those were the hay-days! My sister and I worked there for about two years in the ‘70’s as “popcorn makers”, and sold tickets in that tiny box office. We would roll down the ramps, ride a prize bike before the owner won it, hear about how the Seattle Symphony came out to play, but as time went by a lot of changes were made before it was destroyed. The horse’s head at the top of the runway was very cool. I’m sad that the building was torn down and wish it had somehow been kept as the original auditorium, with the balcony upstairs, etc. Our family were friends with Bob & Claudia Bond (former manager). We use to go to work with him on some days, and would keep busy while he was getting the day at work ready. I believe he also worked at the Northgate Theater in the beginning. My dad, Allet Pippenger, was the Manager of the Lewis & Clark Theater during the 50/60’s (and also helped paint the murals inside), and then went on to the Music Box in Seattle. The former lobby is used by a car rental company. The Lewis and Clark Theatre was closed by Cineplex-Odeon in January of 2004, and briefly served as a church until the auditorium and bowling alley were demolished in 2005. It had a huge parking lot that is now being made into airport parking.Īn interesting note is that a former major highway, Military Road, ends in the theatre’s parking lot due to the re-routing of the road with the construction of a section of freeway adjacent to the theatre probably in the 1970’s. It was one of the first I know of in the area to advertise SDDS sound. Heinsbergen, depicting Lewis, Clark, and Native Americans filling the side walls.Ĭurrently, it is fairly well kept up even though its business is slow. The main auditorium(#1) has murals by decorator Anthony B. An additional hallway with four auditoriums, two approximately 400 seats and two approximately 200 seats, was later added. The main auditorium still has maybe 1,000 seats or more. The theatre appears to have been one screen originally with its balcony divided into two auditoriums of maybe 300 seats each. The theatre was part of an entertainment complex that had a 32 lane bowling alley and café. Opened on Novemwith Audrey Hepburn in “War and Peace”. Located in Tukwila, to the south of Seattle, and close to Seattle Airport.