Gateway drive-in returns later this month

The Gateway is launching into spring with its weekend drive-in movie roster, a welcome segue into some normalcy starting April 16 with “The Avengers,” “Zootopia” and “Star Wars: Episode IV.”

Tickets must be purchased before arrival, so get in your reservations and wear a mask for ticket attendant scanners. The screen is 40 by 20 feet, large enough to be seen by everyone who comes. Masks must be worn outside the car, bathrooms will be open in the lobby, one person at a time admitted. All contact points are sanitized. Bring your own snacks.

It’s a collaboration with Plaza Cinema & Media Arts Center, said Gateway executive artistic director Paul Allan.

“Since we’re still in a holding pattern, we decided to schedule a spring movie series stretching into the middle of June,” said Allan. “Last year we were trying to get hold of the popular franchises like ‘Star Wars,’ and the first three weeks we’re doing the original trilogy. At the end of the sequence, we’re showing the last three. Catherine [Oberg, executive director of the Plaza Cinema & Media Arts Center] is acting as the booking agent and is co-sponsoring these titles.”

“I get the information from Paul, what he’s interested in, call a couple of distributors and I use my guy film buyer,” said Oberg. “Last year was tougher because the big distributors were giving us a hard time. This year it’s very different, we got all the movies we were interested in and I think it was because everything was so crazy last year. My guess is that the heads of the Eastern film unit like Warner Bros. and Universal, they were like, ‘What will we do with these new films?’ But this year, it was a breeze.”

Allan said they were aiming for the big blockbusters, with the classic “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” included.

“It’s a shorter season and only weekends, so it’s less time available,” he said. “These are some of the most popular films that have come out in recent times and some are classics that are always popular. Some of the recent ones include ‘Gravity’ and ‘Hidden Figures.’ We’re relying on the popular franchises, with ‘Harry Potter,’ the Marvel movies and favorites from last year like ‘Grease,’ ‘Jaws’ and ‘The Goonies.’ People want to see them and they’re a great drive-in movie experience.”

Plaza Cinema is known for screening quality mainstream, independent and foreign films, Oberg pointed out. (They’ve been offering virtual movies the past year like the recent “Francesco” and “Still Life in Lodz.”)

“But it was fun booking purely commercial movies like ‘The Avengers,’” Oberg said. “We also collaborated with Suffolk County last year and they had most of their films at Smith Point and are planning more this year. It was really cool for me to work with Paul. We had worked with him before thanks to Isabella [Rossellini] and her ‘Link Link’ show, and I really hope people come out to support the drive-in films.”

The parking lot has room for 50 cars and provides a safe experience for everyone.

Allan commented while the drive-in movies are safer for now, the interaction has changed. “I think because we’ve been running this as a COVID event, it’s a little surreal in comparison to when we have a show, greeting people in the lobby and getting feedback,” he said. “We’re scanning the ticket, they go in the lot and they’re safe in their cars. It isn’t a social event, but it is a way for you to have fun in your own bubble. I’m hoping in June we can start gathering in smaller groups and seeing a live performance.”