Historic South Idaho Drive-In Theater To Reopen This Summer
It has been easily over 35 years since I've sat in a car and watched a movie at a drive-in theater. The last time I did I was probably in the back of some 1970s family wagon with my older brother, watching a film like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," or "The Shining." We were probably playing Rock Em' Sock Em' Robots, while my mom was getting felt up.
My wife often talks about the old Motor-Vu and Grand-Vu drive-in theaters that once operated in Twin Falls. She worked at both theaters while attending high school between 1999 and 2001. Her grandfather was a projectionist at the Twin Cinema 12, in the late eighties to early nineties.
She has very fond memories of this period of her life, and we both have a strong passion for cinema. My first "real" job was working at a movie theater in Orange County, California, when I was 17. One of my regrets about living in Twin Falls is that I didn't move here sooner, while the drive-ins were still in operation.
I was recently excited to hear that the old Motor-Vu in Idaho Falls, located in the southeast portion of the state, is going to open back up in the coming months, according to a story shared by eastidahonews.com. It had apparently operated for over 70 years, and has been closed since 2017, according to eastidahonews.com.
We've now added the two and a half hour drive to check a movie out at the venue to our summer trip plans. With my daughter moving out and starting college soon, it'll be a nice way to spend a few summer evening hours with our 4-year-old son.