{"id":1972746,"date":"2023-07-14T04:02:02","date_gmt":"2023-07-14T08:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/to-bring-back-the-magic-of-the-big-screen-build-a-diy-backyard-movie-theater\/"},"modified":"2023-07-14T04:06:53","modified_gmt":"2023-07-14T08:06:53","slug":"to-bring-back-the-magic-of-the-big-screen-build-a-diy-backyard-movie-theater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/to-bring-back-the-magic-of-the-big-screen-build-a-diy-backyard-movie-theater\/","title":{"rendered":"Revive the Big Screen Magic with a DIY Backyard Movie Theater."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fto-bring-back-the-magic-of-the-big-screen-build-a-diy-backyard-movie-theater%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1972746&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"article-content\">\n<blockquote class=\"blockquote\">\n<p>The outdoor theater used to be a staple of the American landscape.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Richard Hollingshead opened the first patented outdoor theater on June 6, 1933, in Pennsauken, New Jersey, with \u201cWives Beware,\u201d a British comedy. From that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/black-lawmakers-leaders-slam-black-history-museum-say-clarence-thomas-exhibit-falls-short\/\" title=\"Black Lawmakers, Leaders Slam Black History Museum, Say Clarence Thomas Exhibit \u2018Falls Short\u2019\">humble beginning<\/a>, outdoor theaters blossomed until more than 4,300 operated across the 48 states in their heyday during the 1950s.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-721018207\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-0adb32c834e1162857f72286bc618ceb fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-0adb32c834e1162857f72286bc618ceb\"><\/div>\n<p>Various elements contributed to the success of outdoor theaters. The prime one is that the outdoor theater combined a series of mythical American elements together \u2014 the film, the car, and the outdoors.<\/p>\n<p>Movies had been a part of Americana for more than 30 years by the time drive-in theaters peaked. With the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/review-the-flash\/\" title=\"'The Flash' review:\">screwball comedies<\/a> and adventure pictures of the 1930s, Americans could forget the crushing reality of the Great Depression. The war movies and noirs of the 1940s inspired audiences and reminded them of the darkness in all of us. The science fiction and Biblical epics of the 1950s unleashed new fears and old hopes. Through these decades, Americans used films to process a world that was changing faster than it previously had.<\/p>\n<p>Inside these recreated, sacred, Greek-style spaces, Americans encountered archetypes and gods who reminded them of fate, destiny, justice, and tradition in an endless loop. Unlike the stage, films were eternal. The archetype captured in film was there \u2014 in that form, in that place \u2014 forever.<\/p>\n<p>While drive-in theaters are not completely extinct, they are rare, with only about 400 still operating, which means most Americans cannot reach them at a reasonable driving distance. They have become an impractical summer activity for the average American.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-f4b062dd7d4445717a0567179cc3b5ef fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-f4b062dd7d4445717a0567179cc3b5ef\"><\/div>\n<p>But with a do-it-yourself outdoor theater, you can bring all the elements that gave drive-ins their power into your own backyard.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Do It Yourself<\/h2>\n<p>In the past, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.popularmechanics.com\/home\/how-to-plans\/a32382000\/build-a-backyard-movie-screen\/\">building your own outdoor theater<\/a> would have required a serious investment \u2014 perhaps demanding a second job or mortgage. In our time, the equipment necessary to make one is relatively inexpensive. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familyhandyman.com\/list\/best-outdoor-projectors\/\">projector can be purchased for $300<\/a>; a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wayfair.com\/furniture\/pdp\/khomo-gear-white-portable-folding-frame-projector-screen-lblj1000.html?domain=familyhandyman.com&#038;cjevent=6c7202c71c1911ee800300dc0a82b821&#038;refID=CJ314743-CJ5370367&#038;PID=CJ100040483&#038;clickid=6c7202c71c1911ee800300dc0a82b821&#038;cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">101\u201d x 90\u201d screen can be found for $90<\/a>; speakers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Polk-Audio-Atrium-Outdoor-Speakers\/dp\/B00378KMF0\/?tag=fhmeag-20\">can be bought for $200<\/a>. (I wouldn\u2019t recommend a projector that has built-in speakers). For seating, you can use fold-up chairs from Walmart, an old sofa bought at a flea market (covered or brought in after use), or even a wooden pew or stools.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to add some flash to the proceedings, you can invest in a popcorn popper. A nostalgic one that can make 10 cups per round is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Nostalgia-KPM220CTBK-Professional-Concession-Measuring\/dp\/B07W99KZT4\/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=nostalgic+popcorn+machine&#038;qid=1688660716&#038;sprefix=nostalgic+popcorn+%2Caps%2C204&#038;sr=8-2-spons&#038;sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&#038;psc=1\">on Amazon for $129<\/a> (the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B08LNNC2PY\/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&#038;pf_rd_p=0d1092dc-81bb-493f-8769-d5c802257e94&#038;pf_rd_r=8VBPSCSEZKS4W6M9SDPV&#038;pd_rd_wg=i6G8k&#038;pd_rd_w=45FqA&#038;content-id=amzn1.sym.0d1092dc-81bb-493f-8769-d5c802257e94&#038;pd_rd_r=be0a9acc-0a00-4770-9052-95a4240be04a&#038;s=kitchen&#038;sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwy\">32-cup popper is $220<\/a>). To make the evening more old-school, you could also make your own soda with simple kits available online. The beauty of a DIY outdoor theatre is that you can make it as elaborate or as rustic as your desires and budget demand.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why an Outdoor Theater?<\/h2>\n<p>But why spend the time and the investment in making your own theatre? Sure, nothing good is in the regular cineplexes, but you can buy a 50-inch television for $200, and there are other streaming services besides Netflix and Disney Plus.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-413bea727e2a0c23b998dd247ce9f56f fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-413bea727e2a0c23b998dd247ce9f56f\"><\/div>\n<p>For one, it adds to the memories of summertime. Practically every house in the United States now has a TV, and <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalinterest.org\/blog\/techland\/80-percent-us-households-have-least-one-smart-tv-or-smart-something-187418\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">80 percent have at least one \u201csmart TV.\u201d<\/a> Watching movies is no longer an event or a treat; it\u2019s what we do automatically. Putting in the effort of making an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/to-bring-back-the-magic-of-the-big-screen-build-a-diy-backyard-movie-theater\/\" title=\"Revive the Big Screen Magic with a DIY Backyard Movie Theater.\">outdoor theater injects magic back<\/a> into the process.<\/p>\n<p>And it makes us masters of our technology again. Yes, we are still going to put on a movie to entertain ourselves, but now we are contributing some sweat and dollars rather than just plopping on the sofa immediately after the dishes are done. If kids can join the process \u2014 both the building and prep work, like making the popcorn and the drinks \u2014 it makes the final result more meaningful.<\/p>\n<p>Second, a DIY outdoor theater doesn\u2019t have to be kept in the family. At a time when more and more Americans actually want to know their neighbors, a night at the theater for the neighborhood can be a bonding experience.<\/p>\n<p>And if the idea is expanded \u2014 if several people on the block make their own theatres \u2014 each house can host a movie a week or a month, or different families can host different genres. Families can then decide if they want to go to the Wilsons to see \u201cStar Wars\u201d or walk a few houses further down where the Johnsons are showing \u201cBig Trouble in Little China.\u201d Some of the excitement of the movie rental store days can be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">brought back<\/a> for children who were never able to experience it.<\/p>\n<p>Third, no TV, no matter how big, can match the majesty of the big screen. Movies are made for the theater, and you have no idea how cramped they are on the small screens until you have seen a movie on both.<\/p>\n<p>I have seen \u201cStar Trek: The Motion Picture\u201d and \u201cRaiders of the Lost Ark\u201d several dozen times each. I know the beats of both films by heart. When I was able to see them at my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/calif-judge-delays-arraignment-hearing-for-suspect-in-movie-theater-shooting-of-2-teens-in-southern-calif\/\" title=\"Calif. judge delays arraignment hearing for suspect in movie theater shooting of 2 teens in Southern Calif.\">local theater<\/a>, it was a jaw-dropping experience. I could fully appreciate for the first time the Enterprise, the thrill of the 23rd century, and the danger of the Well of the Souls like I had never been able to on the small screen.<\/p>\n<p>Kids can have the same experience of seeing literally larger-than-life heroes and villains and deeds splayed across the big screen. It\u2019s the whole reason we go to the movies in the first place.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-406eb569a6426a3426586760b522c4a8 fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-406eb569a6426a3426586760b522c4a8\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The American landscape once embraced outdoor theaters. Richard Hollingshead introduced the first patented one on June 6, 1933, in Pennsauken, New Jersey. Starting with a British comedy called &#8220;Wives Beware,&#8221; outdoor theaters flourished. At their peak, over 4,300 operated across 48 states.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1686,"featured_media":1972747,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1972746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1972746","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1686"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1972746"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1972746\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1972747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1972746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1972746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1972746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}