Nov 16, 2025

Dad and I

Nov 15, 2025

One Last Night At My Home Away From Home


Mahoning Staff Party
Mahoning Drive-In Theater - Lehighton, PA
Prior to this season, the Mahoning was a special place to me where I made friends and enjoyed movies.  It became even more special to me this season when I was welcomed onto the staff.


This is the lot crew, who are affectionately known to each other as the Black Dragons.  Beards are not mandatory despite all evidence to the contrary in this phot.  That's Alex on the far left with Bruno in the center and John on the right in the back row.  The middle row is Darryl on the left with the lot crew manager Dave in the center and me to his right.  Kneeling in the front is Rob on the left and Donnie on the right.  Donne surprised us with the awesome Black Dragons jackets that we're wearing.  This is a genuinely good group of guys and I'm proud to be one of them.


Sandy (the merch manager at the Mahoning) surprised us with these great t-shirts at the staff party.  I can't believe I'm now wearing a large.  There's no way I could have fit into this at the start of the season.  My weight has fluctuated quite a bit throughout my adult life, but I'm not a young dude anymore and I'm really going to have to keep it in check going forward.


My wife is an amazing woman.  I can't imagine that there are very many people in this world who would be alright with their partner spending four nights a week at a drive-in theater for six months out of the year, but she is always loving and supportive.


Our friend group on the lot has grown quite a bit over the past five years.  This is the inner circle who we started hanging out with, and three of the best friends I've ever had.  Mike and Kate are on the left, and that's Cary on the right.  They're three of the most down to earth and genuinely kind and funny human beings that I've ever been privileged enough to call my friends.


I'm going to miss these guys over the winter.


Two other folks who I'm honored to call my friend are the projectionist team of Rob and Krista.  They work their asses off to keep the picture on the screen for the only retro 35mm drive-in theater in the world that is still in operation.  This year's staff party marks the end of an era for the dual Simplex projectors that have been shining on the Mahoning screen every summer for the past 75 years.  They're going to be replaced with newer 35mm projectors that will deliver a brighter picture for the 2026 season.
 

The final double feature to be shown on the 1948 dual Simplex projectors was Teen Wolf and Alien.


One last bonfire to close out the season.

Nov 14, 2025

To Hell With The Consequence


Your Little Secret
Melissa Etheridge (1995)
The fifth and highest charting studio album from Melissa Etheridge was released thirty years ago today.

I know you're home
You left your light on
You know I'm here
The night is thin
I know you're alone
I watched the car leave
Your lover is gone
Let me in

Open your back door
I just need to touch you once more

I wanna come over
To hell with the consequence
You told me you love me
That's all I believe
I wanna come over
It's a need I can't explain
To see you again
I wanna come over
I know your friend
You told her about me
She filled you with fear
Some kind of sin
How can you turn
Denying the fire?
Lover I burn
Let me in

Open your back door
I just need to touch you once more

I wanna come over
To hell with the consequence
You told me you love me
That's all I believe
I wanna come over
It's a need I can't explain
To see you again
I wanna come over

I know you're confused
I know that you're shaken
You think we'll be lost
Once we begin
I know you're weak
I know that you want me
Lover don't speak
Let me in

I wanna come over
To hell with the consequence
You told me you love me
That's all I believe
I wanna come over
It's a need I can't explain
I wanna come over
To see you
To see you again

Nov 13, 2025

Going On An Atari Adventure


Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration
Nintendo Switch (2022)
This game is the gold standard for vintage game compilations.  It's a collection of Atari arcade and console games that can either be selected to play from a menu or experienced as part of a larger timeline of the company's history.


I spent the evening playing through part of it.  Some of the games were old favorites from my childhood while others were games that I was seeing for the first time.  The latter includes an unpublished sequel to Adventure, and I'm kinda proud to say that I was able to beat the game.


Playing this inspired me to spend a little time going through the NES catalog of my Nintendo Online subscription.  I finished Mighty Bomb Jack, but I'd be lying if I said I beat the game because I had to use the rewind feature quite a few times.

Nov 12, 2025

It Even Has A Table For Your Popcorn Bucket


Oldsmobile 70-X Toronado
Barris Kustom Industries (1967)
Four of these cars were commissioned by George Barris.  He's the person responsible for the Munster Koach, Drag-u-la, and the Batmobile used in the television series from the 60's.


Now I'm not much of a car guy, but this would be the ultimate car for the drive-in.
 

Here's some more about this car courtesy of My Classic Car TV on YouTube.

Nov 11, 2025

Reality Can Be A Pretty Scary Thing...




The Gap hosted a free screening of what is in my opinion the best sequel to The Matrix; the 2003 animated anthology The Animatrix.  I'm not sure if it ever had a theatrical run, but it's the only film in the franchise that I had never seen on the big screen, and I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to change that.


"In the beginning, there was man. And for a time, it was good. But humanity's so-called civil societies soon fell victim to vanity and corruption. Then man made the machine in his own likeness. Thus did man become the architect of his own demise."

- The Instructor

Nov 10, 2025

The Godfather Of Gore


Fulci Fest
The Gap Theatre - Wind Gap, PA
Friday and Saturday was a celebration of the Italian Godfather Of Gore at The Gap Theatre.


Friday November 7th, 2026

Movie #3: Murder Rock (1984)


Saturday November 8th, 2026
Movie #7: Zombi 2 (1979)
Movie #9: Zombi 3 (1988)


I had every intention of writing up a short review for each of these movies, but I've fallen so far behind on posting here that I just want to get the photos up.  The short version is that I enjoyed all of the films except for A Cat In The Brain, which I wasn't too crazy about.  I'll come back and update this post later with some more details.

Nov 9, 2025

Rock N' Wrestling


The Wrestling Album
World Wrestling Federation (1985)
The first of many soundtrack albums released by the worldwide leader in sports entertainment was released forty years ago today.

Nov 8, 2025

Would You Like To Buy A Monkey


Transylvania 6-500
New World Pictures (1985)
This Jeff Goldblum horror comedy classic premiered in theaters forty years ago today.

Nov 7, 2025

Let The Sun Never Blind Your Eyes


Alice In Chains
Alice In Chains (1995)
The third studio album from one of my favorite bands of the 90's, and their last album recorded with the late Layne Staley, was released thirty years ago today.
In the darkest hole, you'd be well advised
Not to plan my funeral 'fore the body dies
Come the morning light, it's a see-through show
What you may have heard and what you think you know

Let the sun never blind your eyes
Let me sleep so my teeth won't grind
Hear a sound from a voice inside

Sure to play a part, so you love the game
And in truth, your lies become one and same
I could set you free, rather hear the sound
Of your body breaking as I take you down

Let the sun never blind your eyes
Let me sleep so my teeth won't grind
Hear a sound from a voice inside

In the darkest hole, you'd be well advised
Not to plan my funeral 'fore the body dies, yeah

Let the sun never blind your eyes
Let me sleep so my teeth won't grind
Hear a sound from a voice inside
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