Page 11 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf

Hot and cold food vendors also roamed the ramps supplying everything from ice cream to hot pies. Two
sessions a night kept the car-hops on their toes directing teaffic. Theme nights were popular with regular
"Ranch Nights" and "Midnight Horror Shows". Showmanship was still the order of the day and clever promo-
tions helped draw crowds from their loungerooms as the television impact began.

Drive-ins were the only growth area in cinema exhibition once television was established. By 1971 there were
22 drive-ins in Melbourne alone. This helped make up for some of the devestation that had been wrought on
the suburban hardtops.

Even with good patronage at their existing three sites, Hoyts were very cautious about expanding further. After
the opening of Broadmeadows they did not expand their drive-in circuit for another ten years, until the aquisition
of Coburg and Marlbyrnong, and the construction of Bulleen, Wantirna and Altona.

Oakleigh continued to trade well and in 1968 alterations were made. New ramps were added at the rear to bring
the capacity up to 791 cars. The verandah at the front of the snack bar was enclosed to enlarge this area, and
in 1975 the screen was resurfaced with galvanised steel.

Through the 1970's the families gradually drifted away and the young adults became the main audience and
panel vans replaced the Volkswagens and FJ Holdens on the ramps. Films like "The Seven Year Itch" gave
way to "Vigilante Force" and other 'R' certificate films and pinball machines were installed in 1977.

By 1984 dwindling audiences forced Hoyts and Village to close many, and to combine their drive-ins to elimi-
nate the competition between each other.

The snack bar and bio-box was completely rebuilt, and the drive-in was twinned, the new twin projection room
being constructed above the snack bar. The original screen remained and the new screen was built directly
opposite, toward the front.

Oakleigh continued to trade profitably until closure in 1980. Ultimately its demise was brought about by high
land values, and the higher profitability and more efficiently run multiplexes. The site is now occupied by a
retirement village and houses.

The author at Oakleigh in 1990, the week of the closure, screens are already removed