Cult-Fiction Drive-In Convention

[Todd_Parker]

Saw this advertised in the Times-Union: http://www.cultfictiondrive-in.com/.

Looks like an incredibly fun time with some real "star" power. Hopefully it will be a yearly event.

I still remember that last scene from 'Sleepaway Camp' - what a shocker.

[Timkin]

Interesting.. I actually thought for a second.... man...are they bringing back a drive-in?  That would be too good to be true.

[Todd_Parker]

According to the website, they'll be screening some films outdoors on a large screen. Probably won't have the same feel as sitting in your car with the speaker hanging off your window.

[Timkin]

Right ?   I really miss the drive-in experience.  One of my favorite in this area, was the Midway drive in on Beach... Torn down to be replaced by, of all things, a Wal-mart. 

I wonder what fueled the drive-ins into extinction?

[Jimmy]

Air-conditioned megaplexes?

Isn't there still one on Blanding Blvd?  Or is it finally gone, too?

I remember seeing a few movies at the Fox on Normandy as a kid.  Particularly, for some reason, Krull.

[manasia]

More so profitability. and our nations need for being in doors. If you notice, we are a nation that does not really do outside that much.

The best Drive in I went too is back in Atlanta the StarLight Drive In on Moreland. It is a nice drive in.

[Todd_Parker]

Kind of hard to "steam up the windows" in a megaplex

[Jimmy]

Kind of hard to "steam up the windows" in a megaplex

You're not doing it right.

[Timkin]

Air-conditioned megaplexes?

Isn't there still one on Blanding Blvd?  Or is it finally gone, too?

I remember seeing a few movies at the Fox on Normandy as a kid.  Particularly, for some reason, Krull.

Gone, Jimmy , bought by a Church

[copperfiend]

Saw this in the T-U about the convention:

Cult film convention promoter: Jacksonville event a "ghost town"

WILL DICKEY/The Times-Union
Bob Slendorn and Ken Nelson, organizers of the ill-fated Cult Fiction Drive-inI reached Ken Nelson Tuesday morning as he was driving back to New Jersey, trying to figure out where it all went so wrong in Jacksonville.

Was it something he did wrong? Or was the city just the wrong place?

Nelson and Bob Slendorn held Cult Fiction Drive-in in downtown Jacksonville over the weekend, a convention for fans of low-budget horror and exploitation and cult films. They brought in Pam ("Jackie Brown") Grier and a host of other stars from those films. They lined up a bunch of classic old movies. And they charged just $20 a day and $40 for Friday through Sunday. They got coverage in newspapers and on the radio and handed out hundreds of fliers.

The result?

"It was like a ghost town," said a clearly disappointed Nelson. "People just didn't show up. We had great local support, we had great coverage. I don't know. We're still trying to wrap our heads around it."

Nelson said those who went â€" and some traveled from far-flung states â€" said they had a great time. No lines, and plenty of time with the stars.

"From a fan's perspective it was great," he said. "But from a promoter/investor's viewpoint it was a disaster."

That's sad to hear. Slendorn and Nelson are great guys, very enthusiastic about the event they were hosting. Reporters are supposed to remain neutral, but I'll admit I was hoping Cult Fiction would work in Jacksonville. I had had my doubts though: The city, for all its strengths, doesn't have a big built-in audience for oddball, edgy events.

The Cult Fiction promoters found that out the hard way.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403251/matt-soergel/2011-05-24/cult-film-convention-promoter-jacksonville-event-ghost

[L.P. Hovercraft]

That sucks!  This sounded really cool too--I was hoping it would become an annual Jax event. 
Anyone here go?
I really wanted to go check it out and it just totally slipped my mind, even though I had a flyer for it that I picked up at RAM a few weeks ago stuck on my fridge, with Pam Grier staring me in the face every time I went to get some milk for my Honey Smacks.
Maybe attendance was low because it was held over the course of a few days instead of just one?  I know I probably said to myself on Saturday, "If I don't go today, I'll just go tomorrow", and then on Sunday, "well, if I don't go today, I'll just go next year".
You snooze, you lose--I guess I won't get a second chance next year.

[KenFSU]

Sadly, Cult-anything is going to be a hard-sell in Jacksonville. Seems like this city has a small subset of event types it shows up for in full force, and everything else just kind of fizzles out and dies.