What’s up with The Big Mo drive-in theater after COVID? Everything you need to know
After a year of closures and social distancing, The Big Mo drive-in theater in Monetta is back delivering a bit of Hollywood magic.
Here’s everything you should know if you’re thinking of buying a ticket.
A little history
The Monetta drive-in theater first opened in 1951 as a single-screen movie theater. It operated that way for 35 years until closing in 1986 and then reopened again in 1999 under its current owner, Richard Boaz.
In 2005, the theater got its second screen followed by its third and final screen in 2011. In 2014, the giant peach, which has become an easily recognizable symbol of the theater across social media platforms, was built to house the main field’s digital projector.
The owners of The Big Mo believe in providing affordable family entertainment, according to their website. That’s why they offer a two-for-one deal on movies playing on the same field. These double feature deals are arranged by Big Mo representatives to give customers the best possible price, but, their website says, production studios often have the last say in which two movies can be paired.
The Big Mo is open during summer, fall and spring. It’s currently at the tail-end of its summer season, which began in mid-May after the pandemic forced it to close for most of 2020. The theater was able to survive, Boaz told The State in June, by holding special events and screenings.
COVID-19
Because of the high transmission rates of the delta variant nationwide, face masks are required in The Big Mo’s concession building, according to its website.
There are currently 118 new and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Aiken County as of Wednesday, according to the latest data from state health officials.
The theater also encourages keeping 6 feet between individuals while standing in line for concessions. Moviegoers can get a $1 discount on popcorn if they show their vaccination card at checkout.
Playing this weekend
You can catch “Free Guy,” starring Ryan Reynolds, this weekend at The Big Mo’s main field. The film revolves around Reynold’s character, Guy, who discovers the fictional world he lives in is a video game and it’s about to be destroyed. As the only character in the game who is self-aware, Guy is determined to save the people and place that he loves by becoming a hero on his own terms.
“Jungle Cruise,” starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, will follow “Free Guy” on the main field. This PG-13 flick follows Blunt as Dr. Lily Houghton who, with Johnson’s character, Frank Wolff, sets out on a journey to find an ancient tree in the Amazon River rumored to possess the power to heal people.
On screen two, “Paw Patrol” the movie, starring Kim Kardashian and Tyler Perry, will be playing. The movie, based on Nickelodeon’s popular TV show of the same name, follows the gang of rescue dogs as they set off on an adventure to defeat Humdinger, their nemesis, before he can destroy Adventure City.
“Babe,” the 1995 film starring James Cromwell and Christine Cavanaugh, will be playing after Paw Patrol on screen two. The film centers around a piglet named Babe who is purchased by a farmer at a county fair and has to figure out his role on the farm. After making friends with a sheepdog, Babe discovers he has a knack for herding sheep. He has to find the best way to acclimate to his new job and deal with skepticism from the other farm animals.
Screen three will play R-rated film “Candyman.” The movie is based on a fabled neighborhood villain who regularly gives out razor blade-studded candy to the children in the community. Anthony, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, is enthralled by the story and begins to delve into the legend. He discovers that saying the man’s name five times while looking in the mirror summons the frightening star of the fable. Before long, the unexplainable happens, and Anthony is led down a violent road.
Following “Candyman” on screen three is director and producer Jordan Peele’s “Get Out. “The film first premiered in 2017 and follows Chris, played by Daniel Kaluuya, as he travels with his girlfriend to meet her parents for the first time. The more Chris gets to know the family, whose initial behavior he attributed to nervousness around his interracial relationship with their daughter, the more he begins to realize that there is something far more sinister going on.
