Mahoning Miracle: Preserving Americana on 35MM
By Jeff Alexander
Photos by Jeff Alexander with Krystal Mathias-Alexander
Pennsylvania’s Mahoning Drive-In has the unique distinction of being the only drive-in to show films exclusively in 35mm. Celebrating its 70th anniversary, the drive-in works to promote a more innocent, simplistic time in history when families embarked on road trips in their Detroit sedans while making pit stops at roadside diners and drive-ins. Curator and co-owner Virgil Cardamone strives to embrace and celebrate the nostalgia for films that captured our imagination while forcing us to leap from our seats in fright.
Illustration by Roger Bonet Martinez for Gnarly Magazine
“The Mahoning is steeped in nostalgia because it celebrates the very classic movies that we all loved. We do show a lot of horror films and a lot of our overnight events feature these movies because the experience we offer plays into the movie itself; camping out, the darkness, it sets the overall mood. The horror community is very tight-knit and passionate and always supported us. Seeing them show up in droves at our drive-in adds to that grindhouse, classic vibe,” said Cardamone.
The Mahoning Drive-In defies logic due to its outdoor, East Coast location and continues to garner support largely by word of mouth in a digital age where so many businesses rely heavily on advertisements. Cardamone maintains the drive-in business was sparked by a seemingly chance encounter with his business partners, Matt McClanahan and Jeff Mattox. Maintaining that things happen for a reason, Cardamone reflected on his personal journey toward what he happily calls the Mahoning Miracle.
“I grew up in Montgomery County near Bucks County and would always have my parents take me to the local drive-in. I always said I fell in love with movies from the backseat of my family’s car. The drive-in was bulldozed in 1998 and I had this dream that I was going to own and operate a drive-in, I was saying that at 13! I felt my love for performances on stage were bursting through the screens at the drive-in. I fell in love with the ‘indie-movement’ that happened in film and set about for film school. I recall my first screenplay was about a drive-in that was threatened to be bulldozed. I wonder how I came up with that,” laughed Cardamone.
After film school, Cardamone stated he was unable to grow within the industry and returned to Pennsylvania. While sharing anecdotes, he doesn’t offer any tales of dejection, but a more spirited approach to capturing his dream resonated.
“I didn’t look at film school as a failure. I used to beat myself up for not being as successful as others my age or whatever, but I learned if you have a dream you should shout it out because you never know who might be listening. That’s how I came together with my business partners for the drive-in, that shared passion,” reflected Cardamone.
The Mahoning Drive-In was rebooted in 2014 after Cardamone decided he no longer wished to build a career at Blue Mountain Vineyards, though one of his celebrated ‘chance meetings that are more than just a chance’ took place at the Pennsylvania business.
“I was at a crossroads at the vineyard but I am grateful for being there because that is how I met Matt McClanahan. He actually came in for an interview and we began talking about film and business and realized we shared the same passion,” said Cardamone.
The drive-in reboot faced steep challenges, including negotiating with studios for screening films and how to attract patrons for an outdoor business in the East Coast, an area known for notorious ‘noreaster’ forecasts.
“We were all volunteer when we began and only this year did we finally establish a payroll! We vowed any money made would go right back into the drive-in. The second year we opened our marquee went down due to winter storms and one of our screens was torn. A drive-in screen can cost upwards of $50,000! When we approached studios for films to show many executives asked why we weren’t digital and said we’d be closed in a year,” reflected Cardamone
The Mahoning Drive-In is built on word of mouth from passionate film lovers. Cardamone praised the horror community and vendors for its fervent support of the overnight events, both leading to repeat customers and out of towners hailing from as far as Canada.
“Looking back, it was so hard to gauge our success because if we had 10 cars show up we would think oh, at least it’s better than none. Then, when 30 showed up we laughed because it was 20 more than the last time. Now? We have people from as far as Canada show up for events! When we did our first VHS fest, where we showed films strictly from VHS format along with vendors selling rare VHS related items, we sold 1,000 tickets,” said Cardamone.
Hollywood has earned its reputation by creating big budget movies with international actors, but Cardamone stated Mahoning’s decision to screen films with more obscure lead actors has led to his ability to share beloved films with a whole new generation, while rediscovering why he loved them to begin with.
“I use the word ‘nostalgia’ a lot because it’s like a drug, like a fountain of youth for those that seek to relive childhood experiences. I take pride in knowing that perhaps we’re introducing younger viewers to these classic films for the first time. Even movies I know so well I find myself discovering something new about them,” said Cardamone.
In addition to screening obscure films, Mahoning offers patrons unique opportunities to meet and greet the very actors and actresses that helped launch films into Hollywood’s lexicon, no matter how seemingly cheesy or low budget they were. Cardamone reflected on his past experiences with booking and meeting the actors that were once largely ignored.
“Of course movies aren’t classics when they were first released and many go forgotten but we try to keep them alive at Mahoning. I really enjoyed working with Zach Galligan from Gremlins because he was so friendly and humble. During our screening of Gremlins 2, he actually sat with me and was giving all these anecdotes and play-by-plays during the movie! We never had an overly demanding actor; they usually make simple requests like accommodations and the ability to charge for autographs. It makes me smile when I see how happy people are when interacting with our guests.”
The future looks bright for Mahoning Drive-In, as Cardamone stated more guests will be making meet-and-greet appearances. As movie lovers happily rediscover films of their youth, Cardamone hopes to be running the projector that takes them back to simpler times.
“The idea of reliving that feeling of nostalgia and simplicity is a powerful thing. I feel movies have the power to lift woes off your shoulders and nothing is wrong with that. In this crazy world, that is not a bad thing. To step back, and escape.”