 I told everyone
In response to a question
about Tehran's drive-in theater
Updated April 12, 2004
iranian.com
Email your memories
Specifically, at the Vanak Drive-in
The drive-in was at Vanak circle.
(There couldn't have been more than one!) There was also a mini-golf
course, and here's a score-card that I posted when I was blogging
the letters I wrote from Tehran to my friend Hilary. See: //blogs.salon.com/0001301/2003/06/16.html I also wrote her about the films I'd go out to, and those are
here:
//blogs.salon.com/0001301/2003/07/21.html
//blogs.salon.com/0001301/2003/07/23.html
Specifically, at the Vanak Drive-in, I saw (well,
kinda saw--I went with my Afghan boyfriend and maybe other friends
from Iranzamin
so I can't say we really SAW these movies): The Picture
of Dorian Gray and Carry-On Loving. Oh, yes,
and a three-part film inspired
by Edgar Allan Poe--one film by Fellini, Roger Vadim and and
and hmm... can't remember.
Spark a few memories?
Kathy Talley-Jones
From France to Film Farsi
Few years after the first
drive-in cinema in Tehran Pars closed down, a second drive-in
cinema in
opened in Vanak in 1971. It was next to another
upscale theater called Cinema Vanak.
Cinema Vanak's opening movie
was "Benjamin"
(France, 1968) with Cathrine Deneuve, Pierre Clementi, Michel Piccoli.
This was an erotic comedy set in the 19th century; forbidden
for
kids under 18 :-(
Next to the cinema, at the same building, there was
a billiard saloon and a nice cafe, not far away from a
discotheque. Endless... Pahlavi Aveue was a paradise, with
legendary restaurants like Chattanooga, Casba, Capri, and the Riviera.
And there was a Mini Golf place next to a restaurant called 40-Sotoon,
not far away from Fanfar
(Fun Fair) Charkh-o-Falak. One could see the drive-in cinema, when
going to cinema Vanak.
After a glorious opening and being at the center
of so-called high society, the drive-in cinema ended
up showing Film Farsi B movies! Among them, I remember "Shirbaha"
(1973) with Poori Banai, Bahman Mofid, Manouchehr Tayefeh and his
brother who was the champion of motor-riding: Amir
Jafari. He used to climb up mountains with his motorcycle! The
film was
directed by the German born Iranian: Robert Eckhart.
Need any more information ;-) ?
Mahmoud Vanak for sure
There may have been a drive-in theatre
in Tehran Pars, don't know. But if there was, then it surely
wasn't the only
one in Tehran. Because I know for a fact there was one in Vanak
near Sheraton Hotel (now Hotel Homa). I grew up in Shemiran; I
used to pass it all the time.
Ben Bagheri
Somewhere in Vanak
Yes.... I remember it too. We were in Tehran during
a summer in early 70's. I was about 10-11 years old. Our
Tehrani friends took us to Drive-in Cinema. I'm pretty
sure it was somewhere in Vanak.
The movie we saw was "Beegharaar",
with Sepideh and
Fakhri
Khorvash. Sepideh was the daughter and Khorvash the mother.
The
daughter was so ashamed of having a mother like her,
because she was a maid, I think.
Yes... I remember it.
I remember even after a while I felt uncomfortable
sitting in the car and my mother told me to get out of
the car, so I did and watched the movie out of
the car! It was so amazing to me that I could watch a
movie in havaaye aazaad!
Oh, I'm getting so sad by remembering that day and
going there and the movie itself and every thing...
Anyway, then
when we went back to Shiraz, it was of course the sensation of
our trip to Tehran. I told at
school and to everyone that I was in drive-in cinema
in Tehran! Ajab yaadam oftaad be oon rooz.
Shirin
Vazin
It was in Tehran Pars
There was only one drive in in Tehran, which was
established in late
fifties, early sixties, and was located in Tehran Pars, Most
eastern part of Tehran. Tehran Pars is not the most Eastern part
of Tehran
anymore.
I believe the drive in was closed in early to mid
part of seventies. Films shown used to be first run during the
early part of its existence,
but later were mostly third rate stuff.
Hope this helps you.
M.H. Farzin,
PhD
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I told everyone
