Guerrilla Drive-Ins

An anonymous reader submits "A NY Times story yesterday talked about a new fad sweeping the underground: guerrilla drive-ins. Essentially, someone sets up a DVD player, LCD projector, and wireless transmitter next to any blank wall (preferably on someone else's property - to make it more fun), and people come to watch movies. As you would expect, the movie studios aren't too thrilled." The idea that this is a notable fad reminds of when the residents of Doonesbury's Walden jokingly informed intrepid reporter Roland Burton Hedley, Jr. ("Rollie") about imaginary trends in the college drug scene. On the other hand, anything that knocks down the price of projectors is fine with me!

road trips

[RyanHatch]

Drive about 30' behind a semi....now thats road trippin'

Isn't this illegal?

[Sheetrock]

I thought most (if not all) DVDs come with a warning about not being used for public performances.

Nothing new

[Walt Dismal]

Hurmph. When I was a kid, we watched shadows on cave walls and we LIKED it.

Projecting onto large public surfaces

[DarthVeda]

It's done best with the Yatta video

Truly, the revolution has succeeded

[Billobob]

Che would be proud of all us guerilla drive-in commandos.

Re:Isn't this illegal?

[Chairboy]

I heard a rumor that people who lose their licenses are still physically able to turn on and operate vehicles. If that's true, then I suppose it's possible that an LCD projector could project an image against the intentions of the studios.

Old news with a new twist

[toetagger1]

We used to draw things on slides, and then project them with a slide projector out of our windows, when I was a kid.

We would draw swirfly ligns and project them onto the road at night to confuse cars driving by.

We would also draw funny faces and project it on our neighbours house. He would always open his window and yell at us. We drew the pictures such that him opening the window would be the "animated" part of our picture. I'll leave the themes we chose up to your immagination.

Drive by watching?

[lurwas]

I've always wondered what a drive by shooting is.
I guess it's the opposite to a drive by screening like this one?

Re:Nothing new

[Anonymous Coward]

.. And just think, in another 25 years, those shadows will be in the public domain!

Re:Isn't this illegal?

[caino59]

what next, televisions with IR cameras and computer vision software that demand a DVD be inserted by each person in the room before playing?

You may want to patent that...shit, then at least no one else could use it

Re:Isn't this illegal?

[AceCaseOR]

As an alternative. Would Frank get in trouble for his watching movies with his friends on his 2000" TV (IIRC approx. the size of a Drive-in movie theater screen, or so I was told by a friend), that can be seen from 7 blocks away?

This would be funny!

[Esion Modnar]

They should have a "guerrilla drive-in" on the side of the RIAA world headquarters one late evening. Then send pictures, with incriminating faces and license plates blurred of course. Just to really twist their panties into a bind.

Of course, they'd likely be arrested, so... maybe not such a good idea.

(And did anybody else have an image of gorillas in cars when you read the title?)

Re:Isn't this illegal?

[Kristoffer Lunden]

Don't worry, Trusted Computing will take care of that problem.

Re:Isn't this illegal?

[tonymus]

So, according to Michael Bergman, when the elderly lady residents at the senior citizen center get together in a communal room to watch Jeanette McDonald in "Rose Marie", they're committing copyright violation? I say, "Arrest them all! And make sure they publicize it on TV so that other seniors don't get any smart ideas!"

As one geezer told me, "Let 'em put me away for life! How long do they think that'll be?"

Re:Old news with a new twist

[Alsee]

"Swirfly ligns"?

What, you never drew Swirfly ligns as a kid?

-

Re:Isn't this illegal?

[Jay L]

The line between a public and private performance seems rather fuzzy, and fuzziness is rarely the catalyst for sane legislation.

You're right. They should set up a branch of the government to interpret the finer and more ambiguous points of laws.

Re:Isn't this illegal?

[Anonymous Coward]

In soviet russia, dead horse flogs you.

It doesn't get stolen?

[HermanAB]

This must be in Canada eh? Anywhere else the equipment will get stolen in the blink of an eye eh?

Re:road trips

[AndroidCat]

Darn it, what's to stop someone from tailgating you and illegally video-taping it?

Re:Isn't this illegal?

[H09N0X10U5]

A credit card advert?

DVD: free
DVD player: $50
Generator: $300
Projector: $800
Not coming out of jail looking like this [www.goat.cx]: Priceless.

Not on ALL DVDs.

[geminidomino]

The anime Excel Saga has a somewhat... modified... warning...

ILPALAZZO IS WATCHING YOU!

The contents of this Excel Saga videogram are licensed for private home viewing only and are protected under the terms of both US Code (title 17, Sections 501 and 506) and the 1998 ACROSS treaty (AKA the Don't Toucha MY Toot-toot Pact).

Under the express orders of Ilpalazzo, supreme leader of ACROSS, any unauthroized duplication, public-screening or use of the packaging as a coaster, musical instrument or contraceptive device is strictly prohibited, and will be dealt with in the most severe manner possible, most probably involving chicken feathers, cod liver oil, and a very, very depraved walrus.

Re:Can you imagine

[csguy314]

haunted by the thought that someone, somewhere out there, might be enjoying themselves.

Oh, they're
working [rottentomatoes.com]
hard [rottentomatoes.com]
to [rottentomatoes.com]
prevent [rottentomatoes.com]
that [rottentomatoes.com]
from [rottentomatoes.com]
happening [rottentomatoes.com].

Re:Isn't this illegal?

[Seraphim_72]

Anybody who wants to is welcome to press their nose against my living room window to watch along with me.

Dude, If I knew where you lived I would come over at late tonight and leave about a thousand nose prints and wait for you to open the curtains in the morning, man that would be a priceless picture. :D

Rocky Horror

[JabberWokky]

Been there, done that, performed in front of said movie.

--
Evan "It's just a jump to the left... damn dumpster"