Just like the drive-in, but the car stays behind

They might call it the “Summer Drive-in Movie” series, but Universal CityWalk’s outdoor free screenings are actually more like a sit-in under the stars.

Sure, you drive up and pay a fee to an attendant at a kiosk -- just like at the drive-ins of yesterday -- but here you leave your car in a massive parking structure, grab your blanket or beach chair, and hit the escalator to reach the Cinema Plaza area, between the walk-in multiplex and the outdoor complex’s shops and restaurants. The movies, a mix of films from Universal’s vaults, are shown on the big screen just north of the Hard Rock Cafe’s giant neon guitar.

The crowd gathers more than an hour before showtime. Some sit in folding chairs provided by CityWalk. Others bring beach chairs or blankets.

Among those arriving early are Adriana Duran, 28, of Hacienda Heights and her two young daughters. While the 7-month-old, Victoria, sleeps in her stroller, Duran and 4-year-old Lauren take in the scene with smiles on their faces as the pre-movie entertainment kicks in. The Durans have hit CityWalk for the second consecutive week. After enjoying last week’s showing of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” which ended June’s “Musical Month,” they are here to catch “Sixteen Candles,” the first of July’s “Hits of the ‘80s.” (The series wraps up with four “Spielberg Classics” in August.)

Duran’s husband, Frank, discovered the series while surfing the Web, but his beach chair is empty. “He said this is a girl’s movie, so he’s inside watching ‘Charlie’s Angels 2,’ ” Duran says, pointing to the nearby multiplex. Last week, while his family watched “Willy Wonka,” Frank ducked in the theater to catch “2 Fast, 2 Furious” or, as Duran explains, “a guy movie.”

Her husband may be inside with the latest blockbuster, but Duran is perfectly content hanging with her children and watching the hits of yesteryear. Although she was a child in 1983 when “Sixteen Candles” first hit the theaters, she says, “I love it. I watch it all the time, but it’s hard to find on DVD.... I enjoy watching it over and over, so why not here out in the fresh air on the big screen with a bunch of people who also like it? It’s a nice atmosphere.”

Aside from families, there are also young couples here, just like at the old drive-ins. But Sean Hart, 25, of North Hollywood and his girlfriend, Devan Reggio, 23, of Hollywood note that there are some differences. “Actually, I think I’m more comfortable here right now than I would be if I was in a car,” says Reggio, sitting on a beach chair purchased for the occasion.

“Yeah, but if I was in a car I wouldn’t be wearing pants,” quips Hart, who sports a mini-Mohawk, a nose ring and several tattoos, including a Black Flag logo near his ankle.

There are also other differences. While CityWalk sports a “big screen,” it’s not nearly as large as the screens at a real drive-in, and the picture quality isn’t as good either. The Panasonic Astrovision screen at Universal is more like the type you’d find in a stadium -- it looks good from a distance, but not great up close. The sound quality, as at the old drive-ins, isn’t great either. This definitely isn’t THX, DTS or surround sound.

Despite the fact that CityWalk foot traffic buzzes by, the crowd watches the film as attentively as any other movie audience, laughing at the jokes but remaining quiet the rest of the time to catch the on-screen dialogue. Overall, however, for $9.75, the multiplex would offer an aesthetically superior experience.

Elsewhere in the crowd, Doris Mandel, 55, of Studio City dotes on her three grandchildren; and Mandy Cervantes, a sophomore-to-be at Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights, is all smiles as she’s here on her 15th birthday. Later, KLSX-FM (97.1) radio personality Leo “The Film Freak” Quinones warms up the crowd with some movie trivia and a birthday sing-along for Cervantes. “Fifteen candles is close enough,” Quinones says.

When the film starts a little after 8 p.m., the plaza is packed.

Those here for the film watch with smiles on their faces; no one seems to mind that a women’s body in a shower scene is partially tiled out. And those at CityWalk for some other reason seem impressed by the whole thing.

Richard Pierce, a producer in his late 30s, is on his way to the multiplex. But for now, he’s enjoying this scene. “This is great,” he marvels. “It reminds me of the drive-ins when I was a kid.”

*

CityWalk Summer Drive-In Movie

Where: Universal CityWalk

When: Every Thursday through Aug. 28 (except July 24; that week, the drive-in will be held July 23). Film starts at 8 p.m.; pre-show at 7:30 p.m.; crowd starts to arrive around 7.

Cost: Free, but there is a charge for parking.

Info: (818) 622-4455 or www.citywalkhollywood.com