16/10/2025

LYFE THURSDAY | OCT 16, 2025

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Drive-in theatres are a throwback to another era in a country where cars are king.

SAMSUNG Electronics Co Ltd has added 15 new artworks from Tate to Samsung Art Store, building on the platform’s existing partnerships with renowned institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art, Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum and more. By integrating Tate collection, Samsung Art Store continues to bridge the gap between world-class museums and cultural institutions, bringing masterpieces directly into homes. The new Tate collection includes iconic modern masters, such as Henri Matisse, Salvador Dalí, Mark Rothko and Roy Lichtenstein – the first pop art artists to appear on the Art Store – as well as leading contemporary artists like Peter Doig and Beatriz Milhazes. Among the highlights are some of Tate Modern’s most celebrated works: Roy Lichtenstein’s Whaam! Henri Matisse’s The Snail , a must-see in the Tate’s permanent collection and Jackson Pollock’s Yellow Islands . The collection also offers a glimpse into the breadth and energy of modern F ILM buffs sit snugly in cars watching a drive-in movie, munching popcorn on a lovely recent fall night. Michelle Hutson, 52, has been coming to the Family Drive-In since childhood, enjoying what is now a dying form of quintessentially American entertainment. With a sigh, she notes she might soon see the last picture show as the nearly 70-year-old outdoor theatre – one of the few remaining drive-ins in the Washington area – is on its way out, too. “I’m about to be a grandma again for the second time. And it’s heartbreaking to know that she may not be able to experience that,” Hutson said. The owners of the land under the Family Drive-In announced a few months ago they want to sell it, asking US$1.5 million (RM6.34 million), said theatre owner Andrew Thomas. If he bought the land at that price, it would mean a mortgage payment three times what he pays now in rent, Thomas said. “It’s just not feasible for the business.” He launched a crowd-funding drive last month to save the theatre and so far has raised around US$30,000. “It’s overwhelming, in such a good way, that people care that much. Even in times of economic uncertainty, it means that this is a thing for them that’s worth saving, and I agree with them. We have an opportunity to preserve a piece of history,” said the

There are only 300 drive-in theatres remaining in the US today. – PICS FROM 123RF

Quintessentially American, drive-in theatres going dark o More people watch TV at home

them want to retire,” said D. Edward Vogel, co-owner of a drive-in and vice president of the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association. Because of TV streaming platforms and other factors, he said, “in my take of things, it’s going to be a very rough road to hoe now.” To try to keep drive-in theatres alive, his association created a web site that seeks to match drive-in owners who want out with potential buyers who want in. “We’ve been inspired by some brand new owners that understood the risk and came up to the challenge, and are determined to maintain a

drive-in theatre business. That’s really what’s breathing faith into the fact that this can continue,” said Vogel. Mike White and Melissa Sims are examples of these new entrepreneurs. They invested US$500,000 to open a brand new drive-in in Louisiana and it is scheduled to open this autumn. They have had to postpone the big day several times because of delays getting permits and other problems. “We quizzed a lot of people before we started, and 99% of the people that we talked to said sure, they’d be glad to go,” White said. – AFP

40-year-old.

expensive, Rhodes said. Drive-ins enjoyed a spike in popularity during the pandemic, as people avoided crowded places like indoor movie theaters, but now “attendance is still going down,” Rhodes said. “I would say the majority of the drive-ins that are left in the world are there because the owner keeps them there. It’s for the love of the business that they’re there. Unfortunately, we are reaching a point where a lot of

Attendance down Drive-in theatres are a throwback to another era in a country where cars are king. In their heyday in the 1950s, there were more than 4,000 in America – but now only 300 or so remain, said Gary Rhodes, a movie historian. They have died off because more people watch television at home and urban development has made the land needed for a drive-in theatre very

Samsung Art Store expands offering with new Tate collection

The Frame displaying Metamorphosis of Narcissus by Salvador Dali.

Samsung Neo QLED displaying Dinner at West Hill (1964-6) by Howard Hodgkin.

and contemporary art by showcasing British painter Howard Hodgkin, alongside Peter Doig’s dreamlike Echo Lake and Ski Jacket . With these new additions, Samsung Art Store further expands its mission to

democratise access to art, making it possible for anyone to enjoy museum-quality works from home, with ease. By bringing together partners from across the globe – from New York, to Madrid to London – the

platform offers a unique opportunity to experience the depth and versatility of modern and contemporary art. And with Tate joining the lineup, art lovers can enjoy a collection that speaks to both heritage and innovation.

With Samsung Art Store available across the 2025 Samsung TV lineup – such as its QLED TVs and The Frame and The Frame Pro – art from the world’s leading artists, museums and galleries is more accessible than ever.