The Mahoning Drive-In: "Reel Weird" Weekend

ECSTATIC is forever in search of unique cinema destinations, so the Mahoning Drive-In in Lehighton, Pennsylvania was definitely high on the list after seeing the documentary At the Drive In (2017) and learning about their dedication to screening 35mm prints in daringly curated programs. Check out the trailer for the documentary about this gem of a theatre kept alive by a handful of true film fanatics. The folks at the Mahoning are amazing hosts, and their films are shown, astonishingly, on the original projectors that first whirred into existence in 1949. Our first journey to the Mahoning (hopefully not our last) was for their "Reel Weird" weekend, featuring the filthy Friday night John Waters double bill of Pink Flamingos and Polyester (and, yes, the Mahoning had free ODORAMA cards to accompany the screening of Polyester) and the strung-out Saturday night double bill of Jeff Leiberman's Blue Sunshine and David Cronenberg's Naked Lunch. Leiberman was in attendance to introduce Blue Sunshine, which features a curious lead performance by Two Moon Junction and Wild Orchid director Zalman King. An exceptionally bizarre lot of trailers were rounded up for the weekend as well, including such rarities as Linda Lovelace for President and Mondo Bizarro. In the end, I managed to refrain from ingesting anything too overwhelming, opting instead for the Mahoning corn dog as my vice of choice. 

Here are a few snaps from the glorious temporary autonomous zone of cinema that is the Mahoning Drive-In:

Special thanks to Amanda Grove and Jason Del Gandio for sparking this journey, and for being at the ready with the camping skills. 

See you at the Runaway Train/Pope of Greenwich Village double feature weekend!