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Rewind and unwind at the drive-in

The Geiger Counter's weekend picks

People wait in their vehicles for the start of “Accomplice” at Breckenridge’s Colorado Mountain College campus. Both “Mama Mia!” and “The Blues Brothers” will be shown there this weekend.
Courtesy Elaine Collins

Don’t know what to do this weekend? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Pull up a seat to the counter, and I’ll tell you about everything that’s hot and happening.

The first drive-in movie I can recall seeing was “The Nutty Professor” with Eddie Murphy. I remember watching it with a friend and his family. The two of us sat in the trunk of their station wagon that was equipped with backward seats.

The style of theater, and car, is rarely seen nowadays. I don’t think it was until 2014 that I saw another drive-in film. This time I caught “Guardians of the Galaxy” at Monte Vista’s Movie Manor. I watched in my car and tuned in via the radio, but the unique locale is known for its attached motel that has each guest room pointed at the screen.



The superhero script of a boy abducted by aliens in the 1980s fit the drive-in medium perfectly. I felt like I was in another time as Peter Quill’s rocking soundtrack played out of his cassette and my stereo. I’ve been meaning to see another movie there, but part of me doesn’t want to risk tainting that wonderful experience. 

Now, Breck Film and Breckenridge Creative Arts are tapping into that nostalgia with light-hearted flicks that have classic soundtracks. First up is the ABBA-inspired “Mamma Mia!” on Friday, July 31. The romantic musical takes place in Greece as a woman invites three men who could be her father to her wedding.



The disco delight is followed by “The Blues Brothers” on Saturday, Aug. 1. The John Landis comedy has John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as the titular brothers working to reunite their band to perform a benefit concert. Featuring cameos by James Brown, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway and more, it’s sure to have you moving with the beat.

Advance reservations are required to see the films in the parking lot of Colorado Mountain College, 107 Denison Placer Road, Breckenridge. The screenings are free though there is a suggested donation of $20 per car. Parking begins at 7:30 p.m. with the shows beginning at 9. Entry will not be allowed past 8:45 p.m.

Once parked, guests must stay inside their vehicles at all times unless using a restroom. Masks must be worn when outside of the vehicle. Visit BreckCreate.org to reserve a spot.

Later on this summer, Breck Film and BreckCreate will screen “The Princess Bride” on Aug. 14, “Jurassic Park” on Aug. 15, “Valley Uprising” on Aug. 28 and “The River Wild” on Aug. 29.

Also this weekend, Copper Mountain is showing its own outdoor movie, “Pretty In Pink,” as part of Yeti’s Retro Reels series. Starring Molly Ringwald, the John Hughes movie is viewable Saturday, Aug. 1, in the Flyer parking lot next to the base of the Rocky Mountain Coaster in Copper’s Center Village.

“Footloose,” “Wayne’s World,” “Sixteen Candles” and “Talladega Nights” are scheduled to play the rest of the month. Visit CopperColorado.com to make a free reservation with a suggested $25 donation.

What I’m Listening To

‘Cold Fact’ by Rodriguez

Sixto Rodriguez, known professionally as Rodriguez, is both practically unknown and a rock icon. I never heard of him until recently watching the Oscar-winning 2012 documentary “Searching for Sugar Man,” and now I can’t stop listening to his only two studio albums.

During the 1970s in Detroit, Rodriguez came on the scene with his singer-songwriter sound similar to that of Bob Dylan or Donovan. Yet, the movie explains that he was a commercial failure in the U.S. while his debut “Cold Fact” went platinum in Australia and South Africa.

Unbeknownst to him, songs like “Establishment Blues” and “I Wonder” became anti-apartheid anthems, and he allegedly sold more records in South Africa than Elvis Presley. He moved on to a life in the construction business until the movie put him in the spotlight again. It’s great that his musical legacy still is alive.

Jefferson Geiger is the arts and entertainment editor for the Summit Daily News and managing editor for Explore Summit. Email him at jgeiger@summitdaily.com.


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