Welcome to Unchained- Let’s go the movies!

How to go to the movies in Delaware without once setting foot in a megaplex.

Joanne Howe knew that she and her husband Ed were destined to own the CLAYTON THEATRE in Dagsboro. Not only did the theatre share its name with Joanne’s recently deceased father, but upon entering the lobby they were met with the sight of a vintage poster for the movie “The Sands of Iwo Jima”- where her aforementioned dad fought.They purchased the moviehouse in 2001 and have been continuing the legacy of Sussex county’s only single-screen theatre ever since.

Built in 1948, the Clayton is well maintained and has never had to suffer neglect through an extended closing. The theatre boasts a new paint job and carpets, and while the 315 seats are vintage (though not original to the theatre) they are surprisingly comfortable.

The most striking aspect of the theatre is the towering marquee out front. When illuminated-for the first time in 15 years, thanks to the Howes- it acts like a beacon, luring folks from near and far like moths to the screen. Family-friendly, the features are first run and tend to show for a couple of weeks.

The prices are wallet friendly too ($5.50) and can you believe it, snacks are in the civilized $1-3 range. Remember folks, this is typically where theatre owners make money to keep operating, so arrive hungry to help ’em out.

A couple of miles south of Dover, the DIAMOND STATE DRIVE-IN is Delaware’s last remaining drive-in movie theater. Nationwide, open spaces are being gobbled up by developers, causing drive-ins to go the way of the carrier pigeon. Not immediately on the cusp of extinction, they are still very much on the “endangered roadside attractions” list.

Mrs. Mildred Steele has owned and lived on site at the DSDI since it was built in 1949. She cannot see the screen from the angle of her house, but she often picks up the audio portion of the shows on her portable radio. (Nowadays, you get the sound for the movie not from a speaker on a stick, but from a wireless FM radio signal- so make sure yer car radio is working!) Though she has worked at the theatre at some points during its 50+ year history, she has left operation of the theatre in the capable hands of Donald Brown for the past 8 years.

Like the Clayton, the Diamond State Drive-In gets first run movies and changes the selection every couple of weeks. Weather permitting, the theatre opens on weekends in April and stays open through sometime in September.

Popular with families and nostalgia buffs, the drive-in also gets this bargaineer’s stamp of approval. While $6.50 will not even get you past the gate at a megaplex, that same amount of cash will allow you to see two films in one night at the DI. The customary “double feature” is a happy byproduct of daylight savings time- you watch one movie while the sky darkens for the main show. For some of us, summer is not truly complete without a visit to the drive-in.

From the farm fields of Kent county to cosmopolitan downtown of Wilmington….

THEATRE N at Nemours is one of the latest additions to downtown Wilmington’s nightlife offerings. Borne out of a love for independent films and the frustration of having to travel out of town to see them,”The N” is the brainchild of Tina Betz and Beverly Zimmermann from the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

 With assistance from the Buccini/Pollin group who own the Nemours building (and renovated the theatre space, ridding it of the 70’s horsehair seats and replaced them with 220 modern ones with cup holders and everything) Theatre N has been showing independently produced films every weekend since it opened last fall. The overwhelming response to the theatre within its first three months resulted in the addition of Saturday and Sunday matinees, and an eye toward perhaps a Thursday night show going into the summer months.

Patron-friendly details keep a regular rotation of filmgoers coming back: Advance ticket sales by phone or online, $1 parking in the CityCenter parking garage and a monthly after-film discussion hosted at Deep Blue. Snacking here is a steal with the $2 OSFA popcorn. Hooray for one more reason to keep the sidewalks from rolling up at 5 o’clock!