The Drive-In
From AwardAnnals
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| Author(s) | Joe R. Lansdale |
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| Publisher | Carroll & Graf Publishers |
| Honors | |
| When a group of friends decided to spend a day at the world’s largest Drive-In theater horror fest, they expected to see tons of bloody murders, rampaging madmen, and mayhem—but only on the screen. As a mysterious force traps all the patrons inside the Drive-In, the worst in humanity comes out. Filled with Lansdale’s razor whit and black humor, The Drive-In is a darkly humorous masterpiece! | |
When a group of friends decided to spend a day at the world’s largest Drive-In theater horror fest, they expected to see tons of bloody murders, rampaging madmen, and mayhem—but only on the screen. As a mysterious force traps all the patrons inside the Drive-In, the worst in humanity comes out. Filled with Lansdale’s razor whit and black humor, The Drive-In is a darkly humorous masterpiece!
Honors
Reviews
Amazon.com
“There is a certain glee in my work,” says Joe R. Lansdale. “But for me, it heightens the horror.” The Drive-In: A B-Movie with Blood and Popcorn and its sequel (The Drive-In 2)—both well known to Lansdale fans—are back in this welcome omnibus edition. The story is about a bunch of affectionately described characters in small-town Texas who go to a horror-movie marathon at the local drive-in. While they’re watching The Toolbox Murders, a bright red meteor with a toothy smile swoops down and traps them in the drive-in for all time. Then the fun begins: endless re-runs of the same movies and fights over concession food, followed by anarchy, religion, cannibalism, bodily transformation, crucifixion, mad bikers, and a supernatural Popcorn King. It’s not just silly, though; it’s social commentary. The lesser (but equally surreal) sequel further explores the end-of-the-world scenario. As Lansdale himself says, “The Drive-In is quirky as hell. It’s kind of a cult book, and it’s not for everybody.” The Drive-In was nominated for a 1989 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.
