MEMPHIS, Tenn. — There’s only one place in Shelby County where people can still go to see pictures flicker across the big screen, after a Shelby County Health Department directive forced indoor theaters to close.
Malco’s Summer Drive-in is now open seven days a week in response to the directive, which took effect Saturday.
“We were visiting from out of town and we saw that you guys had a drive-in movie theatre, which we don’t have, so we thought it would be a cool novelty. We didn’t really think about how all the theatres were closed,” said patron Morgan Gunter. “It’s almost like watching a movie at your house but I guess from the comfort of your car instead.”
The closures meant Memphis theaters had just one day to capitalize on the success of the hit film Wonder Woman 1984, which has already grossed more than $16 million for theaters across the country since its Christmas Day release.
“It is the bomb, I ain’t gonna lie. Actually, everybody needs to sit in and watch this movie,” said Melissa Harris, who saw the movie Monday at the Malco theater in Southaven. “Going to the movie theatre, being around people, it’s so much better. It’s such a better experience.”
But the Shelby County Health Department said it’s concerned that the movie theater experience could put people at unnecessary risk.
The latest directive was put in place in response to the county averaging more than 670 new Covid cases each day and six deaths each day.
“Those things that will be recreational or entertainment are currently closed to reduce the number of people who are in public places that can either contract COVID or spread COVID,” said Dr. Alisa Haushalter, director of the health department.
There seemed to be little danger of that at Summer Drive-in, where people were distancing in vehicles long before COVID.
In a statement, Malco said:
“It wasn’t a Merry Christmas for Shelby County moviegoers, as Malco Theatres was mandated by the Shelby County Health Department to close all six of our theatres within Shelby County on Saturday, December 26. Unfortunately, the news came when Malco finally had a tentpole film to play for the holidays – Wonder Woman 84 – after what has been an extremely difficult nine months and we were only able to run it for one day.
We want our customers to know that the Southaven & Olive Branch Mississippi theatres remain open during this time, as the closure directive affects only the indoor Shelby County based locations.
Also, the Shelby County Health Department did allow us to re-open the Summer Drive-In, which will now be open 7 days a week.”
Movie theaters will be able to reopen January 22 provided the health department doesn’t issue a new directive.