>And likely a somewhat noxious smoke at that, as the good Reverend Eldredge–in a ceremonial burning and “holy hose-down”– recently set flame to a cache of pornographic celluloid that was discovered in the old drive-in theater his church had recently purchased. The ritual was intended to purify the property and “make it holy” before taking full possession.
According to a Jacksonville, Florida newspaper:
Members of Christ Church Anglican discovered reel upon reel of ’70s- and ’80s-vintage X-rated movies recently when they took over the old Playtime Drive-In on Blanding Boulevard a few weeks ago. The Playtime showed X-rated movies in the ’70s and early ’80s, prompting police raids and protests, before switching to more traditional fare.
A church member, the story continues, estimated the destroyed stash at over a 100 films, with such titles as Kinky Business and Private Teacher giving pretty broad clues as to their contents. Both cited examples are from the era when the VCR was bringing about the demise of the pornographic film business–the first an obvious nod to the ’80s mainstream classic Risky Business and featuring another icon of the era, Traci Lords.
But, while no one is likely to know for sure what reels were tucked away on the premises, the vintage ads posted at the Playtime Drive-In blog indicate a rich history of exploitation and other cheap, smutty fun stretching back a couple of decades.
