This enjoyably wacky and frantic film centers on a single wild'n'crazy night at a Texas drive-in theater called the Alamo. The interconnecting stories include nice, but shy guy Orville Hennigson (the supremely affable Glenn Morshower) taking sweet, yet sassy Glowie Hudson (adorable brunette spitfire Lisa Lemole) on a date, a couple of inept would-be big time thieves attempting to hold up the concession stand, two rival gangs confronting each other in the parking lot, and a henpecked dude sharing a joint with his unsuspecting nagging hag of a mother. Meanwhile, a hilarious mock disaster opus named -- what else? -- "Disaster '76" plays on the big screen; this honey pokes blithely silly fun at everything from "Airport '75" to "The Towering Inferno" to "Jaws." Director Rod Amateau, working from a colorful and eventful script by Bob Peete, does an expert job of maintaining both a nonstop snappy pace and amiably breezy tone throughout. Moreover, Amateau injects a positively infectious sense of zany and inspired good-natured fun that's impossible to either resist or dislike. The lively and enthusiastic acting from an appealing no-name cast rates as another major asset: Gary Lee Cavagnaro as Orville's precious and mischievous younger brother Little Bit, Billy Milliken as cocky jerk Enoch, Regan Kee as the geeky Spoon, Trey Wilson as bumbling crook Gifford, Gordon Hurst as Will's equally blundering partner Will Henry, Kent Perkins as swaggering local stud Bill Hill, the luscious Ashley Cox as Hill's fed-up girlfriend Mary Louise, Louis Zito as the cranky, no-nonsense drive-in manager, and Bill McGhee as an extremely antsy Dr. Demars. Granted, the characters are a bunch of broad Texas caricatures (the often witty dialogue in particular is peppered with a sidesplitting surplus of goofy good ol' boy expressions and the thick Lone Star state accents are simply great), but they are still amusing and likable just the same. Extra props are in order for Robert C. Jessup's polished cinematography and the first-rate soundtrack of tuneful country songs. A real delight.

I have not seen this film since its cable run in the mid-1970s, but I still occasionally enjoy a private laugh when I think about it. The filmmakers clearly had a good eye for the details of small southern towns (the setting was Texas, but it would have been just fine for my native Tennessee). There is an early scene at a classic roller rink, where the dough-faced, slack-jawed teens used as extras were just perfect for the parts.As mentioned by other reviewers, the movie-within-the-movie, DISASTER '76, is a solid parody worth watching just by itself. If a DVD is ever made (unlikely, I'm sure), DISASTER '76 should be included by itself as an extra.7 out of 10.

I had the privilege of viewing this comic gem in the summer of 1976 at a drive-in theater with my wife. We revisited our youth as we watched these small town Texas teens laugh it up. The town nice guy, Orville Hennigson, played by a very young Glenn Morshower in his movie debut, is so shy that it is ridiculous. That, of course, is all part of the fun. Our bad boy, Enoch(Billy Milliken), is trying to control the very sexy Glowie(Lisa LeMole), who has her eyes on someone more sincere. Meanwhile, Orville's younger brother Little Bit (Gary Cavagnaro) is trying to grow up all in one night. Would-be hold up man Will Henry (Gordon Hurst)steals the show with his hilarious bumbling. With two brothers, two love interests, two car crashes, two rival gangs, two fights,two goofball robbers, two hick cops, and two movies (the one you're watching, and a movie within the movie that is on the screen at the drive-in called "Disaster 76")this winner really gets the job done. I haven't laughed this hard since Jesse Jackson ran for President. The dialogue is simple yet clever. Lines like "he's busier than a man with his hat on fire" are uniquely Southern and perfectly suited to the feel of the film. Lets call it "American Graffiti" meets "The Dukes Of Hazzard". By the movie's end my comic belly was as full as a tick on a hound dog.

"Drive-In" is a B movie about a night out at the local drive-in. It's a comedy that isn't terribly funny with acting that is less than stellar. But there are two reasons to watch it anyway. One is the movie within the movie which is showing on the screen called "Disaster 76." It's a send up of all the disaster films of that era and is very funny. Maybe the filmmakers should have filmed that film instead. The other reason is if you are a fan of the drive-in which is all but dead in many areas now. It harkens back memories and is a true journey into nostalgia. If you are not a fan then you may want to skip it.