Brian Trenchard-Smith’s “Dead-End Drive-In” depicts a “Pleasure Island” angle right out of “Pinocchio.”
It’s a lawless place of joy and indulgence that’s both a fantasy haven and prison for young people.
Ned Manning stars as “Crabs,” a young man who makes the mistake of taking his beautiful girlfriend Carmen (Natalie McCurry) on a date to the Star Drive-In.
Crabs is too occupied to notice the tall fencing and tight security that clearly seems at odds with an open-air movie theater for teens. After a night of B-movies and backseat sex, Crabs and Carmen awake to find not just their car still on the lot, but everyone else’s as well. Turns out, the Star Drive-In is a massive outdoor prison for disagreeable teenagers with antisocial attitudes.
An unusually good-looking...