Back in 2004, in that year's Best of Denver issue, Westword trumpeted the "Best Movie News for the Nostalgic" -- a reprieve for the Cinderella Twin drive-in near the intersection of Highway 285 and Santa Fe, which had been marked for destruction in a development scheme. Each year thereafter was supposed to be the Denver landmark's last, but even though the figurative curtain really did come down at the end of 2007, the theater's sign remains in place, complete with a message reading, "CLOSED FOR THE SEASON."
Man, is that an understatement. I recently trekked to the tract, and even without climbing through a hole in the chain-link fence and exploring the grounds, it was clear that the clock has long since struck midnight for this Cinderella. That didn't stop me, of course, and as I walked among the new housing under construction, I got a little misty thinking about all those young men and women who'd groped each other on this very spot, all the while pretending to watch triple features. But at least the groping will continue, once the development is finally completed -- in beds rather than in bucket seats.
Click "More" to see how far along this sequel has gotten. -- Michael Roberts
