Back to the future with drive-in movies

While Back to the Future fans are not yet travelling around on hoverboards, they will soon have the opportunity to watch one of their favourite movies from land-based cars in Hutt City.

Drive-in cinema is calling Lower Hutt's Riverbank carpark its home this month as it brings fans Back to the Future Part II at 8.30pm on October 21 – a date true fans will recognise.

KEVIN STENT/FAIRFAX NZ Firefly Cinemas founder and director Jonno Morrissey with a DeLorean car, made famous from the Back to the Future franchise, which will be front row at a drive-in screening in Lower Hutt's Riverbank carpark.

The movie plot details October 21, 2015 as the day Doc, Marty McFly, and Jennifer Parker arrive in the future, travelling in a flying DeLorean time machine and leaving October 26, 1985 behind.

Firefly Cinemas founder and director Jonno Morrissey is organising the event with Hutt City Council.

Morrissey says the night will be huge for fans.

"[It is] a once in a lifetime experience," he says.

"[People get] to be a part of history and to say they were at a drive-in movie in Lower Hutt watching the movie on the very date Marty and Doc went back to the future."

To make the night even more memorable, a real DeLorean car will be in the front row for fans to snap a photo with.

Firefly Cinema marketing director Brady Dyer says the company hope Wellingtonians will find the experience novel and exciting.

"We wanted to revive the drive-in experience, something that's quite iconic to America.

"No one in New Zealand has done it before, and we wanted to bring it to Wellington."

Not only are Firefly helping nostalgic fans tick an item off their bucket lists, they are also helping three local charities with Halloween-inspired drive-in events the following weekend.

Riding for the Disabled, Heart Kids, and Te Awa Kairangi Trust hope to raise $1000 each from three drive-in films being played between Thursday, October 29 and Saturday, October 31.

The movie lineup starts on Thursday with What We Do In The Shadows, a vampire comedy featuring Jemaine Clement and filmed in Wellington.

Families and 90s kids are catered for on Friday with the classic halloween flick, Hocus Pocus.

Morrissey says there will be additional features at each event "that will be sure to give patrons their scare fix for the year".

On Halloween night, brave movie-goers can watch Omen from the safety of their cars.

Morrissey says the aim is to give back to Hutt City.

"We decided these were three local charities that were doing great things for the community for great causes."

Riding for the Disabled provides safe riding services for people with a wide range of intellectual, emotional, and physical disabilities.

Shona Belcher, the organisation's president, says it is wonderful to be chosen as a recipient of some of the money raised.

"No matter how big or small [the donation amount] may be, it will be a huge help, and very much appreciated."

THE DETAILS:

* Tickets are $30 a car, with $10 from each ticket going to the charities.

* There is space for 100 to 150 cars a night.

* Visit fireflycinemas.co.nz to find out more about the films and to buy tickets.