Hey Folks! It’s the Intermission Time Video Party Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Hey Folks! It’s the Intermission Time Video Party Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 27, 2024

“Hey Folks! It’s Intermission Time” began life as a passion project in the 1990s for the late Mike Vraney. He wanted to celebrate his love for drive-in cinemas, scouring film and video sources to create his own compilation reel containing all kinds of forgotten snipes and advertisements. The idea was to share these reels of history with those who could appreciate it, and one release soon turned into six, generating hours of entertainment and nostalgic trips back in time to a simpler era of movie exhibition, when theater owners were absolutely determined to retain customers, making sure they had the finest in feature and concession options around. Vraney didn’t have source material that was in the best shape, and the sets were prone to a little repetition, but the mastermind’s love of the game is deeply felt, doing his part to preserve industry history at a time when it was being erased by corporate chains and the death of the drive-ins.

“Hey Folks! It’s the Intermission Time Video Party” is a little more than a simple collection of Vraney’s work, with AFGA and Something Weird putting together a “mixtape,” which edits a 79-minute-long version of the original releases, generating an overview of the series while playing many editing tricks of its own. It’s the main attraction for this Blu-ray release, identifying what’s so fun about the original tapes, covering all sorts of animation, promotion, and oddities from Vraney’s vault, including the drive-in industry’s obsession during the 1950s to offer barbeque sandwiches at concession stands. Hot dogs are also a popular food item for sale, which makes a little more sense, and the new sensation known as “peet-sah” is a big deal in the clips, offering a piece of “Italy” for car digestion.

The Blu-ray’s real value is in the supplements, which contain all six volumes of the “Hey Folks! It’s Intermission Time” series, delivering a marathon viewing of everything Vraney released. This includes all sorts of drive-in snipes and local advertisements, creating a game for viewers to look up what companies are still in business (more than expected!). It’s a real ride of exhibition history, exploring the lengths owners would go to tempt ticket- buyers into theaters and drive-ins, with dips into informational ads and PSAs starring Hollywood actors of the day. However, food is king, with snack bar showmanship and display techniques the real highlights of the volumes, creating an understanding of salesmanship as owners worked tirelessly to tempt customers into spending all kinds of cash on salty and sweet treats, going to absurd lengths to beautify some unappetizing menu items.

Hey Folks! It’s the Intermission Time Video Party Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) for "Intermission Time Mix Tape" is "transferred from the original Something Weird S-VHS masters." The viewing experience deals with numerous clips from over the decades, and what's here is not meant to impress with restoration efforts. It's a raw visual event working with clips that have been repeatedly recycled, and wear and tear is present throughout, with some elements more tattered than others. What's here isn't going to win awards for clarity, but some frame information is appreciable, offering a look at various production achievements, including many offerings of animation and intense advertisements. Color varies with age (fade is common), but an overall appreciation of hues is available, especially with more vibrant snack bar ads working to sell the glory of junk food. Black and white offerings are mostly stable.

Hey Folks! It’s the Intermission Time Video Party Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix does what it can with the age and quality of the clips, but a general understanding of messages and performances is present, with little lost to roughness, even during large flare-ups of damage. Musical support is also adequate, supplying passable clarity and dramatic emphasis, especially during more patriotic messages.

Hey Folks! It’s the Intermission Time Video Party Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Insert contains an essay by Something Weird's Lisa Petrucci.

Disc 1

• Commentary features AFGA's Bret Berg and Joseph A. Ziemba.

• "Hey Folks! It's Intermission Time! Volume 1" (101:56, SD) includes drive-in countdowns, theater snipes, holiday celebrations, MPAA ratings explanations, carbon monoxide warnings, snack bar line-ups, and advertisements for Dupler Lumber Co., Honda Motorcycles, Rapier's Discount Dry Cleaners, Diamond Jim's Restaurant, Weisenberger Insurance Service, TempTaste Barbeque Sandwiches, Toddy Chocolate Malt Flavored Milk, Vespa Scooters, and Bernz-O-Matic In-Car Heaters.

• "Hey Folks! It's Intermission Time! Volume 2" (104:29, SD) includes drive-in countdowns, theater snipes, holiday celebrations (including a performance from Rosemary Clooney and plenty of New Year's Eve well-wishes), concert promotions (including Spike Jones), snack bar line-ups, trailers for "Rio Bravo" and "Blacula," the "Save Free T.V." campaign, free soda tumbler promotions, drive-in intermission animation, and commercials for Vespa Scooters, Yamaha Motorcycles, Dober Motor Co., Budweiser (with pitchman Ed McMahon), and Pepsi-Cola.

Disc 2

• "Hey Folks! It's Intermission Time! Volume 3" (118:28, SD) includes drive-in countdowns, theater snipes, holiday celebrations, snack bar line-ups, drive-in intermission animation, various promotions for horror theater events, a MPAA introduction (with Julie Andrews), "Casino Royale" trailer, the National Tuberculosis Association "Christmas Seals" drive (with Cary Grant, Shirley Temple, and Gary Cooper), various war stamps and bonds notices, Army and Navy Emergency Relief information (with Gary Cooper), a sexual education infomercial (featuring an unnamed "doctor" selling "Knowledge for Women" and "Knowledge for Men" books), and commercials for U.S. Savings Bonds (with Elizabeth Montgomery), American Cancer Society, Dino's Restaurant ($1.79 all-you-can-eat spaghetti), Will Rogers Institute (with John Wayne), and the "Roy Roger's Riding Club."

• "Hey Folks! It's Intermission Time! Volume 4" (110:10, SD) includes drive-in countdowns, theater snipes, holiday celebrations, snack bar line-ups, drive-in intermission animation, various promotions for horror theater events, "Keep 'Em Rolling" music clip (celebrating American wartime commitment), "Oath of Green Blood" promotion, the National Tuberculosis Association "Christmas Seals" drive (with Jack Lemmon and Jack Webb), Toy For Tots drive (with Doris Day), The American Legion's "New Glory for Old Glory" promotion (with Richard Nixon), United National Week promotion (with James Cagney, Ann Southern, and Margaret O'Brien), Will Rogers Memorial Fund drive (featuring the cast of "Married…with Children"), and commercials for Coca-Cola, Sprite, Budweiser, Bic Lighters, and Flamer: The Electric Football.

• "Hey Folks! It's Intermission Time! Volume 5" (111:53, SD) includes drive-in countdowns (including an epic overview of American majesty), theater snipes, holiday celebrations, snack bar line-ups, drive-in intermission animation, a trailer for "Circus World," and commercials for Coca-Cola, The Columbus Health Club, Standard Oil Products, The Wig Wam (selling "hair enhancements"), Wade Motor Company, Jackson House Restaurant ("Pleasing You Pleases Us"), and Avis Rent-A-Truck.

• "Hey Folks! It's Intermission Time! Volume 6" (102:18, SD) includes drive-in countdowns, theater snipes, holiday celebrations, snack bar line-ups, drive-in intermission animation, coming attraction titles, a Ground Observer Corps recruitment clip, the National Tuberculosis Association "Christmas Seals" drive (with James Corburn), a trailer for "James Joyce's Ulysses" (presented by Walter Reed Jr.), sexual deviancy PSAs, and commercials for Smithfield Barbeque Beef, Tombstone Pizza, Pic Mosquito Repellent, Castleberry Barbeque Sandwiches, and "Hamlet" Electronovision Performance (with Richard Burton).

Hey Folks! It’s the Intermission Time Video Party Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Hey Folks! It's the Intermission Time Video Party" is a gem of a release, and while everything here is sourced from video, it doesn't diminish the entertainment value of these old clips and their sometimes strange ways of salesmanship. Vraney packs a lot into each volume, making for an epic overview of the business from a time long ago, returning to a day when drive-ins were prized and people really wanted to eat barbeque sandwiches while watching a movie.