Take a trip down memory lane to the local drive-in movie, where friends, lovers and families of decades past spent hot summer nights in their jalopies, sedans or station wagons. Though a novelty for many moviegoers today, drive-ins were a staple of entertainment during the height of their popularity in the 1950s and '60s, with sci-fi thrillers and rock 'n' roll flicks often part of the programming. On June 18 (in the daytime hours, so you won't be watching under the stars), TCM presents a selection of those fun popcorn-munchers that made for classic evenings at the drive-in.

Rock, Rock, Rock! (1956) is a black-and-white "jukebox musical" starring a 13-year-old Tuesday Weld as a girl trying to earn the money for a strapless gown to wear to her prom. The film also features performances by such rock 'n' roll stars as Chuck Berry, La Vern Baker, the Moonglows, the Flamingos and the Teenagers with Frankie Lymon. Disc jockey Alan Freed plays himself.

From Hell It Came (1957) is a sci-fi horror thriller about a South Seas island prince who is executed by having a knife driven into his heart, buried in a tree trunk, then reanimated by nuclear radiation. The result is a tree-like monster who goes about killing people. Film critic (and TCM friend) Leonard Maltin wryly observed that, "As walking-tree movies go, this is at the top of the list."

Untamed Youth (1957) tells the story of a pair of sisters (Mamie Van Doren and Lori Nelson) who are arrested for "bad behavior," which includes skinny-dipping, and are sentenced to work on a rural Texas farm run by a corrupt agriculture magnate (John Russell). Van Doren somehow manages to work in four musical numbers including "Oobala Baby."

Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958) stars Allison Hayes as a wealthy but troubled woman who grows to an enormous size after being exposed to radiation by a creature from a UFO. The giantess then wreaks havoc on her philandering husband (William Hudson) and his mistress (Yvette Vickers). The website Rotten Tomatoes reports the critical consensus that this is "one of the worst science-fiction films of all time," but still "thoroughly enjoyable."

The Wasp Woman (1959) is a sci-fi thriller from producer-director Roger Corman in which the owner of a cosmetics company (Susan Cabot) overuses a cream made from the royal jelly of the queen wasp. She sheds 20 years in a weekend, but soon transforms into a murderous, wasp-like creature.

Muscle Beach Party (1964) is the second of seven "Beach Party" movies from American International Pictures starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. The plot has to do with an Italian countess (Luciana Paluzzi) who tries to steal Frankie from Funicello. Musical guests include Stevie Wonder and Dick Dale and the Del-Tones, and supporting roles are played by Don Rickles and Buddy Hackett.

Wild, Wild Planet (1965) is an Italian sci-fi horror film about a mad scientist (Massimo Serato) who kidnaps world leaders to use in bioengineering experiments until a rogue cop (Tony Russell) comes to the rescue. Mod 1960s fashions and overripe dialogue add to the fun in this one.

The Cool Ones (1967) is a low-budget Warner Bros. musical comedy about a millionaire rock promoter (Roddy McDowall) who encourages a romance between a pop singer (Gil Peterson) and a go-go dancer (Debbie Watson) as a publicity stunt. Gene Nelson (once a top dancer in Warner Bros. films) directs, and the capable supporting cast includes Phil Harris, Nita Talbot and Robert Coote. Cameos are contributed by Glen Campbell and the singer known as Mrs. Miller.

by Roger Fristoe