their seats , or in my case ducking behind the back of my dad ’ s seat in terror and quickly looking when curiosity got the best of me .
Where do theremins fit in ? Theremins were a mystery ! Even though they were an integral part of 1950s sci-fi movies and I was fascinated by their music , I had no idea what they were until I recently watched a documentary on electronic music . Theremins provided interesting sound effects for those old sci-fi movies . It was an eerie electronic sound like someone playing a flexing saw — really “ otherworldly ”— and conjured up all sorts of strange phenomena in my mind . I immediately went to the internet and was rewarded with a great article about the history of theremins . Theremins are not new . Early versions have been around since their invention in 1928 by Léon Theremin . Even Moog , inventor of the famous synthesizer , created his own version . Today they are used for concerts , rock bands , and New Age music . Despite many movies using these unusual instruments , surprisingly , Star Trek gave them a pass .
Life went on , and before we realized it the third summer had arrived and there were no more drivein movies . Not one of us asked why . I guess we knew the fad had worn off and our parents had come to their senses . Looking back , I am happy we shared that experience . Partly because of it , I have a lifelong love of movies . I can still feel the heat of the car and dust coming through the open window when we stopped at the kiosk to purchase our tickets . I felt the thrill of excitement for the upcoming movie
— and playing bingo . Even if it was about mutant monsters , I could lose myself in my imagination . Better yet , it might have theremins , which still evoke a sense of mystery and a connection with those summers long ago .
Darlene Tracy is a seventeen-year member of ARTA . She spent many years teaching in the Black Gold School Division . Currently she lives in Calgary and enjoys movies , reading non-fiction books , taking general interest adult classes , travelling ( again , after COVID ), and playing handbells . news & views WINTER 2020 | 49