Under a darkening, pink sky, cars arrived and gathered at the back end of the South P lot on Sept. 18, where a large outdoor projection screen stood.

The cars — filled with commuters, friends and family members — streamed in to watch the 2007 movie “300” and munch on free popcorn during drive-in movie night, organized by the Office of Commuter Student Services and the Commuter Student Association.

“300,” an action/adventure drama film is “based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller [that highlights] the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fought to death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army [while trying to] inspire all of Greece to unite,” according to a description by the Association.

The university police placed yellow tape and barricades around the lot to form a designated viewing area where cars could park. Several cops lined the back of the closed-off section for safety reasons and to keep things running smoothly.

Before the movie even began, moviegoers snapped pictures, greeted friends — some even honking car horns — and wiped their windshields for a clearer view. A few even took a seat on the rooftops of cars for a better view while others sat with car doors and windows open chatting, while others assembled in front of their cars.

A PowerPoint presentation appeared on the screen 15 minutes before the movie started, flashing slides featuring upcoming events. One of the slides included a “listen-up” reminder letting everyone know that sound from the movie could be received through channel 102.1 FM.

Once the movie began, people were able to settle down and munch on their popcorn as the sound from the movie roared over them.

For many, the night proved a rare chance for participants to experience a Long Island pastime long since vanished — and on a bigger screen than last year.