goteamweaver
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Reviews
Popcorn (1991)
A decent slasher flick that deserves more attention
Spoilers ahead!
Popcorn, a movie that was released in 1991, was one of those movies that I spent a lot of effort trying to watch when it came out. I distinctly remember trying to see it in the theater, but it being out of the theater before I could. I also remember renting it once or twice, and for some reason or another, never getting to watch it. Well, I finally got to watch it, and I am glad for that.
When a group of film students decide to have an all night horror movie marathon at a local theater, luck falls their way. They get to not only show three classic (albeit fake) horror movies, and they manage to get their hands on the original gimmicks that went with the flicks. The first movie is "Mosquito", a movie about the attack of a giant mosquito. For this movie, they have a giant mosquito prop that they shoot through the theater over the heads of the film-goers (and eventually, straight through their teachers chest!). Then there is "The Attack of the Amazing Electrified Man", in which a man is executed in the electric chair, but doesn't die. All the seats in the theater are wired to deliver a mild shock to the movie goers (and a not-so-mild shock to one of the students!). Then there is "The Stench", which we don't really get to see enough of the movie to know what it is about, however, the students have a big smoke machine that they can add scents to (and one of the students is gassed to death in the bathroom!).
While the students are going through the props that are so graciously loaned to them by Dr. Mnesyne (played by the great Ray Walston), they discover a reel of film that when watched, seems to be an odd art house style movie. Maggie (Jill Schoelen), however, recognizes the face in the film as someone she has seen in her dreams. Their teacher Mr. Davis (Tony Roberts) tells them that the creator of the film was a cult leader, and at one time had gone mad, and during the showing of the film, killed his entire family on stage, then burned down the theater, killing several members of his cult as well. Soon, people are going missing left and right, and it seems that the cult leader may be back from the dead!
I am really happy I caught this movie finally after so many years. From all the things I have read about it, it seems that it suffered from a lot of problems during the film making process, some of which were replacing directors and main actresses, financial problems, and releasing problems. I found this movie to be a big change from a lot of the movies that were coming out in the late 80s/early 90s, as the killer is a little more original with the kills, and in general, the film is just fun to watch. The characters are likable, and even the reveal at the end of the movie was kind of a surprise for me. Sure, there are plot holes all through this movie, but it has a certain charm to it, that to me, really translates on the screen to a real enjoyable movie, and one that I am pretty sure I will be revisiting again.
Popcorn, a movie that was released in 1991, was one of those movies that I spent a lot of effort trying to watch when it came out. I distinctly remember trying to see it in the theater, but it being out of the theater before I could. I also remember renting it once or twice, and for some reason or another, never getting to watch it. Well, I finally got to watch it, and I am glad for that.
When a group of film students decide to have an all night horror movie marathon at a local theater, luck falls their way. They get to not only show three classic (albeit fake) horror movies, and they manage to get their hands on the original gimmicks that went with the flicks. The first movie is "Mosquito", a movie about the attack of a giant mosquito. For this movie, they have a giant mosquito prop that they shoot through the theater over the heads of the film-goers (and eventually, straight through their teachers chest!). Then there is "The Attack of the Amazing Electrified Man", in which a man is executed in the electric chair, but doesn't die. All the seats in the theater are wired to deliver a mild shock to the movie goers (and a not-so-mild shock to one of the students!). Then there is "The Stench", which we don't really get to see enough of the movie to know what it is about, however, the students have a big smoke machine that they can add scents to (and one of the students is gassed to death in the bathroom!).
While the students are going through the props that are so graciously loaned to them by Dr. Mnesyne (played by the great Ray Walston), they discover a reel of film that when watched, seems to be an odd art house style movie. Maggie (Jill Schoelen), however, recognizes the face in the film as someone she has seen in her dreams. Their teacher Mr. Davis (Tony Roberts) tells them that the creator of the film was a cult leader, and at one time had gone mad, and during the showing of the film, killed his entire family on stage, then burned down the theater, killing several members of his cult as well. Soon, people are going missing left and right, and it seems that the cult leader may be back from the dead!
I am really happy I caught this movie finally after so many years. From all the things I have read about it, it seems that it suffered from a lot of problems during the film making process, some of which were replacing directors and main actresses, financial problems, and releasing problems. I found this movie to be a big change from a lot of the movies that were coming out in the late 80s/early 90s, as the killer is a little more original with the kills, and in general, the film is just fun to watch. The characters are likable, and even the reveal at the end of the movie was kind of a surprise for me. Sure, there are plot holes all through this movie, but it has a certain charm to it, that to me, really translates on the screen to a real enjoyable movie, and one that I am pretty sure I will be revisiting again.