Popcorn (1991) **1/2
Popcorn (1991) is a decent little horror flick that has earned itself a cult following, but it never truly delivers on any level. Predating the trend of metafiction prevalent in ‘90s horror films such as New Nightmare (1994) (review) and Scream (1996) (review), Popcorn offers an appealing premise for film nerds and cinema lovers, but its goofy execution, while initially fun, wears thin as the film progresses.
Popcorn blends Phantom Of The Opera style antics with William Castle style gags against the backdrop of film students presenting an all-night Horrorthon at a theater set to be torn down in a few weeks. The film focuses (sort of) on Maggie (Jill Schoelen, who coincidentally starred in the 1989 version of Phantom Of The Opera with Robert Englund, two years prior), one of said students, who has been having nightmares eerily similar to a surreal short film that the group discover and which is possibly connected to her past.
The films-within-a-film that the students present at the Horrorthon are fun, tongue-in-cheek parodies of ‘50s and ‘60s B-movies, but the film proper has its own share of flaws (not least of which is a terrible, if amusing, soundtrack). Attempts at dream sequences come off as half-baked Argento, there's poor character development, haphazard editing, and a convoluted backstory for the villain. Despite having some good actors in supporting roles (Tony Roberts, Ray Walston, and genre favorite Dee Wallace), none of the performances are particularly memorable. That would all be permissible if Popcorn had a true sense of style or better pacing. But it never fully commits to the zaniness and the lack of gore makes it a sad excuse for an R-rated horror flick (though it does have some nice makeup f/x).
This was the second time I'd seen Popcorn—the first was at the Coolidge Corner Theater in 2011. Both times that I've seen this film were in small theaters with appreciative audiences that made the experience enjoyable. But both times, I felt the same about Popcorn—it's a film that starts off OK, but flounders and eventually fails. For a better film with a similar premise (albeit minus the horror film tropes), see Matinee (1993) (review).
Popcorn blends Phantom Of The Opera style antics with William Castle style gags against the backdrop of film students presenting an all-night Horrorthon at a theater set to be torn down in a few weeks. The film focuses (sort of) on Maggie (Jill Schoelen, who coincidentally starred in the 1989 version of Phantom Of The Opera with Robert Englund, two years prior), one of said students, who has been having nightmares eerily similar to a surreal short film that the group discover and which is possibly connected to her past.
The films-within-a-film that the students present at the Horrorthon are fun, tongue-in-cheek parodies of ‘50s and ‘60s B-movies, but the film proper has its own share of flaws (not least of which is a terrible, if amusing, soundtrack). Attempts at dream sequences come off as half-baked Argento, there's poor character development, haphazard editing, and a convoluted backstory for the villain. Despite having some good actors in supporting roles (Tony Roberts, Ray Walston, and genre favorite Dee Wallace), none of the performances are particularly memorable. That would all be permissible if Popcorn had a true sense of style or better pacing. But it never fully commits to the zaniness and the lack of gore makes it a sad excuse for an R-rated horror flick (though it does have some nice makeup f/x).
This was the second time I'd seen Popcorn—the first was at the Coolidge Corner Theater in 2011. Both times that I've seen this film were in small theaters with appreciative audiences that made the experience enjoyable. But both times, I felt the same about Popcorn—it's a film that starts off OK, but flounders and eventually fails. For a better film with a similar premise (albeit minus the horror film tropes), see Matinee (1993) (review).
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