A week and a half ago, when I watched this
movie, I hated it. A few days later, I was thinking it wasn't all that
bad. Today as I write this, I like it and I'm glad I watched this weird
little film that somehow compels you to like it more, the more you
distance yourself from watching it. I'm not entirely sure if that above
sentence made sense - but neither did this movie, so I guess that it
all ties in anyway.
Popcorn was a movie that was plagued with trouble and numerous changes
from the very beginning. The director was replaced after three weeks,
along with the main star - so pretty much everything that had been done
had to be done over again. Seems like a lot of effort for a low budget
slasher, but I guess they were just determined to make a movie.
 Our
young heroine Maggie, is a college (high school?) film major. Maggie is
haunted by strange dreams of fire and daggers and sacrifices - thinking
its just her imagination going into overdrive she takes notes on what
she dreams, hoping to turn it into a feature of her own. Meanwhile at
school, Maggie's clichéd mixture of a film class (slutty hot
girl, guy in wheelchair, outspoken black chick, nice guy nerd) learn
from their teacher that their film department is seriously lacking
funds. Nice guy Toby suggests they all put on a scary movie marathon at
the local theatre using films with gimmicks like electric shocks, foul
odours and a giant flying mosquito. With very limited time due to the
theatre being torn down in two weeks, the kids set out to put on the
fundraiser, with the help of some guy who owns a film prop store - we
only see him in one scene, and I'm really not sure what he has to do
with the plot.
In amongst all his props they find a duty old film can with a dire
warning sticker saying "DO NOT OPEN". Obviously, they open it, and much
to Maggie's surprise right there before her on the big screen is the
exact same scenes from her dream. Lucky she never got a chance to make
that movie - it was shitty back then and I doubt a film student could
have improved it. Anyway, the film was made by an experimental
filmmaker in the 70's by the name of Lanyard Gates and titled the
Possessor. In retaliation for his past efforts being received poorly,
Lanyard never filmed the ending to Possessor, and instead performed it
live on stage - murdering his family and then setting fire to the
theatre after trapping everyone inside. Lanyards body was never
recovered.
Maggie tells her mother, Suzanne, about the movie that she was dreaming
about and Suzanne pleads with her to forget the festival. She obviously
knows something we don't. Maggie refuses and Suzanne heads to the
theatre alone with a gun. Some weird shit starts to happen, like
letters flying off the marquee and lights and doors operating on their
own. Suzanne gets into some trouble and is grabbed by a figure we can't
see - and assume is Lanyard Gates.
 Here's
where I should probably tell you about Popcorn's abandoned plot because
the first half of the movie in no way makes sense with the second half,
but for some reason, the brains and the cash behind Popcorn didn't seem
to mind at all. Basically what we have here is the setup for a
supernatural horror movie. Halfway through filming the producers
decided that a slasher movie would fare better with their target
audience - whoever that is, and the supernatural plot was dropped. The
story was going to have Maggie battling Lanyard Gates who is back from
the dead with the aid of Suzanne, whose soul is trapped in the old
popcorn machine - hence the films title. You'll notice during the
montage where they are getting things ready for the festival they make
a big deal about uncovering the old popcorn machine. This is why.
Back to the story. The night of the film festival is upon us and
Maggie's attention depraved cheating boyfriend (who I failed to mention
earlier) shows up with another girl, and on top of that. A masked man
frightens Maggie at the booth by mentioning Possessor and calling her
Sarah (the name of the girl in her dream). Maggie freaks out and tries
to pitch to everyone that Lanyard is alive and at the theatre. They all
think she's crazy.
Once the films start, the killer starts using the props to kill the
film students putting on the show. I'm not going to ruin it for you
with details, because I actually do want you to watch this movie, but I
was a little disappointed with the way that this film set up very
credible potential killers, and then killed them off the moment you
started to suspect them, by about 45 minutes in, I knew who the killer
was, and I was a bit disappointed. Not because it was a stupid idea,
but because I really didn't want that person to be the killer. You'll
understand.
A fun, trashy piece to watch with your friends. It's plot resembles a
pair of fishnet stockings, but if you can overlook that and enjoy the
zaniness of the arrangement, you'll have fun. For some reason, I always
find myself drawn to Jill Schoelen movies, and I always remember her
being prettier than she is. Not that she isn't pretty, but she isn't
the DAMN! that I keep thinking she is. Oh, and I love Tom Villard. He's
awesome. One Crazy Summer is one of my favourite movies of all time.
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Year: 1991
