Retro Review: Popcorn

Popcorn is one of those lesser-known genre flicks from my youth that I remember enjoying, but doesn't cross my brain pan very often. And when it does, it's not available on any streaming or rental service, so I'm always left feeling "well, shit!" when I want to watch it.

Fortunately, my efforts to find the movie recently paid off, and a fresh copy arrived in my hot little hands earlier this week. Excited to watch it, I sat down and did just that last night. Was the wait worth it? Stick with me!

Unlike The Return of the Living Dead, Popcorn did not disappoint. In fact, it more than lived up to my memories.

For starters, Jill Schoelen is a bonafide scream queen. She's great looking and charming, with a girl-next-door personality that makes her instantly likeable. And she can act. She's the heart of this movie.

And Popcorn loves old horror movies. There are three 1950s "stinkers" on display here (the story unfolds during a horror-movie marathon) that owe a lot to the William Castle school of filmmaking. Director Mark Herrier did a great job recreating the tone and style of the era -- not to mention the gimmicks like shock-o-rama and stink-o-vision -- that watching them is as much fun as seeing Popcorn's story unfold.

There's some good kills (death by mosquito prop, anyone?) and a decent backstory for our villain. My only complaint is a sudden shift into the supernatural that isn't explained and never returned to. But I was having too much fun to gripe.

If you can find it, Popcorn is a great way to spend a night at the movies, and wears its love of the genre on its sleeve. A Good for me.