© Radius Images/Corbis Well, I would like to say I will save you all the history and science terminology of what popcorn is and all the jargon that explains why it pops, but I won’t. You need to understand the correlation between popcorn and the movies. We all have been to the movies a couple of times, and probably never miss to get a packet of popcorn and a drink as we go in to treat ourselves to a moment of imagination, and wonder as we travel through someone else’s mind and simply allow ourselves to be entertained.
Why Is Popcorn Such A Popular Snack At The Movies? It’s buttered, it’s salted, it’s plain but it’s always hot and delicious (or it should be) but why do we all hanker for popcorn at the movies, and pop it when we watch at home? Popcorn itself has been around 8,000 years since corn was first cultivated, but it’s been a movie theater staple for far less time.
Popcorn was basically the food of the streets, and as such, had no place in hoity toity movie theaters. Plus when there wasn’t sound playing during the days of silent films, the crunch of your neighbor is even more annoying. Eventually movies added sound, and the movie theater industry started to broaden its horizons. When the Great Depression hit, audiences flooded movie theaters seeking an escape from the everyday blues. And there was popcorn, cheap, mobile and tasty. At first people would just walk in with their popcorn purchased on the street, despite the protestations of theater workers.
Things really kicked into high gear during World War II, as wartime rations severely limited the competition from other snacks that required sugar. By the time the war was over, popcorn was firmly entrenched in the hearts of movie lovers everywhere. Once microwaves started popping up in homes later in the 20th century, popcorn was there to stake its claim as the proper snack companion to living room theaters as well.
By charging that outrageous and frankly insane mark-up we pay at the concessions, the movie theater can keep ticket prices lower and make their profit selling snacks and treats. Ultimately it is this little puff of air and starch that is responsible for keeping movies in business. For without popcorn, there simply would be no theaters, and perhaps no movies at least not the way we know them. Whether you partake or not, know that this simple ancient snack help make film and film making possible
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