Popcorn (1991) Revisited – Horror Movie Review

It’s time for a new episode of the Best Horror Movie You Never Saw video series, and with this one we’re looking back at a 1991 slasher that had a rather troubled production but still managed to gain a solid cult following. The movie is Popcorn (watch it HERE), and you can find out all about it by watching the video embedded above.

Directed by Mark Herrier, Popcorn has the following synopsis:

What could be scarier than an all-night “Horrorthon”? A group of film students finds out when they stage just such an event at an abandoned movie palace. In addition to the three features — MOSQUITO, THE ATTACK OF THE AMAZING ELECTRIFIED MAN and THE STENCH — they decide to screen a bizarre short called THE POSSESSOR, whose creator, Lanyard Gates, killed his family and set the theater on fire after its first showing. Maggie (Jill Schoelen, THE STEPFATHER) has been having frightening dreams that seem to be connected to THE POSSESSOR, and as the festival proceeds, the nightmare comes true for her and her friends as they are stalked and slain by a mysterious killer. Has Gates survived to continue THE POSSESSOR’s deadly legacy?

The film stars Jill Schoelen, Tom Villard, Dee Wallace, Derek Rydall, Elliot Hurst, Kelly Jo Minter, Malcolm Danare, Ray Walston, and Tony Roberts. The screenplay was written by Alan Ormsby under the name Tod Hackett, and Ormsby also directed the footage shot for the films within the film. Herrier was then brought in to replace Ormsby as the director, while Schoelen replaced original lead actress Amy O’Neill.

Our Best Horror Movie You Never Saw series is dedicated to highlighting horror films that, for one reason or another, don’t get as much love as we think they should. We know plenty of you horror hounds out there will have seen many of the movies we pick, but there will be plenty of you who have not.

The Popcorn episode of Best Horror Movie You Never Saw was Written by Eric Walkuski, Narrated by Jason Hewlett, Edited by Kier Gomes, Produced by John Fallon and Tyler Nichols, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Have you already seen Popcorn, and if so, are you a fan of the movie? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

A couple previous episodes of the Best Horror Movie You Never Saw series can be seen below. To see more, and to check out some of our other shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!

Source: Arrow in the Head

About the Author

Cody is a news editor and film critic, focused on the horror arm of JoBlo.com, and writes scripts for videos that are released through the JoBlo Originals and JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channels. In his spare time, he's a globe-trotting digital nomad, runs a personal blog called Life Between Frames, and writes novels and screenplays.