Cinema Food

For most of us, “going to the movies” isn’t just about watching a film. Rather, it’s a powerful multisensory experience—one so powerful that there’s a decent chance your mind has begun drifting to thoughts of popcorn and candy. But what is it about cinema food in general and popcorn and the movies in particular, that makes them so inextricably linked?

A Brief History of Cinema Food

Andrew F. Smith, an author and lecturer at New York’s New School, wrote one of our favourite books on the subject – Popped Culture: A Social History of Popcorn in America. Popcorn was already a popular snack sold at circuses, fairs and on the streets in the 1850s. Nickelodeons offered five-cent silent movies and live piano or organ players – but no food. By the 1920s, upscale movie theatres replaced these. These European-inspired “palaces” with their marble-lined hallways, crystal chandeliers, billiards rooms, and drop-off day care centres – courted wealthier, well-educated customers. The need to read supported this – silent movies relied on screens of text to deliver important developments and background to the story, which meant that only literate people could enjoy it. Messy munching did not go well with luxurious seats and carpets.

In 1927, the movies added sound, making it accessible to the masses. That’s when the cinema foodscape started to change. Street vendors started selling their popcorn outside cinemas. Eventually, cinema owners spotted this as a money-making opportunity and started selling popcorn themselves. Popcorn is cheap and easy to produce on a large scale. Also, the tempting smell of cooking popcorn is the most effective advert. For the audience, too, it is ideal for eating while watching a movie – you can eat it with your hands and it won’t distract you from watching. The trays make it easy to carry to your seat, and place on your lap before putting away under your seat once you’re finished. So, that’s why people eat popcorn at the cinema. It’s a simple, practical snack that audiences enjoy and that cinema owners can make a large profit from.

Popcorn and the Movies Today

Enterprising young cinemas around the world are taking their food just as seriously as their films, offering movie tie-in dinners, like the Django Unchained-themed meal of shrimp and grits. Gold Class seating includes reclining seats, a pillow and a blanket, in seat delivery, free popcorn, and the opportunity to choose from a selection of fine wine. While it may be a while until we flock the cinema every fortnight like we used to; and reach out for the same kernel of popcorn from our shared buckets; you too, are probably wondering how to get your at-home popcorn to taste just like the movies. The secret ingredient is Flavacol.