E ven though the TVs that take pride of place in houses and flats all over the world are becoming so huge it’s silly, there’s still something magical about the silver screen.
The event, the occasion, the tickets and the pop corn. Certainly, our eye balls are clearly yanked out of their sockets in many of the modern multiplexes with the price of a drink and a snack usually ending up more then the film itself but the sweet and salty smell of popcorn is a powerful lure, and one we all love munching while our minds are taken on a cinematic journey in the dark.
In 1885, Charles Cretors invented the popcorn machine, a huge steam powered affair drawn by horses, but it wasn’t until the great depression in the 1920’s that popcorn became such a huge success. With popcorn and cinema being a relatively cheap luxury for the masses, coming in at 5 cents a bag it soon became the peoples favorite. That, added to the fact that it was a quiet snack to eat. Imagine a cinema full of people eating prawn crackers!
For the health conscious of us out there, our waist lines need not worry either as an average serving of popcorn contains around 55 calories, which is a whole heap better then the deep fried potato chip alternative, plus corn is packed with good fibres, potassium and vitamins B1 and B2. Okay, the melted butter smothered all over may not be exactly healthy, but hey, you’re at the cinema! It’s a treat for the eyes and the taste buds after all.
These days, sales of popcorn counts for almost 50% of all cinema revenue, so if you are feeling slightly miffed with the cinemas charging over the odd’s prices, you can always get one back and sneak in your own popcorn, just don’t forget to take it out of your back pocket before you sit down.
