Angels and Demons and crunch crunch

We went to the movies on Saturday night to see Angels and Demons. A brilliant, riveting production that is acted to the standards one would expect of Tom Hanks and associates. However, despite the loud and fast action, I found myself distracted by the “crunch crunch” of people all around us as they worked their teeth through huge bags of popcorn! This caused me to ponder, which ultimately resulted in some blank spots in my memory of the movie …

I don’t remember anybody eating anything other than ice-cream in theatres in the UK. As a child, I can remember the thrill during the “intermission” when the ice-cream lady would walk to the front of the theatre and stand there, with her tray of ice-cream bars supported by a neck strap, and a small light focusing on the product. We would line up quietly and take our ice-cream bar back to our seats. I loved the chocolate covered bar and only ever had one at the cinema. I have a vague recollection that she might have also sold small bags of peanuts, but cannot be sure. Regardless, they were not crunchy foods!

I can also recall going to the Royal Festival Hall in London for a classical concert and learning early on that food and beverages were to be consumed outside the concert hall. Woe betide any concertgoer who dared to take in a packet of candies or, worse, a beverage. They would probably have been sent to the Tower!

So why, then, do North Americans feel compelled to sit and stuff their faces with over-priced popcorn during a movie. Is it a ritual that is learned in childhood? Is it brainwashing from the POS marketing materials at the cinema (i.e. your visit is incomplete without …?) Or, is it just that I am of a different generation?

Perhaps future movie theatres will have specially designated areas for popcorn eaters!!