What is the history of unknown popcorn who literally saved the movie world

ByJoakim Wahlander

Many people think that popcorn with plenty of buckets to buy at a shop is indispensable when visiting a movie theater, but in reality it seems there is a connection that can not be separated from movies and popcorn. Movie summarizing the history of popcorn birth and relationships that have become indistinguishable from moviesThe Science & History of Popcorn - The Snack that Saved the Movies"Has been released.

The Science & History of Popcorn - The Snack That Saved the Movies on Vimeo


Describing the science and history of popcorn explains how to make movies and the backgroundFilmmakerIQ.comMr. John Hess. In the movie, my eyes are unexpectedly moved to Mr. Hess' expressive commentary.


First of all, on "What makes pop popcorn pop (rupture)?"


The source of popcorn is corn fruit, which may have been said, but only a limited number of varieties are used for popcorn.


What is used for popcorn is a type called "explosive species" even in maize. The explosive species has the scientific name "Zea mays everta (Z.m.L.var.everta)", which has the meaning of being classified as "maize (Zea)" or "corn (Z. mays)".


The corn grain contains the endosperm condensed with starch in the outer skin of the shell and contains about 14% of moisture.


When this grain is heated, when the temperature exceeds 100 degrees, the internal moisture vaporizes and tries to expand, but the grain of the explosion seeds is very hard and the internal pressure rises to Gungun.


If the internal temperature rises to 180 degrees Celsius and the pressure rises to 930 kilopascals, or about 9 atm, ...


It makes a familiar sound like "panning" and the grain is played, it becomes popcorn.


Interestingly, there are two main types of how popcorn can be played. One is "butterflyIt is called a type called a wing with a protrusion. Since it has a sense of volume when eating, it is often used for general popcorn which can be eaten at movie theaters. The other round type is "mushroomIt is said to be used for popcorn type which entangled sources such as bagged snacks and caramel popcorn because it has a characteristic that it is hard to break when transporting.


"Origin of popcorn"


Popcorn is considered the oldest snack confection in the world, and that trace has been found from the ruins of the cave around 3,600 BC. Although the detailed origin itself is unknown, it is thought that it originated from South America and spread to all over the world.


Many people associate with "corn" when asked "Corn", but in reality the word "Corn" was originally used as a term referring to grain in general.


The original meaning of "Corn" means that it shows the most widely available grain in each culture. For example in the UK, Scotland and Ireland it is a word that refers to grains such as wheat. After that, Europe came to the Americas, and the grain which was eaten most there was "Maise (corn)", he said that in the US he called corn "Corn". There is still a remnant of this establishment, in the UK it is common to call corn "meize" and call the whole grain "corn".


In the United States there is a history that corn has been widely eaten, it was first made in 1621Thanksgiving(Thanksgiving Day) is said that Pilgrim, who has emigrated from the UK, began as a way to learn how to raise corn etc. to indigenous people Wampongogue who lived in the vicinity. However, in this era, "modern popcorn" like modern day is still considered to have not existed in the Americas.


Popcorn can now be eaten as it is thought to be due to the fact that "Valparaiso cone" was brought in by a ship arriving in North America from Valparaíso, Chile, South America. According to the record, the first time Valparaiso Corn landed in North America around 1820.


Originally called name was "Popped corn" meaning "popped corn", but this word changed ... ...


It is believed that the name "Popcorn" like now is born. Later that popcorn spread rapidly in the United States.


It was held in 1893The Chicago World ExpositionAn important evolution occurred in the history of popcorn.


One of them is the world's first mobile popcorn manufacturing machine invented by Mr. Charles Cresso. Until that time popcorn was manufactured using fixed machines, Mr. Cletus remodeled a truck that sold peanuts, attached a steam engine, made it possible to make popcorn anywhere. In addition, the German immigrants Lucqheim brother invented a product called "cracker jack" which packaged molasses popcorn and peanuts. This is said to be the "world's first caramel cone".


"Popcorn and movie ties"


The popcorn spread among the people as described above can be eaten in all kinds of places such as sports venues, circus venues, festivals and bars. However, the only exception is that the popcorn was not eaten, it was a "movie theater" that can not be thought at the moment.

At that time, the movie theater was devoted to creating an image that put "luxury" in the foreground, so gorgeous interior decoration design such as luxurious lobby and glittery chandelier was incorporated. It was popcorn which is taste of the common people that was said to "not fit" to such atmosphere. In particular, the owner of the movie theater was showing a bad color in the scent of popcorn scattered on the floor and the smell drifting inside the place.


One of the reasons for changing such a situation is the movie "TorquayIt was the appearance of. With the advent of Torquay, poor audience and children who did not see the movie until then came to visit the cinema.


A further big factor occurred in the 1930'sThe Great DepressionThat was. Many movie theaters are shut down due to the recession, and the remaining movie theaters will also be forced to work desperately to survive. In such a situation, popcorn stand on the street corner was supported by popular people who suffered from living and continued to survive. It was one of the entertainment left by the common people of those days that it was to hide a cheap popcorn bought at the street corner in the court, enter the movie theater, and watch a movie while eating popcorn.


In such a situation, it was a young man, Kemons Wilson who dropped out of high school to work for his family. Mr. Wilson succeeded in negotiating with the movie theater in Memphis and has signed a contract to sell popcorn to visitors outside the cinema.


Mr. Wilson 's business is very successful and will bring $ 50 a week sales. There were 25 dollars to be paid to the cinema side, but the owner of the movie theater who was disgusted with this success drove Mr. Wilson and got a violent violence to sell himself popcorn That was.


Mr. Wilson became a success story person afterwards succeeding "Holiday Inn" of one big hotel chain. In addition, Mr. Wilson has left an episode that he has become the owner of a movie theater, so that it will not be kicked out of the cinema again.


Also, Mr. R. J. McKenna who was developing a movie theater chain in the western United States is said to have incorporated a popcorn stand in the building and introduced a style that leads to the present age of selling in the lobby. With the sale of popcorn alone, the movie theater will make a profit of 200 thousand dollars and the popcorn as a major revenue source will be established. Mr. McKenna is said to have made a strategy of attracting many people to movie theaters by lowering movie tickets to sell popcorn and have made a great achievement in the improvement of movie theater profitability.


In another case where only small cinemas allowed selling popcorn, only movie theaters dealing with popcorn produced surplus, and conventional high-class movie theaters fell into deficit as a result I see.


The episode at the time was "saying," Find the place suitable for selling popcorn, and build a movie theater around it. " In this way, popcorn became a literary rescue of the movie theaters that are depressed by the recession.


"Popcorn is also at home"


Popcorn popularity continues to spread even in the era when World War II broke out and the supply of sugar was restricted. In such a time the emergence as "a threat of popcorn" was the home TV which began to spread in the 1950s.


The appearance of television was an event that brought a great blow to the movie theater that was dedicated to the decrease of visitors. The number of visitors decreased by 50%, and as a result, the sales of popcorn also decreased.


The biggest weak point of popcorn at that time was that "it is difficult to make at home." It was the appearance of a type of popcorn that made it by making an aluminum ladle over a fire that helped recover from such a hardship.


And, moreover, the popcorn of type to make with microwave oven is the one which ensured the resurgence of popcorn.


The microwave technology is a diversion of the technology of radar developed for military use. Raytheon, which succeeded in the development of the radar, said to have led the victory of the Second World War, is its fundamental technologyMagnetronI can use it for cooking.


In 1947, Raytheon launched the world's first home microwave oven. A microwave with a height of 1.8 meters and a weight of 340 kg was sold at a price of 2000 dollars to 3000 dollars.


However, in a true sense popcorn has spread to the process, it can be said that the compact household microwave oven spreads. In addition to the widespread use of microwave ovens that can be easily cooked, the spread of cable television, the popularization of VHS / beta video, the appearance of laser discs, etc., triggered the environment for enjoying movies even at home, popcorn that can be made with microwave oven It was decided to penetrate widely.


"Popcorn and the movie mariage"


Many people say that popcorn full of buckets plenty of butter is indispensable when going to the movies now. As we have seen, popcorn has been demonstrating the power to overcome the various difficulties facing the film world.


Even in modern times, half of the profits earned by movie theaters account for sales such as popcorn. Although sales of movie tickets themselves are largely absorbed by distributors and movie companies, due to the popcorn and drink sales, movie theaters continue to screen movies with relatively cheap tickets It is said that there is.


In this way, popcorn was just a place to say that it saved the movie theater, eventually the film industry itself from the bankruptcy. Many people say that popcorn is indispensable in movies, but it seems that the composition of literally "Popcorn is indispensable for movies" has been completed.


Incidentally, butter popcorn which can enjoy the taste of the movie theater also at home is on sale. Editing staff are also lovingly using fascinating and sinful food that you can enjoy Atsuatsu butter popcorn just by choking in a microwave oven.

Amazon.co.jp: Orville Orville Movie Theater Butter Popcorn 93 g × 32 Bag Easy by Range Popcorn: Food / Beverages / Liquor Mail Order