Popcorn

Author: Ben Elton
Publisher: Pocket Books
Classification: Black Comedy, Satire, Thriller

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Popcorn by Ben Elton was first published in 1996. This is important because this book is a satire of what was going on in film and the media at that time. And although this has relevance now (in 2010) it may well not stand the test of time.

This was a period of time when some very graphic films were being released that focused on murder and violence. Films such as Natural Born Killers, Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs. These were hugely popular and gained cult status very quickly. And of course became controversial as they were seen by some to glorify murder, violence and gun related things in general.

My personal opinion is that’s utter rubbish. They’re good movies that are often very funny and if you think that kind of movie creates murderers then you’re an idiot.

Popcorn is focused on the life of Bruce Delamitri. A film director who makes the kind of films I mentioned above. He’s constantly under pressure as being responsible for the downfall of the world and it’s morals in general. While all the time people flock to his movies which in tern contributed to his winning an Oscar.

But this book is also about Wayne and Scout. A white trash couple who have gained some fame under their media name of The Mall Murderers.

Even now you can see roughly how this is going to go down. And you’d be right. But it’s not this inevitable meeting that’s interesting about Popcorn. It’s the satire of people’s obsession with media, gore and celebrity that makes this book worth reading.

And the fact that no one anywhere takes any responsibility for anything they do. Which is an issue that is not only relevant today, but has in fact got worse. Everyone has rights but no one has to take responsibility for those rights, which is — I’m sure you can guess — a personal bugbear of mine.

In terms of a good read it undoubtedly is. But it’s almost exclusive focus on how the media demonizes Bruce, through most of it, did make Popcorn a little one dimensional through a good portion of the 298 pages… But there are some very good lines in there that are wittily written.

Such as the fantastic line about why Bruce and his estranged wife had to part. To me it really painted a picture that is also an underlying current in the book…

Basically, the marriage eventually failed because she was genuine street pretending to be boulevard, and he was genuine boulevard pretending to be street. They ended up loathing the sight of each other

There are many other good lines in this book but this one had me bookmarking the page so I would be able to find it for the review.

Interested in hearing your views not just on the book, but on how relevant it is in today’s society…

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