Poppers isn’t what you think. Or, at least, it isn’t what I thought, when I noticed the movie on Night Flight’s homepage recently. I figured it would be an Italo disco-fueled sex romp trimmed in leather. The film’s opening scene, where a chiseled, dark-eyed hunk lathers himself in the shower, gave false confirmation of my suspicions. All too quickly, the scene, and the tone shifted. That would happen multiple times in the first handful of minutes into the film, until it becomes clear that what we actually have here is a Spanish new wave revenge romp clad in leather, but with no actual poppers in sight. To be honest, the title still leaves me scratching my head. Do poppers mean something else in 1980s Spain? No sé.
Released in 1984, Poppers, from what I read, languished in obscurity until relatively recently. Last year, the film was released in the U.S. as part of Severin’s box set Exorcismo: Defying a Dictator & Raising Hell in Post-Franco Spain and it’s now streaming on multiple platforms. If you’re into post-punk cinema oddities- think Liquid Sky, Decoder or Der Fan– you should check out Poppers. It’s more a thriller than a horror film, albeit one with some nods to giallo.
Santos, the hottie in the shower at the start of the film, fronts a new wave band. While in the midst of performing— the song has a vibe similar to The Cure’s “10:15 Saturday Night,” btw— he spies on a guy hitting on his girl. Turns out our new wave boy is the jealous type, so much so that he kills the dude in question.
Flash forward two years and Santos has been released early from prison and is ready to start a new life. A lot has changed, though. The kids at the club are goth af, pogo dancing to a beat reminiscent of the D.A.F. song “Der Mussolini.” Then a woman struts into the function as if she’s OG supermodel Gia Carangi straight off the pages of Vogue. She and Santos lock eyes and his life is now on a completely different path. And, since this is 1980s European cinema, you can be certain that it’s a path filled with gratuitous sex, a good amount of violence and some class-conscious social commentary.
Like I said, this is a revenge story. Without giving too much away, I’ll say that it’s a story about the cycle of revenge. Remember how Santos did time for killing another dude? Well, it turns out the victim had a really rich, depraved father with equally sleazy-yet-important friends and they are ready to get back at Santos. A plot twist, though, will send Santos on his own vengeance journey.
Aesthetically, Poppers is an interesting mix of 1980s styles. The movie certainly draws from late 1970s/early 1980s thrillers, particularly Eyes of Laura Mars and Dressed to Kill, in that it has a very posh, urban noir look. But, this is also a Spanish film and there are nods to La Movida Madrileña, the punk/new wave movement that happened in the country after Franco’s death, in it. The end result is this aesthetic that’s a hybrid of sleek, ‘80s interior design, subverted Catholic imagery and music/nightlife subcultures.
The music kicks Poppers up another level. Santos’ band, who I think is not named in the film, is sonically in line with Spanish groups of the era, like Alaska y los Pegamoides or Hombres G. In the film’s score, you can hear the influence of what would have been contemporary club music of that time. There are fleeting moments when the film’s music sounds almost, but not quite, like Pet Shop Boys or Alexander Robotnick or Yello.
I don’t know why or how Poppers ended up in the land of nearly-forgotten films. It’s a good movie with a fantastic look and sound that’s both of its time and a little cooler-than-average for the era. Thankfully, though, it’s quite accessible now, so give Poppers a watch when you can.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Follow on Instagram or sign up for the weekly, Beatique newsletter for updates on new stories and gigs.
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