P1: TIX/XYZ JWST145-c05
P2: ABC JWST145-Young
90
January 6, 2012
0:30
Printer Name: Yet to Come
Psychology at the Movies
Only two films made all three lists: The Godfather and Star Wars. Their universal appeal appears rare in a diverse, postmodern society. Made in the 1970s within five years of each other, they represent different poles of the New Hollywood that emerged after the Golden Age. Though technically studio films, both were created by individuals with a strong personal vision who were intentionally manipulating the rules. The Godfather is a serious artistic statement while Star Wars is a valentine to the wonders of imaginative filmmaking, yet both films have strong connections to film history and were hugely popular. Respectively, they set the standards for dramatic independent filmmaking and high concept fantasy that still resonate with audiences today. None of the lists in Appendix B were constructed using scientific methods.28 In order to take more focused look at audience preference patterns, social scientists use surveys that access a representative sample of the population. One study surveyed over a thousand people about their preferences for movie monsters (or villains).29 Horror movies have been a robust genre throughout movie history, and the monsters are what appeal to the public imagination. Dracula and other vampires proved to be the most popular, for a variety of reasons including their agelessness, their intelligence, their supernatural strength and even their fashion sense and sex appeal.30 Other favorites included Godzilla, Freddy Krueger, Frankenstein, Chucky, Michael Myers, King Kong, and Hannibal Lecter. The reasons these monsters were popular echoed the popularity of vampires: intelligence, superhuman powers, and the ability to reveal the dark side of human nature. When it came to monster preference, there were marked differences between the generations. The “slashers” (i.e., homicidal humans) of Halloween, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street series were popular with younger respondents (under 25 years of age) but not appreciated by older respondents (over 50). In part, this seemed due to an exposure effect (motion picture homicidal killers have been more frequent in recent decades). There were also differences in the rationale behind the preferences. The fans of Jason, Michael and Freddy tended to focus more of their admiration on negative and pathological qualities (“pure evil,” and “serious psychological problems”) and killing proficiency. Preferring monsters for the degree of their murderousness may have disturbing moral implications, but it could also reflect an honest ability to appreciate qualities that lie at the very core of being an effective monster. Other research has focused on the preferences of subgroups of movie viewers. For example, sensation-seeking is a personality characteristic that refers to seeking out novel and risky experiences that provide sensory stimulation (fast driving, gambling, skydiving). Individuals who measure