An AP story from the APA highlights research by UC Davis professor of psychology Dean Simonton on the elements of a critically acclaimed film.
Films that earn awards and praise from reviewers tend to be R-rated and based on a true story or a prize-winning play or novel, says professor Dean Simonton. The original author or the director usually have written the screenplay.Big-budget blockbusters - whether they're comedies, musical, sequels or remakes - don't ordinarily draw acclaim, Simonton found. Neither do summer releases, PG-13 movies, movies that open on thousands of screens or ones that have enormous box office numbers in their first weekend.
"I had this hope that there was a difference between blockbusters and really great art films - films that can be considered great cinematic creations," said Simonton, who presented his findings Friday at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Francisco. "It was gratifying to find out they're very, very different and you can find out what's different about them."
Not sure what this has to do with either type of psychology (cognitive or behavioural), but it's nice to know. He doesn't mention soundtracks, though. The Simpsons Movie has everything going against it according to these findings, but that earworm Spiderpig song [funny video!] really ought to reap an Oscar.
Read more.
Via The Neurocritic.
