Pop Culture Hauntings
Benjamin Radford, who thoroughly enjoys poking holes in "mysterious" things, has another column up over at LiveScience that discusses how pop culture media influences the public's beliefs in "supernatural" phenomena. The occasion is the 25th anniversary of the movie Poltergeist.
About half of Americans believe in ghosts, according to a 2003 Harris poll. Since the scientific evidence for ghosts is shaky at best—and since relatively few people claim to have personally seen a ghost—most people get their information about them through the media.
Steven Spielberg, who wrote and produced "Poltergeist," is well known for his influence on pop culture in general. But his films have also shaped the public's perception of the paranormal. His successful films often include supernatural themes, including ghosts, aliens (e.g., "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," and "War of the Worlds"); miracles (the Indiana Jones series); and psychic powers ("Minority Report").
While audiences know the films are entertainment, there is a clear (if subtle and sometimes subconscious) influence on their beliefs about these topics.
Many horror films (including "The Amityville Horror" and "The Exorcist," to name two blockbusters), claim to have been based on a true story or real events. There is of course much creative license taken, and when those "true stories" are investigated, they turn out to be hoaxes or heavily embellished accounts of non-supernatural events. Entertainment depictions of ghosts and demons not only encourage the public's belief, but also inspire other stories. The Amityville story didn't appear in a vacuum; the "true" (actually fictional) account borrowed story elements from (and capitalized on the pop culture interest in) "The Exorcist," which came out several years earlier.
Well, we here at Blue Crab Boulevard have learned a valuable lesson from Mr. Radford's work. Since movies featuring the supernatural made Spielberg gobs of money, why couldn't the Crabitat do the same thing? Here's the trailer for our new movie - in theaters soon! - The Amityville Exorgeist.
By BubbaB, Thursday, 4 October , 2007 @ 11:18 am
Wrong. So wrong.
By feeblemind, Thursday, 4 October , 2007 @ 12:44 pm
Halloween has come early to the Crabitat. After clicking on the pic(blood curdling scream) I will now have to change my shorts and grab the nitro pills for my heart.
By Gaius, Thursday, 4 October , 2007 @ 12:46 pm
We try..