You May Be A Cultural Omnivore If Love 'Trash' Movies

Do you often find yourself enjoying “trash” or “cheap” movies? It may be a sign that you have an above average education and interest in culture, a new study suggests. In a survey performed at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Germany, investigated why certain viewers actively seek and enjoy films which they themselves describe as cheap and trash. Typically, trash films are low budget films, which do not correspond to the mainstream standards and taste. However, with three sequels and a big fan community, a film like “Sharknado” is a perfect example for the success of trash films, researchers said. By means of an online survey among regular consumers of trash films, the researchers were able to show how the typical features of trash films support a positive enjoyment. The respondents, who mostly came from intellectual backgrounds, described “bad movies” as cheaply or poorly made films that feature embarrassing or disturbing content. Researchers claimed that one’s enjoyment of trashy cinema indicated “a positive, transgressive deviance from the cinematic mainstream.” Individuals choose such films solely for humor and entertainment, while others watch them so they can make fun of them, the report said. This was supported by the findings that participants who appreciated “trash” films were fans of the art cinema as well. The study also provided strong evidence that trash film fans are predominantly male – almost 90% of the participants indicated that they are men – and enthusiastic film buffs. To such viewers, trash films appear as an interesting and welcome deviation from the mainstream fare. We are dealing here with an audience with above average education, which one could describe as ‘cultural omnivores.’ Such viewers are interested in broad spectrum of art and media across the traditional boundaries of high and popular culture.