Research Memo Three

Research Memo 3:
There is so many terrifying things out there. The reasons why we’re afraid of these things though are mainly because of horror movies. These films have changed so much throughout the years. For my research memo three not only did I watch different horror movies, I also watched a documentary. This documentary was called Nightmares In Red White And Blue: The Evolution Of The American Horror.
 In this documentary they try to understand why we love these movies. Mick Garris, John Carpenter, Darren Lynn Bousman, and many more legendary horror directors are interviewed.  They tell the story of how and why they did this movie. They get asked about other movies as well. This movie talks about the different sub genres of horror movies. It goes into details about movies from the 1920’s to 2007. In the 1920’s, more than half of the directors were immigrants from Europe. They brought different stories and myths. It was quickly turning into a certain type of horror movie; the gothic tradition. The gothic tradition was very dark, and mysterious. These types of movies lasted form the 1940’s to the 1960. In the 1970’s things became more sexual and violent. Many of the horror movies around the time of 1970 to 1990’s involved a lot of sex, and blood. This when the Jason movies came out. Friday the 13th movies were based on religion some.  The teenagers that would die were involved in weed, drinking, and pre-marriage sex, and the ones who survived didn't get into that stuff. Every movie around these years were based upon that until The Exorcist. This was the first time where they saw something evil. This was he first time where they used evil in oneself. In this documentary, I believe it was John Carpenter who said this, but there are two kinds of horror movies. One where the evil is in monster, and creatures that don't look like us and where the evil is within us.

Research memo one


Hypothesis:  Horror movies are some of the most seen movies genre out in the media. It is violent and bloody but its gruesome scenery entertains us. We pay to go see a nightmare.  Why would we pay for that? For most is to show that they aren’t afraid, that they can handle this brutality, or because we like to feel scared? Questions like these are what make me wonder. Teenagers go see horror movies more than other groups of people. My hypothesis is that teenagers get a negative way of thinking because of these horror movies.
Context: In my research, I decided to use teenagers as my audience because they are currently still growing up and if we watch too much of this, it may affect the way we look at things. My age limit is 15 to 17. I decided to design a survey taking in the students at Early College High School.
Result:
Question one:
Yes: Females:
 14 - 17
Yes: Males:
14 - 17
No: Females:
14 -1 7
No: Males:
14 – 17
A little: Females: 14- 17
A little: Males:
14- 17
Do you like horror movies?
5
3
0
1
1
0








More afraid of:
Females
Males
Question 2
 Slasher?
2
4

Zombies
2
3

Torture
3
5

Monster
2
3

Vampire
0
3

paranormal
2
3

None of the above
2
0


Question 3.
Females: yes
Females: no
Males: yes
Males: no
Are some of the fears you have now because of horrors movies?
6
3
2
4

What I Want to Learn.

What types of horror movies effect the way teens think more? Do most of the fears teen have now are because of these movies? Do horror movie effect our mind in a negative way?

The story behind my topic


Zombies, vampires, werewolves, demons, and ghosts all have something in common; they are all in horror films. Horror movies affect all of us in different ways, but my research will be specifically on teenagers. Many of the fears I have today is mainly because of horror films I have watched, which made me think am I the only one who was effected like this? These movies seem to impact all of us in a way. What i want to know is, does it give us a negative way of thinking or a positive way of thinking?