Media Critic Has Fun with SPOILERS Study

As far as FishbowlLA is concerned, there can never be too many clever references to the granddaddy of all cinematic achievements, Citizen Kane. A film critic friend of ours in San Francisco, Pam Grady, recently launched a blog called Cinezine Kane. Then there’s this laugh-out-loud lede capper from Salon.com staff writer Mary Elizabeth Williams:

Call off your dogs, spoiler police. A new study from the University of California at San Diego suggests that knowing the outcome of a story doesn’t ruin it–in fact, it increases its pleasures. Rosebud is a sled, bitches!

In fairness, the UCSD study did not involve a roomful of fanboys and the script for next year’s final Warner Bros. Batman installment. Rather, it sourced high-falutin’ short stories from the likes of John Updike, Roald Dahl, Anton Chekhov, Agatha Christie, and Raymond Carver.

We’re not too sure about this study. Years ago, in an indoor mall, we watched as a youthful prankster coming out of Kramer vs. Kramer yelled out to the long line of moviegoers waiting for the next showing: “The father gets the kid! The father gets the kid!” We can assure you, no one in that group seemed to think their imminent viewing experience had just been enhanced.

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