Do movie trailers now reveal too much?

[stuartboy]

Thought I'd canvass opinion having just found this:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16972394#

(Warning the article does contain some spoilers).


Do we think that trailers now give away too much of the plot and surprises? Do we need a good trailer to tempt/persuade us to go and see a movie? How often have you been to see a movie solely on the strength of its trailer? Or having seen a trailer do we feel that we have actually seen the whole movie albeit severely edited?

[filmcat]

I am glad I didn't see the trailer to CITW as it would have given too much away.

Some of these trailers can jazz/hype up a dumb film too much (like Battleship James King critic gave it 2/5) or give away the best bits (punch lines) so you feel you've already seen a great portion of the film already. (spoils it sometimes when you see the film)

I am less inclined these days to view a film trailer unless It appears in a tv or cinema ad break.

Saying that a cinema trailer can help you keep ahead of what is upcoming.

[weirdfilms33]

Well done on bringing this up, stuartboy, it's a topic well overdue on this forum. I do think that a certain majority of trailers do tend to show too much, whether it's plot twists like Cabin in the Woods and Terminator: Salvation (not that anyone enjoyed that film) or giving away all the best jokes in comedy trailers. I don't really have a convincing argument up my sleeve why film distributors do this (I'm waiting for glassy to come and write an epic mini-essay on this matter) but when I watch old trailers they seem to give away a lot too. I had a rather threatening laugh-fest at the 1980 trailer of the god-awful The Blue Lagoon a couple of weeks back, where the entire plot of two children growing up on an island and (unrealistically) discovering sex is distributed at the hands of a creepy narrator. I guess one of the main factors today, however, is the utter predictability of trailers. The flash of something important accompanied by a brief crescendo in the soundtrack, a glimpse of two random people making out, an explosion... you can all visualise it before it even happens. That's why I tend not to watch them unless I'm forced to, i.e. in a cinema.

Probably my favourite trailer of all time is the original teaser for Psycho. It's around six minutes long, with an ironically cheery soundtrack, and features Alfred Hitchcock himself touring the set of the Bates Motel, beginning with the line, 'Good afternoon. Here we have a quiet little motel.' He goes into the creepy house himself and hints at the significance of each room and set-piece, but never gives away too much. Although it ends on a frightening note, you would never have really guessed what the film was going to be like if you were oblivious to everything else. He always made films about murderers, but Psycho of course was sort of a landmark. That's what I love about Mr. Hitchcock - he never gave away too much to his hapless audience, he would slowly reel them in and then shock them as much as possible. It is sad that you never seen any of that today, with the formulaic style of most trailers, though I suppose people weren't expecting Psycho to be quite so shocking tonally. The trailer can be found here, anyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps8H3rg5GfM

[McG]

I do like seeing trailers sometimes but a number of trailers either over sell a movie by showing ALL the best bits or reveal too much of the story. I do think it's a delicate balance so do generally avoid trailers. . . . going to all the free previews with no trailers makes this easier!

[stuartboy]

Well done on bringing this up, stuartboy, it's a topic well overdue on this forum. I do think that a certain majority of trailers do tend to show too much, whether it's plot twists like Cabin in the Woods and Terminator: Salvation (not that anyone enjoyed that film) or giving away all the best jokes in comedy trailers. I don't really have a convincing argument up my sleeve why film distributors do this (I'm waiting for glassy to come and write an epic mini-essay on this matter) but when I watch old trailers they seem to give away a lot too. I had a rather threatening laugh-fest at the 1980 trailer of the god-awful The Blue Lagoon a couple of weeks back, where the entire plot of two children growing up on an island and (unrealistically) discovering sex is distributed at the hands of a creepy narrator. I guess one of the main factors today, however, is the utter predictability of trailers. The flash of something important accompanied by a brief crescendo in the soundtrack, a glimpse of two random people making out, an explosion... you can all visualise it before it even happens. That's why I tend not to watch them unless I'm forced to, i.e. in a cinema.

Probably my favourite trailer of all time is the original teaser for Psycho. It's around six minutes long, with an ironically cheery soundtrack, and features Alfred Hitchcock himself touring the set of the Bates Motel, beginning with the line, 'Good afternoon. Here we have a quiet little motel.' He goes into the creepy house himself and hints at the significance of each room and set-piece, but never gives away too much. Although it ends on a frightening note, you would never have really guessed what the film was going to be like if you were oblivious to everything else. He always made films about murderers, but Psycho of course was sort of a landmark. That's what I love about Mr. Hitchcock - he never gave away too much to his hapless audience, he would slowly reel them in and then shock them as much as possible. It is sad that you never seen any of that today, with the formulaic style of most trailers, though I suppose people weren't expecting Psycho to be quite so shocking tonally. The trailer can be found here, anyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps8H3rg5GfM

Wow. What a perfect trailer you found, Weirdy. Mind you I'd have expected nothing less from a master like Hitchcock. Also very reminicent of his introductions to his TV show Alfred Hitchcock Presents... which was very like Twilight Zone or Tales of the Unexpected (neither of which you'll remember either! lol).
I had the pleasure of visiting the Bates Motel once while in USA. Is one of the few movie sets which looks exactly like it did in the movie.

[weirdfilms33]

Well done on bringing this up, stuartboy, it's a topic well overdue on this forum. I do think that a certain majority of trailers do tend to show too much, whether it's plot twists like Cabin in the Woods and Terminator: Salvation (not that anyone enjoyed that film) or giving away all the best jokes in comedy trailers. I don't really have a convincing argument up my sleeve why film distributors do this (I'm waiting for glassy to come and write an epic mini-essay on this matter) but when I watch old trailers they seem to give away a lot too. I had a rather threatening laugh-fest at the 1980 trailer of the god-awful The Blue Lagoon a couple of weeks back, where the entire plot of two children growing up on an island and (unrealistically) discovering sex is distributed at the hands of a creepy narrator. I guess one of the main factors today, however, is the utter predictability of trailers. The flash of something important accompanied by a brief crescendo in the soundtrack, a glimpse of two random people making out, an explosion... you can all visualise it before it even happens. That's why I tend not to watch them unless I'm forced to, i.e. in a cinema.

Probably my favourite trailer of all time is the original teaser for Psycho. It's around six minutes long, with an ironically cheery soundtrack, and features Alfred Hitchcock himself touring the set of the Bates Motel, beginning with the line, 'Good afternoon. Here we have a quiet little motel.' He goes into the creepy house himself and hints at the significance of each room and set-piece, but never gives away too much. Although it ends on a frightening note, you would never have really guessed what the film was going to be like if you were oblivious to everything else. He always made films about murderers, but Psycho of course was sort of a landmark. That's what I love about Mr. Hitchcock - he never gave away too much to his hapless audience, he would slowly reel them in and then shock them as much as possible. It is sad that you never seen any of that today, with the formulaic style of most trailers, though I suppose people weren't expecting Psycho to be quite so shocking tonally. The trailer can be found here, anyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps8H3rg5GfM

Wow. What a perfect trailer you found, Weirdy. Mind you I'd have expected nothing less from a master like Hitchcock. Also very reminicent of his introductions to his TV show Alfred Hitchcock Presents... which was very like Twilight Zone or Tales of the Unexpected (neither of which you'll remember either! lol).
I had the pleasure of visiting the Bates Motel once while in USA. Is one of the few movie sets which looks exactly like it did in the movie.

:O I'm going there in June! You've made me extra excited!

[stuartboy]

Boosting this to try and get some more opinion....

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Boosting this to try and get some more opinion....

I think the votes have spoken

Yes of course trailers give away too much. But its a double edged sword and it takes an artist to cut a great trailer without giving too much away. Shyamalan early films were very good examples. Trailers serve to grab a big an audience as possible. Film enthusiasts such as us who decide on seeing a film based on knowledge of the films crew members and background credentials are a minority, we must remember that. Trailers are cut for the millions of other casual film goers, to attract them to choose their movie above others because most people are going to make a choice, not see all the films that are released. So some of the best scenes have to make it in the trailer cut to attract them. A double edged sword because often the scenes WILL give away some midway plot turns.

So while I voted YES that trailers give away too much. I do sympathise with them. Of a great artist can cut a great trailer without spoilers but not everyone is a great artist and its unfair to condemn the less talented trailer artists, they are simply doing their job to attract more seats.

[stuartboy]

Boosting this to try and get some more opinion....

I think the votes have spoken

I just thought 23 votes out of 1600 was a pretty poor representation...unless everyone is agreeing with you and remaining equivocal.

I agree with MrGlass but purely on deciding where I might spend my money (were I not so priveledged as to be part of here) I'd prefer not to p*y for something I'd already effectively seen in trailer form. Trailer should be a teaser but not a total give away (Titanic excepted, of course - it was the butler!).

[anakin]

I haven't voted because, for me, it depends on the trailer..