Friday, April 28, 2006


musing #2: i am trailer trash...

This past Wednesday, I visited my local multi-multi-multi-plex theatre for the first time in ages. It was nice to see a movie on the big screen as opposed to my 20" T.V. for a change, but as I was ascending the dizzy-inducingly steep escalator to the second floor, the true nature of my excitement passed through my lips. I said, to my friend Theresa, "I can't wait for the previews!!"

Now, I know that there is an on-going debate as to whether or not the previews give too much away about any given film-- and often times they do--... But I don't care. A movie will rarely live up to its advertised expectations, yet I am so often entertained by previews that promise so much. I know that I don't want to see all of these movies, but the ads are extremely telling when it comes to "why?"

A comedy preview, for instance, will give away its best jokes. I have seen enough comedy trailers and enough comedy films to know when this is true. Thank you, comedy trailer editor, for saving me twelve dollars.

A sports film about an underdog team that rises above the obstacles placed before them might be charming, but I've seen it before. Thanks for trying, but I've been there and done that. I liked Remember the Titans, but preferred the two-minute abridged version.

My favorite trailors are for horror films. They offer chills that one can never expect to find in the movies themselves. How can it be that an ad is more frightening than the film it promotes? I am happy that I can still be frightened by cinematic technique: I am always up for a good horror flick... But what is the deal with previews that make me piss my pants, whereas the films leave me cold?

Another friend of mine, Liz, once said that no preview ever looks like it'll be a bad movie. I don't agree... I believe that a bad film might look better as advertised, but that the truth is being handed to you on a generous platter.

1 comment:

Andrew said...

I'm just making this up as I go along...but aren't horror movies frightening because of what they don't show?

I mean, if the zombies or the aliens or the whatever started out a film by frankly attacking the world, the suspense, and thus the horror, of the movie would be wrecked, non?

So, less is more for horror, maybe? The horror happens in your brain, when you know something horrible will probably happen, but you're not quite sure what.... The horror doesn't happen on the screen.

Hence 2 minutes of horror innuendo that leaves you with questions is more haunting than a 2-hour film that will answer them all and let the good guys win in the end.