Sunday, January 08, 2006
(12:52 PM) | Adam Kotsko:
Movie Trailers
One often hears the complaint that a movie trailer "gives away the whole movie." I just watched a movie from the 80s, on a DVD that had the theatrical trailer, and let me tell you -- the "old model," insofar as it existed, was not preferable. The trailer was totally incoherent and random, giving a completely misleading portrayal of what the movie was even about on the most basic level. This is simply the exact opposite complaint of the present system, and it's not obvious that it's preferable to "go back" -- do we really want to be fooled into seeing a movie that's nothing like what we thought it would be?I'm going to argue that the present system is preferable in that it is more responsive to the current experience of movie watching. With the variety of movie watching technologies available today, it is likely that we will see a significant number of movies more than once. The primary advantage of seeing it in the theater is not that we will be surprised, but that we will be in a superior viewing environment, seeing it with a crowd. In the case of a comedy movie, the initial shock value of the humor is not an overriding concern -- people love to repeat the jokes to each other and to watch the movies again and again, laughing heartily each time. The only time that a joke becomes unfunny is when it is either of questionable humor value to begin with or when it is repeated to death -- TV commercials for movies (which don't seem as prevalent anymore) might do this, but no one sees theatrical trailers enough times to encounter this problem. In the same way, with horror or action movies, a well-done movie will continue to be either scary or cool, respectively, after repeated viewings -- as we know, a startling scene can still make people jump even when they know it's coming.
Arguably, this approach to movies is reflective of a more mature viewing public, as well. In the example of the Harry Potter phenomenon, we get an extreme example what is widely regarded as an "immature" approach to literature -- wanting to be surprised, savoring the surprise in itself. Much to be prefered is the enjoyment of art over time, living with the artwork (or entertainment product) rather than simply consuming it and tossing it aside. (This is, of course, what Harry Potter fans also do, allowing them to enjoy the best of both worlds.)
In conclusion, the present system of movie trailers that "give away the whole movie" is to be prefered because it is more honest and straightforward, more reflective of contemporary movie watching habits, and more compatible with a mature appreciation of artistic work through multiple viewings over time. Those who disagree with me should be lined up and shot.
