Spoilers don’t bother me much. I’ve spoiled movies and shows for people unintentionally, but it was still thoughtless. So I try harder to keep a mind to other’s enjoyment of the entertainment.
I agree the journey is more important than the destination (if all I want to know is “what happens” I can skip reading/watching the media and just read the WIkipedia summary), but I consider any twists to be part of the journey. A great pleasure in reading is seeing how the author chooses to dole out information and uses misdirection as part of the “journey”
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A great example is Ira Levin’s debut novel A Kiss Before Dying. The first two thirds are constricted brilliantly. The first third is from the point of view of a character planning a murder to look like a suicide. The second third is another character investigating the murder and being given the names of a few suspects. At that point, I realized the entire first third always used pronouns to describe the killer, but never used a name. Subtle hints scattered throughout the investigation cause the reader to ping pong between suspects. The reveal is brilliant as well, delivered in a seemingly innocuous line of dialog. Anyone peeking ahead without reading every step of the way would miss the significance. I concede the last third is quite anti-climactic, as the reader knows the killer’s identity and is just waiting for the other characters to figure it out.
Had I known the killer’s identity ahead of time, the second third would have been as lackluster as the last third, instead of one of the most devious and thrilling reading experiences I’ve had. I still enjoyed a re-read, but instead of enjoying the ride, I was admiring Levin’s craft and skill. Different experiences, both enjoyable, but with spoilers, I could have only experienced the second one.
Similarly, I think the film Get Out is two different movies depending on whether or not you know what is really going on. The first time I was seeing events from the main character’s point of view, and the interactions with other characters were obviously off, but primarily cringy. The second time through, previously cringy moments were much more sinister. I really appreciated the great screenplay that allowed multiple interpretations of a scene depending on how much knowledge of the situation the viewer has. Again, without spoilers, two different experiences - with spoilers, only one is possible.
I’m another person who doesn’t mind spoilers all that much. I don’t deliberately seek them out, but I also don’t go out of my way to avoid them, and I don’t get upset if I run across them.
I think at least part of my feeling derives from the notion that simply knowing the plot in advance can “spoil” a literary or cinematic experience for the viewer. There are any number of things to enjoy about a book apart from the plot–beautiful prose, witty and sparkling dialogue, sharp characterization, nuanced examination of some aspect of the human condition. Likewise with movies: sweeping cinematography, subtle and moving acting, exciting action sequences, gorgeous sets and costumes.
It seems to me very reductive to take the stance that the main thing worth considering in a work of narrative art is the plot, the simple A to B to C progression of events. There is (or should be) so much more to any worthwhile work than that. If this weren’t the case, then reading the plot summary of a great novel on wikipedia would be an equivalent experience to reading the novel itself. And no one believes that, except maybe a lazy kid who has a book report due tomorrow and didn’t do the reading.
True, but three things:
One: Spoilers can be about other things than what plot points happen. (Example: The reveal at the end of Citizen Kane that @Briny_Deep mentioned.)
Two: Some works don’t depend at all on spoilable twists or surprises for their effect; others do, to a greater or lesser degree. When we talk about avoiding spoilers, we’re not talking about all books/movies/shows, just a certain subset of them.
Three: I don’t think anybody on either side is saying that the spoilable pleasure of surprises and twists is the only thing to enjoy about a book or movie, just that it is one of the things they enjoy. So if they have these spoiled for them, they are denied this particular pleasure, even if they still have others.
That’s a pretty major plot point.
No, they don’t. Murder mysteries have a different benchmark to spoilage than an action flick. But it does seem like more and more media is relying on spoilers, and people are becoming more serious about avoiding them.
There have been those who say that a piece of media is ruined for them because they found out a spoiler ahead of time. Those are outliers, but even the more “moderates” say that their enjoyment is diminished by them.
As I said, I respect that, and I wouldn’t ruin someone else’s enjoyment or tell them how to enjoy it. But for my enjoyment, and that of a few others (I assume we are a minority), spoilers don’t bother and often enhance our enjoyment.
I had never heard of this, but after reading your post I searched it up on YouTube and watched it (There are about half a dozen amateur productions posted there, and I skimmed them until I found one that was at least tolerable) …and that change in direction, I will call it, was delightful. I’m glad you gave that example.
I have never seen a spoiler that enhanced a film in any way and do not understand that mindset.
No, usually a film isn’t “ruined” completely by a spoiler, but it could have been better without knowing it.
Well, but see this thread’s OP and the first response. Some people (claim to) be better able to understand and appreciate a film if they know ahead of time what’s coming. I can sort of understand that mindset, but I agree with @kayaker that that’s what a rewatch is for. The first watch, without knowing any spoilers, and the subsequent watch(es) are different experiences, and I am open to the possibility that the rewatch could be a better experience than the first. But, by avoiding spoilers before that first watch, you get to have both experiences.
My only caveat is that you know everything that happened after a rewatch, not just the spoiler. That’s a different experience. Personally, I find I only tend to enjoy rewatches after it’s been a while and I’ve forgotten part of it. I’ll remember a big twist, but not a lot of the smaller things. But, still the experience is different, since I then remember it as I see it.
That said, I think it’s generally worth it to have the spoiler-free experience first, even if that means I miss out on the partially spoiled experience. There’s just not as significant a difference between that and the above.
Could you give a link? I’d love to rewatch a good production.
Spoilers are like sex. Someone maybe open to it or not. The important thing is that you ask permission before whipping it out. And if someone declines, respect their preferences.
Before you click the link, let me very clear: I literally watched bits and pieces of six or seven versions, and this is the best of a bad lot…and it’s not great. The real problem with any that I saw was that the sound was sourced from the video cameras, and it can be echoey or muddy in places.
Still, I mostly enjoyed the acting.
ETA I couldn’t embed the link directly, but the edited version below should be enough information.
www.youtu.be/2FONFHaYSVY
…my position on spoilers:
Firstly: it’s not about me. Its important to respect that everyone has a different approach to spoilers, and that its better to be safe than sorry.
Secondly: for me, its depends on the movie or the show. There are certain things that I don’t enjoy watching. If they are going to fridge a character then I want to know about it because that sort of thing just annoys me greatly. Its a bit like (warning, link contains spoilers) does the dog die. There are certain things I just don’t want to see any more, so I make sure I don’t.
But in other cases, I don’t want to know. For example I just finished watching the show From I kept off the internet until I could watch the finale. I didn’t want to spoil the experience. And it is a show that had earned my trust.
I’m one who hates spoilers. The author built the story in a deliberate way and that’s how I want to experience it. Otherwise, just read the Cliff Notes version (are they even still a thing?). As has been said many times already, it’s the journey.
I’m probably an extreme example, but I can’t even read threads here about ongoing shows where people chime in with ideas about what’s going to happen. Often they’re correct, and it has spoiled it for me. If you think you know what’s going to happen, then just keep it to yourself. It’s still a spoiler even if it was a good guess!
Knowing a spoiler ahead of time, to me, is like being given a puzzle to solve with the answer already filled in.
Thanks for the recommendation! It’s now on my list.
Every plot twist imaginable has been filmed and re-filmed, see tvtropes or similar web sites. No “twist” can possibly be even remotely shocking to a person who has consumed a moderate amount of media. Spoilers therefore don’t spoil anything. As the OP said if the media is good it will stand, spoilers or no.
I try to avoid them, but really, I don’t mind so much anymore. Because at my age I usually forget what the spoiler is by the time I get around to watching the show.
One of the few perks to getting old I guess.
A few years ago there were widely-publicized claims of scientific proof that spoilers are better, although the methodology of the study has since been called into question.
But I am a spoiler-seeker, myself, so it lined up nicely with my mindset. I skip to the end of books, and read spoilerific reviews. I do not like surprises. At all.
I used to be of the mind that the only things that should be spoiled are grandkids.
But as I’ve gotten older, like @Grrr and @MrDibble, I’ve found that I don’t really care for the most part.
For example, I am two episodes away from completing Ted Lasso. Yesterday I was reading the season 3 Ted thread, reached the part of the thread where I am currently at in the series, and then continued beyond that point without a thought of being spoilt.
mmm
Strangely enough, I don’t care much about spoilers but I have no interest in reading threads about ongoing shows I’m watching; I would prefer to read or add comments once I’m finished with the season.
Growing up, if I was watching a mystery show with my mom, she would say “I bet he’s the murderer” every five minutes and it would drive me nuts. Likewise, I’m irritated if I can overhear someone else’s comments in a movie theatre in the middle of the movie. II have no interest in seeing someone try to show off how clever they are by guessing the ending. That’s basically how I feel when I see people speculating about a series that I’m watching.