# No more complaining about MODERN trailers (Some Spoilers of Old Movies) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909 "2004-11-27T20:16:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/1 "2004-11-27T20:16:45Z")
Just got “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” on DVD and watched the theatrical trailer. I remember Ebert complaining about how because modern movies spend so much money they are desperate to get a lot of it into the advertisements. Well I’m not sure how that explains this trailer-some of the war shots OK. But: It shows the Bad getting caught&interrogated by the Ugly. Shows Bad’s escape. Shows Good catching Bad unawares as he digs at grave. Shows Ugly then catch Good anawares same place. Then shows all three in the classic three way duel shot (including the eye closeups). It shows the Good gets a shot off. So we basically have a three minute trailer whose last minute is a sum up of the last ten minutes of the movie. I was thinking of putting this in the Pit but I had no intention of having to put “kinda weak/lame” next to the title. 🙂 So instead I’ll ask if anyone’s DVD library shows the earliest example of a trailer completely wrecking the movie… ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/2 "2004-11-27T21:20:24Z")
Modern trailers will continue to suck until Robert Zemeckis apologizes for what he did to Castaway. I lost all respect for the man after he said audiences want to have the ending ruined for them. MOTHER FUCKING :wally ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/3 "2004-11-27T21:22:35Z")
Well, I’m no super movie buff, but I have watched a couple of old favorites over the last month, and for kicks watched the trailers as well. The two specific trailers I recall were **Red Dawn** and **Conan the Barbarian**. And you’re absolutely right - old school trailers are horrible. They divulge massive plot points, have little thematic consistency, and are generally pretty sloppily assembled. I guess that was ‘just the way things were’ back in my childhood and I took it for granted that the movie would be better than the trailer. Of course, there were very few movies that involved guns, swords, explosions, pirates, aliens or monsters that I wasn’t absolutely enthralled with, up until I must’ve been about 16. - What is best in life, Conan? To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.\* I’ll take that over **Terms of Endearment** anyday. ---
**Author:** ![Gamaliel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b487fb/32.png) [@Gamaliel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gamaliel)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/4 "2004-11-27T22:38:28Z")
The trailer for _Some Like It Hot_ advertises Marylin Monroe and “her bosom companions”. Trailers are improving, it’s movies that are getting worse. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/5 "2004-11-27T22:43:49Z")
Trailers have gotten sufficiently significant that a new genre of amateur film has emerged: the mock trailer. My personal favourite, and one of the coolest short films of all time, is [_Grayson_](http://www.theforce.net/theater/nonsw/grayson/index.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/6 "2004-11-27T23:15:27Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I was thinking of putting this in the Pit but I had no intention of having to put “kinda weak/lame” next to the title. 🙂 So instead I’ll ask if anyone’s DVD library shows the earliest example of a trailer completely wrecking the movie… Can’t think of any trailers off the top of my head but I recently read an OP on the SDMB that completely spoiled “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.” ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/7 "2004-11-28T01:14:43Z")
A friend of mine got **The Graduate** on DVD, and for fun we watched the trailer included on the disc. It was a good thing I’d already seen the movie, because if I hadn’t the trailer would have ruined it for me. It gave away not only the ending, but every major plot point _and_ all the memorable lines along the way – from “Plastics” to “Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me” to “ELAINE!” It was like a Cliff’s Notes version of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![MidnightRadio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@MidnightRadio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MidnightRadio)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/8 "2004-11-28T09:09:26Z")
The trailer for _Psycho_ practically gave away the first twist in the story. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/9 "2004-11-28T10:55:38Z")
> [@MidnightRadio](#): > > The trailer for _Psycho_ practically gave away the first twist in the story. In retrospect, maybe, but the twist in Psycho had nothing to do with Marion Crane being murdered. The twist was that Janet Leigh, the star of the film, would be killed off a third of the way through. It was a creepy movie and you expected her to get menaced, but you also expected her to get away - because _she was the star_. Stars just didn’t get killed off early in those days. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/10 "2004-11-28T14:48:44Z")
> [@](#): > > I remember Ebert complaining about how because modern movies spend so much money they are desperate to get a lot of it into the advertisements. I’m not surprised that Ebert got things wrong and thinks that this is a “modern” phenomenon… he ususally gets his facts screwed up, and always has. > [@](#): > > The trailer for Psycho practically gave away the first twist in the story. I hope you’re talking about the Hitchcock version, and the delightful trailer where he gives you a tour of the motel and house? It’s wonderful, and yes, he gives away almost everything _if you’ve seen the movie._ But if you haven’t seen the movie, it’s very cryptic. Examples: he goes into the bathroom and says, “it’ all cleaned up now, you should have seen the blood.” In the room behind the office, he points to the picture on the wall and says, “This picture has great significance.” If you haven’t seen the movie, you’d never guess the “great significance” is there’s a peephole behind it. It’s a trailer that is enormous fun after you’ve seen the movie, because it “gives away” almost everything without really giving away anything. Plus (spoiler if you haven’t seen the trailer) Janet Leigh screaming at the end makes you jump outta your skin. ---
**Author:** ![carterba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85e7bf/32.png) [@carterba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carterba)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/11 "2004-11-28T15:56:49Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Just got “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” on DVD and watched the theatrical trailer. It does leave one thing unspoilered. You have to watch the movie to find out thatEli Wallach is the Ugly, not the Bad, and Lee Van Cleef is the Bad, not the Ugly.It’s all in the misdirection, see… yeah, that’s the ticket… ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/12 "2004-11-28T16:01:56Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > It’s a trailer that is enormous fun after you’ve seen the movie, because it “gives away” almost everything without really giving away anything. I particularly like his description-that-isn’t-really-a-description of what happens to the guy that falls down the stairs. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/13 "2004-11-28T20:46:12Z")
> [@](#): > > _Justin\_Bailey:_ > Modern trailers will continue to suck until Robert Zemeckis apologizes for what he did to Castaway. So I guess you missed the umm, title of the thread. 🙂 Your nemesis Zemeckis is merely following his movie trailer upbringing. Thanks all for bringing up the _Psycho_ trailer, sounds like a must see. Trailers are rarely clever like that. Yeah **C K Dexter Haven** , Ebert’s always talking out of his butt, and getting more emotional and delirious as he ages. ps- **Bryan** , unfortunately having quicktime plug-in probs- soundtrack sounds OK. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/14 "2004-11-28T20:54:22Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Modern trailers will continue to suck until Robert Zemeckis apologizes for what he did to Castaway. > > I lost all respect for the man after he said audiences want to have the ending ruined for them. Why blame Zemekis? Everyone in Hollywood says the same thing. The idea is that if people want to know what the movie is about, twists and all, if they’re going to put down their money. Take a look at the trailer of “What Lies Beneath,” for instance. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/15 "2004-11-28T21:53:56Z")
> [@](#): > > _carterba :_ > It’s all in the misdirection, see… yeah, that’s the ticket… Maybe I’m goofy, but as I watched it and see the meanest guy called “the Ugly” my first thought was the Ugly=most disgusting spirit. heh. BTW, the whole movie is on one disc, a new&smoother way to watch for me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/16 "2004-11-28T22:06:46Z")
Also, I’m a little slow. I assume this was a snide comment actually directed at me: Otto: > [@](#): > > Can’t think of any trailers off the top of my head but I recently read an OP on the SDMB that completely spoiled “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.” I guess you sometimes forget that 40yr old movies can be spoiled. Sorry bout that. I’ll request a thread title change as the point of the thread is spoiler related. If a mod see this post before my email can they please tack on the end: Warning-Multiple random unboxed spoilers ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/17 "2004-11-28T22:29:15Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Take a look at the trailer of “What Lies Beneath,” for instance. Also Robert Zemeckis. I blame him because he has more control than your average fresh out of film school jockey and then he goes out of his way to spoil it. Think about Castaway. There are 100s of shots that could have been used for a trailer before he leaves the island. But no, that’s not even considered. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/18 "2004-11-28T22:35:15Z")
Last Sunday, TCM aired 6 trailers and a promo film belonging to lost films of the teens and twenties. In one of these, Ernst Lubitsch’s _The Patriot_, it is quite obvious that the film ends with Czar Paul getting cut down by his palace guard Evidently, film trailers have been spoiling films since the beginning of time. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/19 "2004-11-28T22:46:40Z")
> [@Governor Quinn](#): > > Last Sunday, TCM aired 6 trailers and a promo film belonging to lost films of the teens and twenties. > > In one of these, Ernst Lubitsch’s _The Patriot_, it is quite obvious that the film ends with Czar Paul getting cut down by his palace guard Yes, and at the end of The Passion of the Christ, Jesus gets crucified. You can’t complain about films spoiling historical events, Quinn. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909/20 "2004-11-28T22:51:50Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > ps- **Bryan** , unfortunately having quicktime plug-in probs- soundtrack sounds OK. 🙂 Keep trying. If you’re a DC Universe fan, it’ll impress you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-complaining-about-modern-trailers-some-spoilers-of-old-movies/276909.md?page=2)