Movie Trailers: Spoiler Trailers Spoil Films

Hollywood movie makers erroneously countenance the production of trailers that give away the best moments in the movies they are meant to advertise. These trailers are now dubbed Spoiler Trailers. These spoiler trailers do essentially the same thing as spoiler reviews: they give away the movie and spoil the viewing experience of all who are exposed to them. And who isn't exposed to trailers? Even those who try to avoid watching trailers for various reasons are unrelentingly exposed to them at every film showing attended. I suppose one could save ones seat and then lurk out in the hall until all the trailers have been shown....

The effect of spoiler trailers on movie viewing is to disappoint and distract viewers from the film. Anticipation and excitement are purposely built up by trailers and this carries over to the actual viewing experience, from which we expect greater things than the trailer offers: We have higher expectations of the film than of the trailer.

When the trailer portrays the best moments in the film, when it give away the premises, puzzles and conclusions, the resultant disappointment works to the disadvantage of the movie, partially because of the let down feeling that accompanies the disappointment. Additionally, a lack of focus results as the viewer inwardly says things like, "That's the whole joke? We already know the whole joke?" or, "Aw - that gave it away! That gave the whole thing away!" The actual, and sometimes excellent, details of the film cannot be attended to during reactions and comments such as these. Furthermore, these inner comments serve to remove the viewer from the fantasy, which is an occurrence that is, as I say from time to time, counterproductive to the objective of film making - very counterproductive. Along with these reactions can also come a disappointment-sparked lack of interest in the remainder of the film, a "Why bother?" kind of attitude which, of course, further sabotages viewer reaction to the film.