With every big blockbuster release there emerges a brief two minutes of the next possible reigning box office champion. For some moviegoers, the simple act of being in the seat before the lights dim is mostly due to a plethora of upcoming attractions that will inevitably be previewed before the feature presentation. In many ways, a movie trailer has recently become its own art form. However, with so much money flowing into the production of blockbuster films, we ask ourselves how many of these mini-movies are simply a ploy to fill the seats for a stab at our hard-earned cash?
Last week, with the release of “Hancock,” audiences were treated with a glimpse of the heavily anticipated James Bond film, “Quantum of Solace.” Starring an immensely capable Daniel Craig as the world renowned hero, the short teaser trailer showed us everything a successful movie trailer will feature. At first, with snippets of hard hitting punches, a speeding Aston Martin and considerably unclothed women, some may wonder how much of these short clips can signify a worthwhile experience. So, instead of letting the money hungry film producers get the best of us, here’s a list of steps to help you rummage through the onslaught of creative movie advertising.
The first step to understanding the quality of a movie trailer is to know the cast and crew that makes up the film it is advertising. Sure, it may be exciting to see a trailer featuring your favorite actor, but what about the brilliant minds that may or may not be working to bring the story to you? Well-known filmmakers often have a unique style that will sometimes flow over into the preview. For instance, if you were a fan of “Moulin Rouge” and “Romeo + Juliet,” you may have found the reason why the recent trailer for the upcoming film, “Australia,” seemed so appealing to you. Having all been directed by Baz Luhrmann, the lush visuals and mysterious narratives of these films can inevitably be witnessed as the main focus of the trailer. This bit of understanding will make the next step so much easier.
Next, we analyze the content of the trailer for similar references to the past works of the artist. We all know how much fun it may have been to see that first Will Ferrell or Mike Meyers comedy, but what happens when the excitement gets drawn out over numerous films? In the trailer for Mike Meyers’ latest comedy, “The Love Guru,” you may have noticed that most of the jokes that were featured had been recycled from his previous films. A joke poking fun at the size of Verne Troyer can only last so long. Typically, the most original films are the ones that succeed with an exciting experience.
Finally, a great judgment in a quality film involves the talent. Understanding a good actor isn’t rocket science. If you find yourself asking who that man is hidden behind the persona of an artificial character, you’ve possibly just had your first experience with understanding a good act. Great actors are able to convince even their best friends that they are someone else. Witnessed in the first revealing clips from “The Dark Knight” trailer, it’s evident that Heath Ledger’s prodigious performance as The Joker has already convinced audiences that he truly became someone else to portray his character.
With “Quantum of Solace” just around the corner, audiences are already making their predictions from the looks of the trailer. Now, with these helpful tips, we can note that Daniel Craig’s masterful performance as James Bond and the narrative-focused directing talent of Marc Forster have the pieces of a quality film falling appropriately into place. Even with all the usual action movie elements, the visual presentation of this film feels creatively depicted unlike any Bond film we’ve ever seen. As with most memorable movie trailers, the crafty editing of “Quantum of Solace” blazes by us with mysterious precision and tantalizing briskness. Now, where’s that copy of “Casino Royale” for the meantime?
