Film is art. It’s an art that has endured for over a century. The art of the movie trailer has been on a much different timeline. We have only seen beautiful trailers in the past couple of decades. For much of the 20th century, the National Screen Service (NSS) had a monopoly over trailers, leading to very uninspired works. Fortunately for studios, the lack of other alternative media ensured that theaters would fill despite bland 30-second spots airing on cable. Jaws pioneered the modern movie trailer, giving a voiceover to introduce the film with an air of mysticism and intrigue before letting selected parts of the film further entice the viewer. However, in the modern day, with some exceptions, trailers are getting worse.
There are distinctly two types of movies that have had good trailers in the past decade. They are films that either try to reinvent a franchise like Star Wars: The Force Awakens or Logan, or films that have source material unfamiliar to the general audience or are indie films like Dune or Jojo Rabbit. These trailers are crucial to the success of their film – they need to either bring back a loyal audience that is timid about a new approach to the series or entice a viewer that would never end up in the theater otherwise due to lack of knowledge. There’s often a stunning score and comical joke in these trailers. More importantly, they feature pieces of the plot that are enough to intrigue the audience while leaving some suspense. They are an experience, not a full cinema experience, but an experience that the viewer should not want to pause or look at their phone during – they are important.
The rise of social media and streaming has curbed the experience of trailers. A much greater percentage of major releases are being carried by legacy. They are part of cinematic universes, or they flash Dwayne Johnson (or Sydney Sweeney) on the screen. Viewers understandably trust what they know to be good based on past experiences (or what looks attractive). Trailers are abbreviated to ensure that brain-rotted Instagram and TikTok users (Julian Boutin ‘24) will stay for the full 20 seconds. The art is gone. It’s forced jokes, wild action, and no explanation or indication of what the plot is. And often the film is bad. At the risk of breaking into a broader debate over the quality of modern film – I believe that streaming is bad for the quality of modern films. You cannot reward good films or penalize bad films because of the generic paywall. And anyway, a streaming service is often cheaper or the same price as a typical ticket.
So – we reach a crossroads. Consumers are disappointed in the quality of films being released. Box office revenue is down. Will trailers make their triumphant return in 2024? I doubt it. It will come, but not until the death of unnecessary streaming services begins, which will happen in the near future.
