Top 10 Movie Trailer Cliches
Coming soon to a theater near you… Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the top 10 Movie Trailer Clichés. For this list, we're taking a look at the most common tropes that keep popping up in advertisements for feature films. Basically, we're talking things that are overused in movie trailers in an effort to get us to watch the flicks.
Special thanks to our users jaxdub and mattwatchmojo for submitting the idea at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
#10: Opening Aerial Skyline Shot
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Tell us if any of these clips look familiar. The aerial skyline shot is an overused, yet always effective, method of engaging the audience in a movie’s setting. In most cases, the setting will be a city that’ll play a key role in the narrative. Sometimes, the city will need saving from a lone hero, as in “Spider-Man,” or maybe the city will connect a series of diverse characters, like in “Crash.” Either way, the trailer establishes the location as a commanding presence that makes us all feel puny and tries to set the scale.
#9: Where’d the Happy Music Go?
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Nobody wants to see a movie with no conflict. So whenever a trailer opens with happy music and joyful people living perfect lives, expect all hell to break lose within seconds. The trailer’s soothing sentiment is abruptly substituted by intense music as the characters attempt to survive zombie apocalypses, ships sinking, and even the end of the world. Even if we can see the extreme change of pace coming, this cliché still creates a genuine sense of panic that captures the movie at its most exciting.
#8: Record Scratch
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Like our last entry, this cliché sets us up for one thing, then delivers the complete opposite. Primarily used to advertise comedies, the trailer presents itself as really badass or mystical. Then in a fake out, the music comes to a screeching halt and our unexpected protagonist emerges. This also applies to trailers that start off with a character going through a typical day, then undergoes a random twist, such as Rob Schneider becoming a carrot. It’s like a setup to a joke, although we can usually predict the punch line.
#7: Flickering
A good trailer shows the audience just enough to get us into the theater, while also being restrained so as not give the best parts away. Horror trailers typically find just the right balance, unveiling the build up, but cutting away before revealing the payoff. It’s as if the film is so frightening that the trailer felt the necessity to cover our eyes for us. If we want to see the monster that everybody’s screaming about, we’ll have to go see the whole movie. With that, we’re officially sold.
#6: Jump Scare
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Jump scares and flickering go hand in hand. Habitually, trailers reserve their greatest jump scare until the very end. The music goes silent with a character all alone in the dark... or are they? Tension builds as they turn on a flashlight, look under the bed, or walk down a menacing hallway. No matter what, there’s always someone or something waiting to leap out. Even if we know the scare is just around the corner, we can’t help but jump out of our seats, guaranteeing horror junkies will buy a ticket.
#5: Fade to Black
If you want your trailer to seem as dramatic as possible, make sure virtually every transition fades to black. In the vein of many other clichés on this list, the fade to black is another method of continually raising the stakes. With each blink, the trailer becomes more epic and thrilling. Then, just when it looks like the trailer can’t possibly top itself, fade to the trump card, be it Ultron or Han and Chewie. Finish matters off by transitioning to the release date and we’ll eagerly mark our calendars.
#4: Critics and Accolades
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Some movies will find an audience no matter how low their Rotten Tomatoes rating is. Smaller movies, though, require strong critical reception to get the word out. If a picture achieves accolades from Sundance, Cannes, or other prestigious film festivals, the trailer will be sure to make note of its early buzz. If such acclaim carries on throughout awards season, the TV ads will highlight any Golden Globe and Oscar nominations too. Of course, some flip this cliché upside down, such as the humorous trailer for “Jackass Number Two.”
#3: ‘Inception’ Horns
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It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where most of these trailer clichés originated from – except for this one. While intense music is common in summer movie trailers, “Inception” took its score to another level of awesomeness with booming horns that totally blew us away. Every time you hear that BRAAAM sound, it feels like the Earth’s shaking. Now almost all action movie trailers recycle the “Inception Horns.” It’s as if they’re trying to implant an idea in our heads that the film being advertised is going to be the next “Inception.”
#2: From the People Who Brought You…
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Where anticipated sequels and adaptations have built-in audiences, the trailers for completely original movies need to find a new selling point. This is where the talent behind the scenes comes in. If people know that Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, or the geniuses at Pixar are involved, we’ll check out the flick on name recognition alone. Of course, this doesn’t always work to a film’s advantage. Did anybody honestly want to see “Little Man” after learning it was from the guys who brought us “White Chicks?” We didn’t think so. Before we preview our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - Scenes Not in the Movie - Movie Studio Logo Is Altered - Kissing the Girl or Boy - Token Hot Girl Shot - Funniest Parts Are Spoiled - Funny Scene After Title
#1: Deep Voice Narrator
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While some trailers speak for themselves with their mind-blowing imagery, others require an outside voice to make things sound even more explosive. Not just any actor can do voiceovers for movie trailers, however. They require a thunderous throat to sell lines like, “In a world...” For years, the go-to man for trailer narration was the late Don LaFontaine. Recorded in over 5000 trailers, LaFontaine’s godlike voice eventually became a pop culture icon destined for self-parody. Whether it’s LaFontaine’s all-encompassing voice or another narrator’s, this cliché never gets old. Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite movie trailer cliché? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
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