Modern media uses movie trailers as selling points. A good trailer will lead to more interest in a film and better sales. With such a focus on profit, is the film industry devaluing the movie going experience?

Recently, I went with a friend to see Deadpool. While not being the most well informed on the subject matter, I had a general idea of what to expect – an action comedy. For the most part I found the film quite enjoyable. I realised that I had never actually seen any previews for the movie. Did this have an effect on my enjoyment of the film?

Some movie trailers do a great job of generating excitement for a film. The recent release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a prime example of open ended trailers. The clips included enough for fans to go wild with speculation while not offering any details that compromised the plot of the film. I didn’t feel as though seeing the trailers had detached from the viewing experience. Realistically, this approach can’t normally be taken. The continuation of one of the most loved movie franchises was bound to sell well regardless of the content of the previews.

In other cases trailers can actually take away from the viewing experience. The trailers for Captain America: Civil War unveiled the brand new Spider-Man costume. By spoiling interesting plot elements these zappotrailers have almost no positive merit. Trailers revealing major plot elements or the funniest parts of a comedy  leave the viewer dissatisfied with the movie-going experience. At this point the ticket has already been purchased.  It’s too late. One way to protect yourself from this buyer’s remorse is to forgo preview trailers entirely. But what if the film is just abysmal? Wouldn’t it have been easier to simply watch the trailer? I think the most important question here is one that precedes all of these issues. Why do you go to the movie theater?

I can’t say that I go the theater to watch movies. I can watch a movie for a much better price in the comfort of my own home. When I go the movie theater, when I pay to view a film, I’m paying for the experience. The huge screen, the quality sound. It’s the palpable excitement of the crowd as the film begins. It’s not a necessity to me, it’s a bonus. If I’m going the extra mile for a film, I want a pure experience. The quality of the film itself is almost null. Seeing a bad movie doesn’t always equal a bad experience. The experience of an awful horror movie can be tantamount to that of a good comedy. Seeing a great film can only improve the experience, and too much background information makes an initial viewing less special.

I find that movie trailers serve only to dilute the movie going experience. When I spend the extra money to see a film in theaters or elsewhere I want the best possible experience. Prior information about the film robs viewers of a portion of the experience and by extension a small portion of the ticket price. Going into a film blind makes the viewing more satisfying, enjoyable and memorable.  Movie trailers are usually irrelevant or detrimental to the film experience. Whether or not you judge a movie by the trailer depends on what you value in a film: the content or the experience.