A wise man once said that we all briefly get to become a film critic when watching the trailers preceding a movie. Actually, that was a stand-up sketch by Dane Cook. But the statement remains true.
Trailers are designed to garner hype and provide a first glimpse of what an audience can expect from the film itself. Take Comic-Con for example. Fanboys and girls alike travel from all parts of the world just to see the panels of their favorite upcoming movies or tv shows in hopes of getting at least a little peak of some visuals to feast their eyes on…literally. It’s a smorgasbord for the corneas.
However, in recent times, trailers have become something even more, in that they can be seen as a standalone supplement to the “bigger picture”. In laymen’s terms, a trailer can be great (well-edited, enthralling music) but the film could easily turn into a snooze-fest. And vice versa.
Last Thursday, the first trailer for the “Fifty Shades of Grey” adaptation debuted online. Now, going back to that whole “trailers are standalone supplements” theory, I will refrain from making any judgments on the potential flop-ability of the actual film. I have not read the books (except the Wikipedia summaries just for the sake of finding out if there really was more to this story than the kinky S&M freak show everyone keeps referencing).
So, when I went to first view the trailer I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Much to my surprise, I was thoroughly intrigued (not in a creepy way). As you will see below, the trailer opens with a peculiar and innocent looking Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) who is interviewing the intimidating and darkly charming Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) for her college newspaper. The sparks and chemistry are instant. Some titillating dialogue is exchanged between the two in their silky, seductive tones, then the “beat drops” if you will. As Ana and Christian kiss (presumably for the first time) in Christian’s office elevator, the music piques with a uniquely altered version of “Crazy in Love” by Beyonce, which is undoubtedly being used as another marketing ploy for the film.
This trailer has great timing, hits the right marks on cue with the music and really adds some mystery to a situation that, on paper, reads like a pretty one-dimensional storyline. As we are first introduced to Christian’s “playroom” through Ana’s perspective, we get a realistic sense of what she is experiencing because of the set up. It doesn’t reveal too much, but reveals enough to maintain an intriguing level of curiosity.
What do you guys think? Will this trailer get you to drop $15 next Valentine’s Day?
