The Art of the Movie Trailer

I have always been fascinated by movie trailers/previews. Most are generic and do nothing more than sum up the plot of the movie, while others are able to achieve of level of greatness all on their own. I appreciate trailers that aim to elicit the emotions viewers will experience in the full film without giving away too much of the plot. As in film and other forms of media, I love to see a clear expression of creativity and ingenuity. Below are five trailers that grasped my attention the first time I saw them and stuck with me for some time. Enjoy.

1. The Social Network (2010)

My all-time favorite trailer. The haunting cover of Radiohead's Creep fits perfectly with the slideshow of Facebook posts, demonstrating the reliance today's youth has on social media to express themselves. The song is also a reflection of Mark Zuckerberg's desperation in trying to get noticed and prove his genius to the world.

2. Gummo (1997)

Think the trailer is strange? You should see the movie. This little-known indie film, directed by the enigmatic Harmony Korrine, is one of the most fascinating, disturbing, and confusing movies that I have ever seen. There isn't much of a plot to speak of, but rather a series of scenes capturing various people's aimless lives in the aftermath of a deadly tornado. This trailer is just as mad, random, and captivating as the movie it previews. I don't know how, but Madonna's Like a Prayer fits perfectly.

3. Inception (2010)

Christopher Nolan has established himself as one of Hollywood's most innovative director's with such masterpieces as Memento, Insomnia, and the Dark Knight Trilogy. With Inception, Nolan gave us one of the most wildly entertaining and visually stunning films in recent memory. The teaser trailer for the film didn't even hint at the movie's plot. Instead, it featured some of the first-rate special effects and gravity-bending rules found in the film's dream sequences. I was hooked the first time I saw this teaser and couldn't wait to find out more about the movie.

4. Take Shelter (2011)

There's no better way to describe Take Shelter than as ominous, and the same goes for the trailer. Take Shelter focuses on a family man in rural Ohio victimized by visions of an apocalyptic storm, but doubt is cast on the credibility of his visions throughout the film. The trailer for the movie benefits greatly from David Wingo's score, which manages to evoke a peaceful world, or man, destined for doom.

5. Blue Valentine (2010)

The trailer for Blue Valentine uses a scene of Ryan Gosling serenading Michelle Williams with the song You Always Hurt the One You Love. The song sounds sweet and innocent, but if you listen closely, it does an excellent job of previewing the devastating relationship between Gosling's and Williams' characters. A minimalist indie film that had a limited theatrical release, Blue Valentine offers a brutally realistic depiction of the disintegration of a marriage. When you see Gosling singing to Williams, you see a young couple falling innocently in love. Once you see the entire film, you'll understand just how heartbreaking that scene is.

More excellent trailers:

The Dark Knight Rises

Hostel

Saw

The Impossible

Big Fish

The Crazies

Cloverfield
Where the Wild Things Are
The Strangers
Cold Weather
Garden State