The greatest, best, most clever, moving, impressive Trailers you've ever seen (1 Viewer)

[Neil Middlemiss]

Since the release of the expanded soundtrack for The Abyss, I have been thinking about that film and the use of Michael Stearn's terrific music from the film Chronos used in the trailer. It took me years to identify the music used in the trailer, but it's effect in selling The Abyss has always impressed me. I love this trailer. The peek behind the curtains opening that discusses making the film, the wonder and awe in the imagery, and the powerful use of the Chronos score have long put this trailer at the top of my list (alongside the trailers for Alien and Aliens as being impressively constructed and scored pieces). So I am curious what trailers have had an effect on you over the years?

What are the best trailers ever made (in your opinions)?

Which trailers stand out?

Here's The Abyss trailer that has stuck with me all these years:



www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJyRF0Fzl9Y

(hopefully I will be able to embed this correctly)

 

[Walter Kittel]

Whenever this topic comes up, my first choice is always Cliffhanger for its terrific use of Mozart's Requiem. For my money, one of the most effective trailers ever fashioned.



A teaser trailer that I've always liked was the one for 1492: Conquest of Paradise. It draws a nice parallel between the discovery of the new world and our first trip to the moon in a distinctive manner.



- Walter.

 

[Vic Pardo]

In 1979, I was at the Thalia Theater in New York seeing an old movie when they ran the trailer for the next week's attraction, WHITE HEAT (1949) starring James Cagney. This then-30-year-old trailer had the crowd jumping off their seats in anticipation. They must have all come back because it was a packed house the next week for WHITE HEAT.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I never bothered seeing the movie due to bad reviews, but this teaser is genius:

 

[TravisR]

Off the top of my head, I'd say the teaser for Terminator 2: Judgment Day is one of my favorites:



I'm not old enough to have seen it in theaters but another favorite is the Jaws teaser. I love the narration especially the "It is as if god created the devil and gave him... Jaws" line.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I can't find it now, but I could *swear* there was a teaser for Attack of the Clones that ended with Yoda drawing his lightsaber. That was awesome!

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

I can't find it now, but I could *swear* there was a teaser for Attack of the Clones that ended with Yoda drawing his lightsaber. That was awesome!

I think I remember a trailer like that. Honestly all the teasers and trailers for the prequels had me excited.Of the other trailers mentioned above, and there are some great ones, I recall The Last Airbender showing such promise for the film, but it ended up being so dull and flat.The teaser for T2 was awesome. I loved it and even though it showed no footage, had me salivating!

 

[Brian McP]

The Jaws trailer -- a masterpiece. Thank you Percy Rodrigues, the greatest movie trailer voice of all time, and a terrific actor too.

So many come to mind -- "The Exorcist", "Alien", a whole slew from MGM promoting their musicals in the 50s, "ET", even the one for the Jerry Seinfeld movie "Comedian" (which also has also one of THE greatest end credit sequences of all time, just beautiful)

And yes, "Cliffhanger", a beauty -- how many trailers of the 90s did that one trailer inspire?

 

[lark144]

My favorite trailer has always been Albert Brooks' teaser for his first feature, REAL LIFE, which had nothing to do with what the film was about, but was instead a very funny series of gags parodying anaglyph 3D movies with blue and red lines over black & white images, including having a cup of coffee thrown at the camera and of course, ping pong balls.

ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ReqVoSZOM

 

[lark144]

http://ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ReqVoSZOM


My first attempt to place a link for the trailer to REAL LIFE didn't work, so here it is.

 

[TravisR]

I can't find it now, but I could *swear* there was a teaser for Attack of the Clones that ended with Yoda drawing his lightsaber. That was awesome!

I remember a TV commercial for the video release where they showed that. I think it was the spots where they used the tagline "Yoda man!" (like "You da' man") since by that point, Yoda's fight was what everyone talked about after the movie.

"Alien"

That's a great one because of that "egg breaking screech" sound effect playing over top over a bunch of chaotic looking images.

 

[TonyD]

M. Night trailers for his movies have been miles better then the movies.

I remember the preview for Lady In the Water and found it haunting and I couldn't wait to see the movie, then I saw the movie.


Another favorite of mine is for A Serious Man.

 

[DaveF]

The teaser poster for The Phantom Menace is probably the single most exhilarating marketing image of my life: the young boy casting the Darth Vader shadow. That captured every bit of pent up hopes and thrills and 20 years of waiting. The most exciting trailer of my life probably is tied between The Matrix and The Dark Knight. District 9 is another one that really stood out in previews, with its exceptional teaser.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Here's the Alien (1979) trailer. Genuis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=bEVY_lonKf4

And here's Aliens (1986) - also genius!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=XKSQmYUaIyE

 

[Walter Kittel]

For me, the best thing about the Alien trailer has always been the tag line - "In space no one can hear you scream". For me, one of the most memorable tag lines of all time. It hints at the fusion of SF and Horror that made Alien not only extremely entertaining, but also influential.

I usually try to watch Alien and Aliens on a semi-regular basis. Need to dig both of these out for a revisit.

- Walter.

 

[Everett S.]

"PSYCO"

 

[Cinescott]

I love this Official Jaws Blu-ray Trailer. For me, the best trailers are those that overlap original dialog and images without narration.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I remember a TV commercial for the video release where they showed that. I think it was the spots where they used the tagline "Yoda man!" (like "You da' man") since by that point, Yoda's fight was what everyone talked about after the movie.

The one I remember definitely predated the theatrical release, because the promise of Yoda having a lightsaber battle created more antici




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tion in me than probably any other trailer ever.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I remember liking The Village even though it got trashed by critics, so I was expecting Lady in the Water to be at least decent. Hoo boy, did I get faked out by that stain on the art of cinema!

 

[Ejanss]

My favorite trailer has always been Albert Brooks' teaser for his first feature, REAL LIFE, which had nothing to do with what the film was about, but was instead a very funny series of gags parodying anaglyph 3D movies with blue and red lines over black & white images, including having a cup of coffee thrown at the camera and of course, ping pong balls.

ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ReqVoSZOM

Darn, you had to post that before me.

In the original thread for "Great trailers with great chosen music", I'd still have to put the teaser (not the full trailer) for the 1980 Flash Gordon as one of the cooler in my movie childhood:
http://www.traileraddict.com/flash-gordon/teaser-trailer

(The same 80's Summer-of-Love that gave us Dragonslayer - And seems like I should know the music from that, but it's not from the movie )

"PSYCO"

Properly spelled, that's probably the definitive example of Hitch's consciously public "lovable" deception: