Age old question to most studios: Why Are You Dropping Trailers From New Releases?

I have never had a satisfactory answer to this. Some people proclaimed (and in a few cases were probably right) that music rights issues kept studios from including original theatrical trailers on their re-issues of DVD's that originally contained them, or that having to pay additional royalties for such music would be unprofitable. But largely, I think that is BUNK.

Studios: We are entering an era when, increasingly, people are setting up home theater environments. Part of the fun of doing so (which, of course adds millions of dollars to your revenue) is to be able to run trailers ahead of a film being presented, just like real theaters do.

Why are so many of you behaving as you are and dropping that one single feature from your expensive Blu-rays? How much time, effort and expense could possibly be involved in including these 2-3 minute supplements? Everything else gets ported over: documentaries, commentaries, deleted scenes, outtakes, a kazillion trailers for other movies, you name it.... EXCEPT THE TRAILER FOR THE MOVIE WE JUST BOUGHT!!

I know, many forum members argue that they spend the money for the feature, not for the extras. Well, I do, too, of course, but the point is that trailers have a separate and unique appeal in the way they are edited and in the time-specific way they promoted the product (the heavy graphics of the 40's and 50's, the voice-over-free style of the 70's, the abrasive Don LaFontaine-narrated trailers of the 90's, etc). These are slices of history and culture, and you are depriving us of them! Plus you are making home theater a bit less authentic and fun by not allowing us to preview certain movies for our audience.

Warner Bros. usually includes trailers (if they can, why not you?). Criterion does when it has the elements (again, if they can, why not you?). Fox is hit or miss. The rest of you are, for many of us (not just me) providing us with less "added value" content than you might all too easily offer with the mere inclusion of a theatrical trailer.... you know, the way almost all of you USED to do.

Rant over.
Edited by Dick - 11/6/09 at 9:57pm

Funny enough, we just watched Land of the Lost on BD last night.  For kicks, I went looking for the trailer and didn't find it on the Extras menu.  I know this is a new release and not a re-issue, but you'd think they'd be included.  After all, Paramount was finally able to put the Star Trek: Generations full trailer on the new BD and it's been MIA for years...

music clearance.  Use an Eminem song in your trailer might cost you a million dollars.  put the trailer on dvd and you have to clear the song again.

just one example I've heard from someone who buys music for trailers.

I wouldn't say its "ageold," i think they're trying to do us a favour; I thought we were trying to get away from forced pre-program content as on VHS and in the cinema. I have heaps of DVDs and Blu Rays with original trailers in special features menu; I'd say the only ones without are omitted for the rights reasons mentioned above.

 I completely agree with Dick.

Original theatrical trailers were, and still should be, a key component of any special features package. For classic and catalogue films, as well as for newer releases, the original trailer is always a fascinating insight into marketing and advertising trends of the time. For some of us, certain film trailers make us actually recall seeing them for the first time in the theaters. (An example for me would be the teaser for 'The Rock', which was sadly absent from the Criterion LD and all subsequent DVD releases, but fantastically turned up on the BD).

I seriously value the addition of a trailer as an extra feature. In fact, I held off buying the BD of 'Eraser' that was on sale for AU$15 recently - purely because it didn't include the excellent trailer as a supplement. (The trailer, which was present on the DVD, contains an Enigma music track, so perhaps that's the issue).

This may all sound irrelevant, but in the days of LD and early DVD, the inclusion of the original theatrical trailer was a selling point. Now it's been forgotten by most studios, which I think is a shame.

They'd rather put worthless Blu-ray promos on there for us, the people who are buying Blu-ray to begin with.

German Dances with Wolves Blu opens with a trailer for Jumper... dubbed in German! Didn't check if I could change language, but it was pretty funny. At least it was HD. There's nothing worse than SD trailers on a blu ray.

There's a hint of an answer from DVD producer Van Ling over in the insider's section of this very forum. Do check it out. I've quoted the relevant passage below.

I remember reading that quote from Van Ling and found it very informative.  It made me realize how complicated it must be to determine what can be put on a disc.  Most of the time I'm thinking why didn't they port that over from the DVD, how hard could it be?

As I see it, this is the main reason for not including a trailer...it would cost the company a buck...or two...or whatever.