Courtesy of Dearest Jonathan, we have a remix of the new Indy trailer, cut specifically to make it look like the trailers of yore.
I think my favorite bit is that they lifted the music from the truck hijacking-on-the-road-to-Cairo from Raiders. Despite the fact that I'm positively sure John Williams plagiarized it from someone else, even if I don't know who, it's still great music, loaded with suspense and intrigue---something which, I think is lacking in the teaser trailer. In the teaser trailer, you have the triumphant music that we all associate with Dr. Jones, that signals, yes, he will, of course, come out the winner! Because he's Indy! Of course he's going to triumph. He just has to, otherwise the world will shift on its axis.
See, the thing that bothers me with most trailers nowadays is that, after viewing them, you don't really have to go and see the movie. They outline the entire plot, and reassure the audience that there's a happy ending. It's as if Hollywood as a whole has decided that most movies are formulaic---which they are, but you can blame that one on the ancient Greeks---so they're going to go out of their way to admit that, and try and point out the interesting and significant portions of a film that, they believe, make it stand out from the other formulaic entries in the marketplace. That's the wrong way to go, if you ask me. Yes, most movies may be formulaic, but you have to pay heed to the formula. The formula's there for a reason---because it works. It's the foundation on which the house is built, and you screw with it at your peril. Everyone knows that a neglected foundation will cause a house to fall to the ground---and it's the same with the films. You can have all the nifty accoutrement you'd like in a house---or a film--- but if you neglect the foundation, the whole shebang is going to come crashing down. Ultimately, this is the mistake I believe they've made with the newest Indy. I mean, after all, this is precisely what Georgie Porgie Puddin' and Pie did with the Star Wars prequels---why would we think that he'd do otherwise with the latest installment of Dr. Jones and his adventures. Well, the answer to that is Steven Spielberg, but one can only hope that he fought the good fight this time around and didn't let Lucas win.
Erm. I digress, but it is interesting, no, how this trailer whets your appetite for the actual story, while the original makes you simply long to be reacquainted with Indy?
Posted by Kathy at February 27, 2008 10:23 AM | TrackBack