FINAL GIRL explores the slasher flicks of the '70s and '80s...and all the other horror movies I feel like talking about, too. This is life on the EDGE, so beware yon spoilers!

Mar 3, 2009

trailers i love - the shining

You know what trailer is pretty effing great? This one is:



Imagine seeing that as an actual trailer- you know, before you've actually seen The Shining. What the frig is this movie about? What the hell is going on? I, for one, would be wringing my hands and peeing my pants in anticipation, I can tell you that much.

I do so love that film. It's not perfect, but I get something new out of it every time I watch it...and I always find it incessantly, profoundly unsettling. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Also, please see my related poll on the right.

16 comments:

Frank White said...

That's odd. Usually the blood gets off at the second floor.

TALKING MOVIEzzz said...

I'd say I loved the trailer, only I saw it in theatres, where it played before EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. It freaked me out so much I never forgot it.

David said...

For me, this is just the best trailer ever made for anything in the whole wide world. It puts you in the mood for the experience without giving away anything of the plot. If I'd seen it before I knew the film, I'd be dying to watch a movie that made me that curious.
A bad studio would probably show a lot of the key-scenes, like the twins, Jack freaking out with the hatchet or even frozen.
But you know the other trailer of the Shining I just love? This one: http://tinyurl.com/gvfnz What a good editor can't do?

Snarf said...

but " I get something new out of it every time I watch it...and I always find it incessantly, profoundly unsettling. It's the gift that keeps on giving!" sounds SO much like the definition of a perfect movie? Whats missing?

Anonymous said...

They didn't even have to move the camera! If they made that today there would be a cut every 2 milliseconds.

Love the jerky credits. MMMMMMM. Old credits. Tasty.

Stacie Ponder said...

I love that "Shining as rom-com" trailer- the moment "Solsbury Hill" chimes in is just brilliant. The Scary Poppins edit is great, too.

They would totally give EVERYTHING away in this trailer if it were produced today. Of course, watching sold trailers- for Italian films in particular- I'm shocked at how much info is given sometimes.

This is just such a great teaser!

Craig Blamer said...

The greatest horror trailer...

http://tinyurl.com/bgbb6b

Perfection. Doesn't show one frame of the film... I remember catching the spot on TV, and a chill went down my spine so hard that it went right through the couch, hit the floor and bounced back up, knocking me to the floor.

My tailbone hurt for a week.

Verdant Earl said...

I love the film version of The Shining. It's the only piece of horror that King wrote which is better than the book.

And I love the trailer. Like you, I wish "they" made trailers more like this today.

Imagine a trailer for a slasher film that only followed a shape from behind or the side (and maybe only from the waist down) as it walked/stalked while casually swinging an ax or machete? And then maybe a slow pan up to a sorority house/summer camp/teen party? And that's it!

I'd wanna see that film. I mean, I've probably already seen it. But I would wanna see it again!

Stacie Ponder said...

Craig- the poster for It's Alive gave me nightmares when I was a kid! It's my earliest horror-related memory, even.

*Cue theme from All in the Family

Anonymous said...

I thought the trailer was pretty ace too.

Which is why I was eagerly anticipating that scene during the movie... but when it's finally shown, I had one of the biggest WTF moments I’ve ever had during a movie… it has absolutely nothing to do with anything.

It’s one of the many reasons why "The Shining" doesn’t work for me.

Anonymous said...

Holy smokes, how great is that music! Wendy Carlos is a living legend. Her crazy electronic scores are unrivaled, and I cant even imagine The Shining or Clockwork without them. Someone give this person more work!

Erik said...

My fav of all time,couldn't agree more about getting something out of it each time you watch it.

Anonymous said...

When exactly did they decide that showing us the entire movie in a trailer was a good idea? This is how it should be done. God bless the good old days.

Now all you damn kids get off my lawn.

Anonymous said...

I don't have to imagine, I actually did see that Shining trailer in theaters. It played in front of movies like 1941, and it left me aching to see it. I first saw it about seven months before the film opened, and back then that was an eternity.

Now, look at this trailer for the upcoming end of the world epic 2012.

It's the same music!!! Knowing where the music was originally used gives the 2012 trailer an extra dose of creepy (even if it's likely to be a lousy film).

Also, that It's Alive trailer used to scare the crap out of me, too. It's not just the creepiness or the claw hand, it's the horrible mewling sound that happens after the announcer says "It's alive." Nightmares, I tell ya.

Finally, this Susperia trailer also used to give me nightmares.

Anonymous said...

come play with us, danny...

the jaded viewer said...

Kubrick is a god. Nuff said.