All the trailers analysed were originally viewed on IMDB.com
The War of the worlds (1953)
Summary - A small town in California experience a meteor falling, which gets the town excited. It is too late when they realise that aliens had also fallen, with no good intentions, with the Martians planning destroy everything that is in sight. The War of the Worlds begins, soldiers fighting against Martians, while following a young couple Forester and Sylvia. The films ends when a germ is spread and the humans soon realise the Martians have poor immune systems and ends up killing all the Martians.
Genre - Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller.
Director - Byron Haskin known for 'Treasure Island' (1950).
Iconography - The Martians.
Comments - The trailer outlines the basic plot for the film, while not revealing too much of what happens. The trailer starts with the simple reading of the words from the book, written by H.G. Wells. These opening lines are famous from the radio broadcast of Orson Welles when he sent the country into panic. The trailer then moves on to introduce characters and the line of where the story is going to go.
What makes it successful? - The first scene where we hear the famous words spoken by Orson Wells is effective as it had such an impact of the world when they were first heard. The fact that we hear no dialogue at the beginning only see the on-screen text while iconic music is played leaves a lasting image in your mind.
Inspiration - Starting the trailer with an iconic line that people will remember.
IMDB Link - http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi4260692249
Genre - Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller.
Director - Byron Haskin known for 'Treasure Island' (1950).
Iconography - The Martians.
Comments - The trailer outlines the basic plot for the film, while not revealing too much of what happens. The trailer starts with the simple reading of the words from the book, written by H.G. Wells. These opening lines are famous from the radio broadcast of Orson Welles when he sent the country into panic. The trailer then moves on to introduce characters and the line of where the story is going to go.
What makes it successful? - The first scene where we hear the famous words spoken by Orson Wells is effective as it had such an impact of the world when they were first heard. The fact that we hear no dialogue at the beginning only see the on-screen text while iconic music is played leaves a lasting image in your mind.
Inspiration - Starting the trailer with an iconic line that people will remember.
IMDB Link - http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi4260692249
Psycho (1960)
Summary - The Protagonist is a woman called Marion who steals some money from her boss, and runs away to the country. She finds Bates Motel, where the owner Norman Bates and his crazy mother live. After dinner one evening, Marion takes herself to the showers where she is murdered. Norman Bates finds her and it is suggested that it was his mother who committed the murder. Near the end of the film it is revolved that it was Norman Bates who committed the murder.
Genre - Horror, Mystery, Thriller.
Director - Alfred Hitchcock known for 'The Birds' (1963).
Iconography - Marion in the shower being stabbed with the iconic psycho music.
Comments - The trailer starts with the iconic music that is easily recognisable to the film. It then outlines the plot, that the woman is staying the motel and it shows the death. The trailer does however suggest who the murderer is which could outshine the movie in some ways.
What makes it successful? - The trailer is successful as it is in black and white which creates a more suspenseful scene and the iconic music helps to show the audience the genre of the film.
Inspiration - Iconic music which people will recognise.
IMDB Link - http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi607099161
Genre - Horror, Mystery, Thriller.
Director - Alfred Hitchcock known for 'The Birds' (1963).
Iconography - Marion in the shower being stabbed with the iconic psycho music.
Comments - The trailer starts with the iconic music that is easily recognisable to the film. It then outlines the plot, that the woman is staying the motel and it shows the death. The trailer does however suggest who the murderer is which could outshine the movie in some ways.
What makes it successful? - The trailer is successful as it is in black and white which creates a more suspenseful scene and the iconic music helps to show the audience the genre of the film.
Inspiration - Iconic music which people will recognise.
IMDB Link - http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi607099161
The shining (1980)
Summary - A family become the caretakers of an isolated hotel over the winter. When at the hotel the family start to experience supernatural happenings. The father starts to become violent and progressively insane, while the young boy see's the disturbing events of the hotels past.
Genre - Horror.
Director - Stanley Kubrick known for 'A Clockwork Orange' (1971).
Iconography - The scene of the fathers face through the door frame.
Comments - The trailer only has one scene, the hotel corridor, it starts with creepy music playing over the top while on-screen text is shown telling you everything about the film, i.e the name, director, production company. Only once the text is over does anything happen and blood fills the corridor and covers the camera lens turning the image of the shot to look red.
What makes it successful? - There is no dialogue so reveals nothing about the storyline and we only see one shot with it being filled with blood. This creates a mystery about the film, and makes people want to go see why the hotel is filled with blood. It taps into human curiosity.
Inspiration - To have little or no dialogue.
IMDB Link - http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1476002073
Genre - Horror.
Director - Stanley Kubrick known for 'A Clockwork Orange' (1971).
Iconography - The scene of the fathers face through the door frame.
Comments - The trailer only has one scene, the hotel corridor, it starts with creepy music playing over the top while on-screen text is shown telling you everything about the film, i.e the name, director, production company. Only once the text is over does anything happen and blood fills the corridor and covers the camera lens turning the image of the shot to look red.
What makes it successful? - There is no dialogue so reveals nothing about the storyline and we only see one shot with it being filled with blood. This creates a mystery about the film, and makes people want to go see why the hotel is filled with blood. It taps into human curiosity.
Inspiration - To have little or no dialogue.
IMDB Link - http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1476002073
the blair witch project (1999)
Summary - Three film students are woking on a project which involves them going to Maryland to film, about a local urbane legend about The Blair Witch. While hiking in the woods they go missing. A year later their footage is found and is edited together to make a film, 'The Blair Witch Project'. The film follows the three students and how over their hike they experience the meetings with The Blair Witch. The films ends when both the cameras which were being used by the students are dropped and cancelled out.
Genre - Horror, Mystery.
Director - Daniel Myrick known for 'Objective' (2008), and Eduardo Sanchez known for 'Altered' (2006).
Iconography - The Hand Held Cameras.
Comments - The trailer starts with some on-screen text introducing the footage suggesting that is not actually a film but a documentary. The storyline is not revealed only shows the three students running through the forest away from some kind of threat. On-screen text is shown from critics who all say it is good, trying to persuade you to go see the film.
What makes it successful? - Not revealing too much about the storyline, creates the mystery to make you want to go find out. The fact that the trailer makes it look like a documentary rather than faked footage.
Inspiration - Not too reveal too much about our storyline in the trailer, create a type of mystery.
IMDB Link - http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi9044249
Genre - Horror, Mystery.
Director - Daniel Myrick known for 'Objective' (2008), and Eduardo Sanchez known for 'Altered' (2006).
Iconography - The Hand Held Cameras.
Comments - The trailer starts with some on-screen text introducing the footage suggesting that is not actually a film but a documentary. The storyline is not revealed only shows the three students running through the forest away from some kind of threat. On-screen text is shown from critics who all say it is good, trying to persuade you to go see the film.
What makes it successful? - Not revealing too much about the storyline, creates the mystery to make you want to go find out. The fact that the trailer makes it look like a documentary rather than faked footage.
Inspiration - Not too reveal too much about our storyline in the trailer, create a type of mystery.
IMDB Link - http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi9044249
paranormal activity (2007)
Summary - A young couple move into their first suburban home, only to find a demonic presence also living there. During the night the demonic presence comes into play, scaring the couple so they can't go to sleep. To see what is happening the couple set up a camera in the corner of the room hoping to catch what is disturbing their sleep at night.
Genre - Horror, Supernatural.
Director - Oren Peli known for 'Insidious' (2010).
Iconography - The sheets of bed moving without cause.
Comments - The trailer is all the hand held footage from the couple, it first shows the husband taking you on a brief tour of the house. It then shows him laying down precautions for the house to stop something. The trailer has a lot of dialogue and reveals a lot of what happens to the couple and their research into it.
What makes it successful? - The hand-held cameras, as well as not revealing what the paranormal actually is.
IMDB Link - http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1135609113?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_1
Genre - Horror, Supernatural.
Director - Oren Peli known for 'Insidious' (2010).
Iconography - The sheets of bed moving without cause.
Comments - The trailer is all the hand held footage from the couple, it first shows the husband taking you on a brief tour of the house. It then shows him laying down precautions for the house to stop something. The trailer has a lot of dialogue and reveals a lot of what happens to the couple and their research into it.
What makes it successful? - The hand-held cameras, as well as not revealing what the paranormal actually is.
IMDB Link - http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1135609113?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_1