You see, if it’s a movie that I’m pre-sold on, I don’t want to know. I don’t want to see a frame of the film until I’m, well, watching the film. If I see a trailer with Leonardo Dicaprio, in what looks like an asylum, I close my eyes. It’s Shutter Island; I’m already there.
Where does this bizarre behavior come from, you might ask? I think Star Wars Episode 1, actually. Before that movie, I was all about seeing every trailer, reading scripts before the movie is out (The version of Four Rooms that I shot in my head is a masterpiece), set visit rundowns, yadda yadda yadda. And the call to learn about Star Wars was strong; What did Lucas have in store for us? The Special Editions were pointless and offensive, but I still had hope that he would hunker down and give his all for the BRAND NEW Star Wars movies. I found out that Liam Neeson was in it. His character was Qui-Gon Jinn. I learned other character names from a list of names copyrighted by Lucasfilm. And little tidbits here and there. More and more and more. . .
Until I realized; If I don’t stop, I will know everything that happens in this film. And I didn’t want that experience.
I envied the teenagers who got to see Star Wars in the theater in 1977. I can’t even imagine how mindblowing that must have been. That’s what I wanted from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace; To throw my popcorn in the air in delight.
Clearly, that didn’t end up happening (The most mind blowing film I remember seeing in the theater was, appropriately enough, Terminator 2). It played, it baffled me, and I left the theater changed not a bit. But the point is not my disappointment. The point is that this was the origins of my restraint.
It began simply enough, and evolved. Used to be, I just wouldn’t watch the last third of a trailer. You know the part; When the music gets more intense, the editing gets faster, and they show 90% of the money shots in the film. And I’m not blaming the producers. Showing everything in the movie clearly gets asses in seats. But since I’m already going to see it, why ruin it for myself?
Is it odd for me to talk about isolating myself from spoilers, but blog on CHUD? I don’t think so. I love CHUD, clearly. I love finding out what directors are teaming up with what actors, and press releases in the early stages of publicity tend to be vague enough for my liking. I love hearing about the things that never happen. Like how Paul Greengrass almost directed Watchmen, and Spielberg wanted to do a Harvey remake with Tom Hanks. Fascinating stuff. The only things that I don’t look at are spoiler materials (Which, on this site, are usually conveniently marked), or reviews until after I’ve seen the film.
I’m not saying it’s wrong to want to know everything going in. A lot of people do it, and still find the film rewarding and surprising. I’m just saying that people sometimes forget that there’s an option to not watch spoiler stuff. Think that James Cameron’s documentary promo for Avatar gives too much away (Which is the impression that I’m getting from people)? Don’t watch it.
Again, this only applies to stuff that I’m pre-sold on. Remember Me, with Robert Pattenson? You need to sell me on that.