We’ve told you about Twixt, a new experiment from Francis Ford Coppola, that seems to have its unique presentation and non-linear storytelling concerns baked in at its core. Word from Comic Con was that Coppola had put together a unique and exciting experience for viewers, but one that certainly seemed reliant on the mix of 2D and 3D, the live timeline remixing, and the personality/presentation of Coppola himself (along with sonic collaborator, Dan Deacon). Now our first real look at the film in motion seems to show that the foundation of all this storytelling is a fairly standard low-budget thriller.

The trailer for TIFF, where the film will next show before Coppola’s roadshow, gets across the basic story of the piece: a dream-prone pulp lit writer travels to a small town for a book signing, and gets wrapped up in a murder mystery plaguing the town. We get a better idea of Bruce Dern’s eccentric town sheriff and the role he plays in leading Val Kilmer deeper into the town’s secrets. Kilmer looks… well, like he often look these days: a bit out to seed, if not without his own special charm. Elle Fanning makes a lovely, over-made-up ghost, while Tom Waits can bust out gravelly narration with the best of them.

Ultimately though, the film looks like the kind of shoestring independent effort that wouldn’t catch much buzz were it not for the other elements in play. The trailer doesn’t make any mention of the unique nature of the film, which seems odd (though this is a festival trailer– kind of its own beast).

Mere 3D or any other single gimmick isn’t enough to grab eyeballs, so it’s fortunate that Coppola is so boldly tromping down a radical path with his film, and has gotten a fair amount of buzz as a result. It’s plain that catching a date on the roadshow of the film will be preferable, as I’m not sure how compelling this is going to seen if advertised as a standard flick (even if it may cut perfectly well as a linear experience as well). I’m excited by the balls of it though, and I’m eager to hear how it plays at TIFF.

Let us know what you think of the trailer on twitter, on the boards, or in the comments, and we’ll keep you up to date with the twisty path of Twixt.

(via /Film)