Man of Steel: Now THAT’S a Trailer

Michael Sellers Other Stuff

Just out. This truly rocks. Here’s a superb example of how to take a “done to death” premise and present it in a way that feels fresh and exciting. Just sayin’. UPDATE: When we posted this on the morning of 16 April it had 310 views on Youtube. Now, evening of 17 April, it has 5.5M views on Youtube. The John Carter trailer, released November 30, 2011, has 2.7M views to date. I’m not sure what lesson to take from that . . . . but one thing for sure, this trailer has got some buzz happening.

8 comments

  • My goodness, Krypton looks an awful lot like Barsoom. Right down to the dragonfly airships. Funny how one era’s movies all start to look alike.

    Hey, there’s an alien army blowing up a major American metropolis. Doesn’t that look a lot like “The Avengers”? (And several other films besides.)

    Does Amy Adams warble “Can You Read My Mind”?

    Wow, mentioning the director and his credits (even though “Watchmen” bombed). What a novel concept.

    Snark aside, looks like fun. Yes, Disney should have done such obvious things with their JC trailer. Hell, the first trailer showed ERB reading his uncle’s diary, how difficult would it have been to have Taylor Kitsch narrate the thing? (He narrates exerpts of “Princess” on the Disney second screen –second sight? whatever it’s called — and he’s quite good. I’d like to hear him do the whole novel.)

  • That trailer inspires! Another moment of “Yes!” in answering the question of whether or not the industry can still make them the old-fashioned way, or at least SELL them the old-fashioned way. If the film has the heart it promises, it will reward viewers with an experience both outwardly grand and deeply moving. This trailer has tipped me from “gonna see it” to “gonna see it opening night.” We’ll see if it delivers.

    The theme of an extraordinary and inspiring leader characterized by a grounding humanity feels like a piece of the puzzle of the as-yet unmade Barsoom film which haunts me. Several films over the last few decades have shown us that the individual narrative threads which could compose a fully-ambitious Barsoom film can each have extraordinary impact. What might they accomplish with their strengths combined? Draw from the epic scope and tragic human themes of Lawrence of Arabia. Draw from the search for one’s true home and purpose seen in Dances with Wolves. Draw from the cultural immersion and visceral heroic resolve of Braveheart. Draw from the clash of honorable rogues and the march of empire in Last of the Mohicans. Draw from the loss and retribution of Gladiator. Draw from the themes of history and honor vs. the impersonal machine in The Last Samurai. Draw from the transporting spectacle, captivating adventure and boundless imagination of Star Wars and Avatar.

    With all of those threads already being organic to the fabric of Barsoom, they could be woven together in an uniquely natural and exceptionally synergistic way for the prospective film. To paraphrase a certain fictional character who proposed a famously daunting task, “Someone must do this.”

  • Gods, the film is actually selling itself on the ideals that Kal-El comes to embody. Sure, some spectacle is on display but they’re making their tentpole campaign about the core of the character – and that is damned respectable.

Leave a Reply