by Holly Rogers

Created on: June 19, 2007

How often have you said there is no need to see a certain film because you have already seen all the best bits in the preview, or worse, you go to see a film because the preview looked so good, only to find out that you already know what happens in all the funniest or most exciting parts? How disappointing.

What ever happened to leaving something to the imagination? It seems that movie previews these days are so desperate to sell their movie that they reveal every possible part that might get the fans eager to see it. This is especially apparent for comedies, or children's films, when all the amusing parts or the best jokes are shown in the preview and even though you laughed during the first few viewings of the preview, by the time you actually see the whole film, that same part does not elicit a response from you anymore.

A recent example of a preview that revealed too much was Shrek the Third. Overall this was a wonderful film and one of those rare ones that even though the preview revealed too much, it was still enjoyable all the way through, with a few extra surprises. However, my main gripe with the previews of this film, and I say previews, because I saw at least three different ones, is that it revealed certain parts of the plot that would have worked better had they been left as a surprise. The main plot spoiler I am referring to is the addition of triplets to the Shrek and Fiona family. The babies come right at the very end of the film. They are not an essential part of the plot and there was enough going on throughout the film to get the fans interested with previews, even without revealing the babies. I think it would have provided viewers with far more entertainment had they of not known about the babies at all through the previews. I realize this is hard with merchandising everywhere, but it would have given us an extra bit of a surprise right at the end of a really entertaining film.

Certain films will sell themselves with or without a detailed preview. Shrek is one of those films. Harry Potter is another. Each time I go to the cinema there seems to be yet another Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix preview to spoil a little more of the plot. The first preview already had me sold. The problem is however, that the films that really do not need excessive advertising because they are already very popular, tend to be the ones that are over revealed during previews.

Personally I like most of the film to be a mystery. I prefer previews that give

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