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Daydream Nation Trailer: Manufactured Whimsy, Counterfeit Comedy And The Art Of Film Trailer Manipulation

By Joanna Robinson | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (16)

daydreamnation2.jpeg

The film Daydream Nation features a fantastic cast: the luscious Kat Dennings, the better than that “Poor Man’s McConaughey” label Josh Lucas, and Reece Thompson, who you’ve only heard of if you’ve seen the great indie Rocket Science. Did you see Rocket Science? Good, then you know why I was excited.

Was? Oh yes, was. Because while the trailer presents a sort of whimsical slurry of Juno meets Charlie Bartlett meets the fun parts of Lolita (What? There are fun parts!), the truth of the movie, if you do a little digging, is something much darker in tone and content. While something dark is alluded to (is that a flash of Josh Lucas naked…with a gun…and…weeping?), the plunkety indie music and quippy dialogue paints a very different picture.

So what, right? We all know that a trailer is an advertisement. The best and most alluring portions of the film are cut together to sell us on the concept. Personally, I like a trailer that doesn’t reveal the entire d*mn plot of a movie for once. But when does “creative” advertising become “false advertising?” It’s one thing for advertisers to leave out a significant plot point, but when that point changes the tone of the entire film, well, that’s how you find yourself on Christmas Day at a screening of Marley And Me surrounded by squalling children who thought they were seeing Beethoven for f*ck’s sake. The most wonderful time of the year, my *ss.

So what, in your opinion, crosses the line? In regards to his Predators film, director Robert Rodriguez admitted, “A lot of my movies have trailer shots that I shoot just for the trailer.” We know anything can be recut to look like anything, but should it? Do you remember a trailer that duped you? Should I be more messed up than I am for reading “The Bridge To Terabithia” at the age of seven? That book and film, by the way? Not what is advertised below.

Joanna Robinson wants you to take one thing away from this post: see Rocket Science. Please, I beg of you. Then let her know what you think via email or the Twitters.









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Comments

OK, the trailer for Your Highness informed me that I would start laughing from 2 seconds into the movie and continue guffawing until the end. Beg to differ.

Posted by: DenG at April 8, 2011 12:06 PM

Oh Kat. Sweet Kat Dennings. I would watch you eat shit.

(Oh, don't look at me like that. He though Lolita was "fun".)

Posted by: superasente at April 8, 2011 12:21 PM

She. Goddammit. She thought it was fun.

Posted by: superasentecan'tread at April 8, 2011 12:22 PM

My wife and I were excited for The Ice Harvest, since the trailer (from what I remember, anyway) made it out to be a fun, Gross Point Blanke-ish Cusack romp. The film itself was decidedly anything but that.

Posted by: Markus at April 8, 2011 12:24 PM

Should I be more messed up than I am for reading “The Bridge To Terabithia” at the age of seven? That book and film, by the way? Not what is advertised below.

That's actually the first one that came to my mind. Having never read the book, I was expecting something Narnia-Lite-ish.
Come to find out "DAAAAAAAAMN!!!! THIS IS SOME SIMON BIRCH'S SHIT!"
/over two-year-old joke

Posted by: branded at April 8, 2011 12:28 PM

I don't know. I like my whimsical coming of age stories to come with side servings of infidelity, statutory rape, rage and potential gunplay. I find that Hollywood rarely hits all my buttons.

Posted by: Groundloop at April 8, 2011 1:01 PM

The trailer for the Mummy made it out to be a scary/thriller monster movie instead of the ridiculous action/comedy it was.

Posted by: Brigs at April 8, 2011 1:10 PM

I think it also does the film a disservice when they try to market it as something that would appeal to the lowest common denominator (a cheap horror movie) as opposed to a psychological drama. The underrated Bug with Ashley Judd comes to mind.

Posted by: Mac at April 8, 2011 2:09 PM

I hope Sonic Youth gets paid for the title theft, even as I know titles can't be copyrighted.

Posted by: , at April 8, 2011 2:51 PM

I still refuse to watch Predators because of multiple targets scene in the trailer. It might seem petty, but it annoyed me that the coolest shot from the teaser had nothing to do with the film at all.

Posted by: csb at April 8, 2011 7:55 PM

Ummmm its called Daydream Nation and there's a character named THURSTON in it!?

Sold.

(and I agree with , they need to pay up to the Youth)

Posted by: grace b at April 9, 2011 9:52 AM

I went to Adventureland expecting a Superbad type comedy. Consequently, I hated it.

Posted by: ang at April 9, 2011 9:15 PM

Sonic Youth

Posted by: Steph at April 10, 2011 3:15 PM

Adventureland trailers were misleading because a movie that says " A touching, fairly realistic treatment of a shitty summer job" will never make as much cash as "Jokes, boobs and swearing! Wheee!!"

In other news I am rarely asked for poster blurbs.

Posted by: Mrcreosote at April 10, 2011 4:27 PM

Well, that trailer for Daydream Nation trailer doesn't look like anything I want. It seems like they were trying to connect it to Easy A, which I loved. If it's a serious, tortured drama... then still no. By the way, who is Kat Dennings? It seems that Pajiba has found a new love, but I'm not getting it. At all.

Posted by: Jenne Frisby at April 10, 2011 11:03 PM

I would have seen Fight Club initially if it's trailer hadn't made it look like a shit gritty underground boxing film.

I never would have seen Sleepy Hollow based on it's awful trailer that made it look like a sub-par horror. Luckily I was dragged along and it was funny.

Posted by: Ender at April 13, 2011 7:55 AM