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View Full Version : Almost 30 years ago I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark in previews

edhopper
08-13-2009, 04:27 PM
A good friend got screening tickets in NY.
I went in knowing nothing. I thought it was another Speilberg / Lucas space flick.
Maybe the best movie experience of my life.
Imagine that today, a major movie comes out and you haven't seen a scene. let alone every big event in the movie repeatedly.
Ah, the good old days.
J. Robb
08-13-2009, 04:41 PM
I totally agree, too often we know too much going into a film. I try to avoid information on movies I'm looking forward to, but with the really big films it's hard to avoid (another reason why the smaller films tend to be more enjoyable.)

Comics have the same problem. Thanks to interviews and previews, the stories tend to be old news by the time the comic actually comes out.
Mike Pothier
08-14-2009, 05:43 PM
The age of information man. Got to take the good with the bad. Sure, its easy to spoil a movie before you see it, but I'll take that if I'm allowed to skip the bad ones due to a good source of previews.
edhopper
08-15-2009, 09:20 AM
The age of information man. Got to take the good with the bad. Sure, its easy to spoil a movie before you see it, but I'll take that if I'm allowed to skip the bad ones due to a good source of previews.

But previews don't really tell if the movie is good or bad, just whether it's full of cool looking scenes (look at GI Joe).
There were always plenty of written reviews and word of mouth to find out if a movie was good. Trailers don't do anything but show you the big scenes and ruin the plot and any suspense.
DonC
08-15-2009, 05:39 PM
I totally agree, too often we know too much going into a film. I try to avoid information on movies I'm looking forward to, but with the really big films it's hard to avoid (another reason why the smaller films tend to be more enjoyable.)


That's one of the reasons I'm looking forward to District 9 so much. Every review says it's a great film, but I don't have a freaking clue what it's about. The only thing I know is that aliens are stranded on Earth and moved to a slum in South Africa.

Unfortunately I won't be able to see it this weekend. But I hope I can remain spoiler-free about what happens.
Mike Pothier
08-15-2009, 05:42 PM
But previews don't really tell if the movie is good or bad, just whether it's full of cool looking scenes (look at GI Joe).
There were always plenty of written reviews and word of mouth to find out if a movie was good. Trailers don't do anything but show you the big scenes and ruin the plot and any suspense.

But the plethora of information available on the net DOES give us an idea of what the movie is about, and if its the type we'd enjoy. Before, you'd have to wait till you spoke with someone who saw it, or just take the plunge and perhaps waste your money.
The Black Guardian
08-16-2009, 01:07 AM
I recall knowing exactly what Raiders was about before going to see it, and that was the reason I actually went. The preview pretty much went through everything that the movie was about.
Julusnc
08-16-2009, 01:29 AM
I remember as a kid (10 years old) going about every weekend with my parents to see a new movie.One of my greatest memories was going to see a new Sci-Fi movie my dad said a friend told him about.The movie ended up being Blade Runner and I am still in awe of this classic movie.

I remember also seeing Alien and was so scared I could not sleep after wards.It was a good month before I could look under my bed :) My cousin received the alien figure for his birthday that year and it scared the shit out of me.
edhopper
08-17-2009, 07:14 AM
I recall knowing exactly what Raiders was about before going to see it, and that was the reason I actually went. The preview pretty much went through everything that the movie was about.

I don't think so;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YXw7BxYGMU
Yes it let's you know they are after the Lost Ark. Which you find out in the first 15 min. of the movie anyway. It shows snippets of action, but DOES not give away major plot points, nor does it show any of the big special effect shots.
Today they would show the final scene in the canyon when the ark is opened.

But my point is still that this was one of the best movie experiences of my life precisely because I knew nothing about the movie before seeing it. Something almost impossible today.
The Black Guardian
08-17-2009, 01:23 PM
Still, I really don't find myself more spoiled today than I used to be. I can't recall learning major plot points in any recent trailer.
grphxkindaguy
08-17-2009, 01:48 PM
A good friend got screening tickets in NY.
I went in knowing nothing. I thought it was another Speilberg / Lucas space flick.
Maybe the best movie experience of my life.
Imagine that today, a major movie comes out and you haven't seen a scene. let alone every big event in the movie repeatedly.
Ah, the good old days.

How much in advance did you see it? The movie came out in '81 IIRC...
rick
08-17-2009, 01:54 PM
How much in advance did you see it? The movie came out in '81 IIRC...

I hate to point this out, I really, really do, but 1981 was almost 30 years ago.
grphxkindaguy
08-17-2009, 02:13 PM
I hate to point this out, I really, really do, but 1981 was almost 30 years ago.

C'mon, you can say it..."it was 28 years ago"...its okay, no one will think the lesser of you! :wink:

You made it sound like it was within a smaller time frame then TWO YEARS. Here's the math for you:

2009 - 30 = 1979 :smile:

2011 - 30 = 1981 :eek:

see how that works? Thanks for playing! :rolleyes: