Great trailers but terrible movies

[gottacook]

Surprised no one's mentioned it yet, but a trailer I first saw in a theater in November 1979 comes to mind:

Star Trek - The Motion Picture.

I think it can be seen on YouTube. Orson Welles names the cast and their roles, and gets to say "The human adventure is just beginning." There's no hint of the movie's rather disappointing, derivative plot. Yes, after more than 29 years of contemplation, I do think it was a terrible movie. (Although I do recognize Jerry Goldsmith's achievement turning out great scores for this and Alien in the same year; his Oscar-nominated TMP score should have won.)

 

[Goji]

I remember really wanting to see "The Village" after viewing the trailer. The whole "unknown monsters in the woods" thing was just too cool. So imagine how much I enjoyed the actual movie, and its "shocking" twist...

The earliest trailers for the American Godzilla looked interesting enough, mostly because they didn't reveal the design of the monster, didn't feature Mathew Broderick and didn't showcase any of the film's constant dumbass attempts at humor.

 

[IndyJones]

I
Similar to how footage from the 'Mary Poppins' trailer was used to make it seem like a horror movie, or 'The Silence of the Lambs' used to make it seem like a romantic comedy.

The Mary Poppins one is good.

I just watched trailer for The Fugitive's Day Off mixing The Fugitive and Ferris Bueller. I was loving it even before they began intermixing the scenes from two separate Chicago Parades. That was just inspired.

 

[the_wildcard]

I gotta agree with X-men 3. That was a great trailer......oh man was the movie a let down.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Dune

Hell of a trailer to Lynch's film. Movie disappointed.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I
Similar to how footage from the 'Mary Poppins' trailer was used to make it seem like a horror movie, or 'The Silence of the Lambs' used to make it seem like a romantic comedy.

The Mary Poppins one is good.

I just watched trailer for The Fugitive's Day Off mixing The Fugitive and Ferris Bueller. I was loving it even before they began intermixing the scenes from two separate Chicago Parades. That was just inspired.

I remember seeing the "Bateman begins" trailer which was pretty good (mixing the first Nolan Batman film with "American Psycho").

Another good one saw "Sleepless in Seattle" transformed into a terrifying psychological horror, and "The Terminator" become a bizarre romantic drama.

There was also an awesome spoof trailer for the Titanic "sequel" featuring clips from lots of films.

But for me, the very best one was the trailer for that feel-good heartwarming comedy (The) "Shining".

 

[LutherSloan]

-X Men 3
-Star Trek Nemesis
-Spiderman 3
-Pearl Harbor
-The Matrix Reloaded
-The Matrix Revolutions

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

-Batman Forever
-Superman Returns
-The Phantom Menace
-Star Trek Nemesis
-Stargate...HAW! (Okay, I'm exaggerating. More mediocre than terrible)

Misleading trailers:
-The Fountain (decent movie that is much slooower than trailer implies)
-Cold Mountain (see above)

 

[Starbreaker]

Superman Returns. What a let down.

 

[Magisterfrodo]

Thanks for bringing a few more to mind.
I've got to agree with Pearl Harbor, Star Trek: Nemesis, and the Matrix sequals.
I can't believe Man in the Iron Mask got mentioned. I lvoed that movie!

I thought of another from quite a while back - First Knight starring Sean Connery as King Arther. I thought it would be good, despite Richard Gere. I was wrong.

 

[Praetor]

Superman Returns. What a let down.

That and 'Star Trek: Nemesis' are probably my big two.

 

[CaptJimboJones]

I'll have to jump on the "Superman Returns" bandwagon. Such a great trailer and the movie was such a pile of crap.

 

[LutherSloan]

I guess I would also have to add Superman Returns, because after thinking about the trailer for awhile, I remembered that it was pretty good.

The movie was so boring, it was one of the few times I have been tempted to take a nap in the theater.

 

[Mr Light]

The trailer for Ultraviolet was amazing with a great song on it. While I enjoyed the movie, it definitely didn't live up to the promise (and the song wasn't even in the movie!).

 

[thestrangequark]

The trailer for Garden State was a work of art. The movie itself was obnoxious.

 

[LutherSloan]

The trailer for Ultraviolet was amazing with a great song on it. While I enjoyed the movie, it definitely didn't live up to the promise (and the song wasn't even in the movie!).

That happens frequently, where films have trailers with music that was picked by the marketing people, and has nothing to do with the film. Especially for action movies, you will hear a lot of the same songs played in front of trailers, mostly on TV.

 

[Argus Skyhawk]

The trailer for the Lost in Space movie looked thrilling and fun. The actual movie, not so much.

 

[Mr Light]

Isn't there a law that every single suspense/action movie trailer must use the SAW theme music "Zepp Revealed"? Or that every big action movie must use operatic crooning set to quick cuts of fighting?

 

[SalvorHardin]

I remember the trailer for Alien vs Predator 2 looking good but it ended up being worse shit that the first movie.

 

[miraclefan]

I remember the trailer for Alien vs Predator 2 looking good but it ended up being worse shit that the first movie.

Wow! good thing I didn't go Oh! has anybody here seen the new dragonball trailer? if the trailer is any indication this movie WILL suck dragonballz