Movie Trailers

All-Time Favorite Trailers: ‘Pale Rider’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

With Tony Farinella’s ever so enthusiastic review of Clint Eastwood’s 1985 western “Pale Rider,” I was quickly reminded of the various trailers made for it back in the day. Each trailer and television commercial made for it was dominated by the music of “Best Endeavours” which was composed by Alan Hawkshaw. That piece of music alone was enough to get me super excited about this particular motion picture.

But one particular trailer for “Pale Rider” which excited and stayed me throughout the years was its teaser. I first watched the teaser when it was included in the VHS release of “City Heat,” a movie which teamed up Eastwood with Burt Reynolds and eventually became one of my most inescapable guilty pleasures.

What makes this trailer for “Pale Rider” stand out for me is how it is composed simply of still images. Like the Italian movie trailer for Dario Argento’s “Suspiria,” it is the images which, in their stillness or frozen moments, spoke volumes. While Warner Brothers might have preferred more in the way of moving images, the still ones had much more of an impact on me.

Plus, it has a narrator telling us how Eastwood had previously directed the last great western back in 1976 with “The Outlaw Josey Wales.” This made the trailer’s promise of “Pale Rider” being the next great American western all the more thrilling. Whether or not you think “Pale Rider” proved to be such the thing, I admired the case the narrator sold us on.

As much as I wanted to see “Pale Rider” when it arrived in theaters, I was only ten years at the time, and it was rated R. The best I could do was watch Siskel & Ebert review it as I got to see movie clips there, and I did get to read the movie’s novelization which was written by Alan Dean Foster. For some odd reason, my parents never kept me from doing that.

I didn’t get to see “Pale Rider” until many years later, but that is a story for another time. And from now on, Alan Hawkshaw’s “Best Endeavours” will always forever be the “Pale Rider” theme to me. To others, it may forever be the theme for the British program Channel 4 News, but Channel 4 never secured permanent exclusivity rights for it at the time, so there!

Please check out the “Pale Rider” teaser trailer down below.

Danny Boyle’s ’28 Years Later’ Finally Unleashes Its First Trailer

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And so, it has finally arrived: the first trailer for the long-awaited sequel, “28 Years Later.” Like another sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” it was stuck in the deep, dark and despairing pit known as development hell. But like said sequel, this one finally emerged from its depressing depths and looks to promise us another round of infected zombies running way too fast and devouring everything in their path, and it looks to be a creative reinvigoration for Danny Boyle, the Oscar winning director of “Slumdog Millionaire.”

The story so far indicates that almost thirty years have passed since the Rage Virus was unleashed upon the world after a group of animal rights activists naively released an infected chimpanzee from its cage (the road to hell is always paved with good intentions). After what looks like a prologue in which a harried parent locks a group of children into a room where they watch the Teletubbies before blood starts flying everywhere, we are taken to an island where humans can find peace as they are surrounded by water which acts as a much-needed border between them and the infected. Like those characters from the “Dawn of the Dead” remake, they think this island will offer them a safe haven, but we all know this will not last very long.

This first “28 Years Later” trailer promises an especially visceral and bleak time at the movies as humanity still struggles in a post-Rage Virus world. But then again, remembering how “28 Weeks Later” ended with dozens of infected running towards the Eiffel Tower, we could not have expected things to get much better. And keep in mind, the tagline for this sequel states, “Time didn’t change anything.” With Boyle returning to this franchise as a director for the first time since “28 Days Later,” and Alex Garland returning as screenwriter, it will be interesting to see how life has evolved (or perhaps devolved) for the characters we see here and the virus.

Movie trailers for the longest time have been using special remixes of popular songs to get the audience’s adrenaline pumping as excitement is always promised for eager film buffs, and the hopes of a huge first weekend opening at the box office is always in the air. With “28 Years Later,” we instead get an old recording of Rudyard Kipling’s war poem “Boots” read by Taylor Holmes. Holmes’ increasing the intensity of Kipling’s words makes the images thrust at us here all the more horrifying, and it makes this one of the best and most memorable movie trailers I have seen in some time.

The big question I have, however, is this; where is Cillian Murphy? After winning the Best Actor Oscar for his role in “Oppenheimer,” it was said he would be reprising his role of Jim and also be serving as an executive producer on this sequel. While actors such as James Bond front-runner Aaron Taylor Johnson, Jodie Comer and an especially beat up Ralph Fiennes dominate this trailer to where no infected person could easily upstage them, I kept waiting to see Murphy somewhere in here. Rumor is, there is a corpse which rises up from the grass that looks a lot like him, and it makes me wonder what will become of Jim this time around.

“28 Years Later” is said to be the first of a trilogy, and the next film, “28 Years Later II: The Bone Temple” is currently being shot with “Candyman” director Nia DaCosta at the helm. Boyle’s sequel, which said to have been shot mostly on an iPhone 15 Pro Max, will be released on June 20, 2025.

Please check out the trailer below.

Worst Movie Trailers Ever: ‘Warlock – The Armageddon’

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I remember seeing this movie trailer back when I was an employee at Crow Canyon Cinemas in Northern California. I was aware of the original “Warlock” which starred the late Julian Sands as the title character, a son of Satan who is intent on destroying the world. And like any horror film from the 1980’s, it had to be followed by a sequel. This teaser showed some promise as we watch a peaceful landscape of nature become infinitely degraded to where the end of the world feels far too near for our comfort. And it always feels like the end of the world is just around the corner these days and, unlike R.E.M., we do not feel fine about it. Plus, the man narrating the trailer does make your blood curdle as he talks about “when he comes” and how “the land will be tainted with blood.”

So, why does this teaser trailer for “Warlock: The Armageddon” end up on my list for the worst movie trailers ever? Because it shows a lot of promise, and yet it feels so incredibly and unforgivably cheap. This could have been one for the ages, but it instead illustrates how this sequel had to deal with a far too low budget than its predecessor. While “Warlock” had a budget of $15 million to work with, “Warlock: The Armageddon” was made for only $3 million. Watching this trailer makes me realize how the producers were clearly pinching every penny they had when going into this production, and it makes everything here look so sad.

Seriously, this could have been one of the greatest movie trailers ever had more money and creativity been put into its making. That land tainted with blood looks like it was painted with a red Crayola marker. I look at this piece of marketing, and I cannot help but think about all the things about it which could have been improved on. While the narrator does what he can to sell it to the moviegoing public, the images betray the fact that not enough money was put into this particular film. Talk about a power point presentation gone bad!

It’s no wonder that this sequel’s follow up, “Warlock III: The End of Innocence,” would have an even lower budget to where Julian Sands bailed on the proceedings and was replaced by Bruce Payne and didn’t even get a theatrical release. Going straight to video back then never made anyone look all that good.

All-Time Favorite Trailers: ‘The Silence of the Lambs’

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This teaser trailer for “The Silence of the Lambs” was my introduction to this film, and it immediately grabbed me in a way few trailers do. Back then, the internet had yet to be discovered by me, I only knew Jodie Foster from “The Accused” which she won an Oscar for, and I had no idea who Anthony Hopkins was in the slightest. I should also add that not once in this trailer is there any mention that this adaptation of Thomas Harris’ novel was directed by Jonathan Demme. Had Demme’s name been included here, it would have made me all the more eager to check this film out as “Married to the Mob” and “Something Wild” were still very fresh in my mind.

What I love about this particular trailer is how it gives this film a look which makes it feel like no other cinematic experience that was coming soon to a theater near you. Everything about it was full of darkness, but it was a darkness like no other. With its striking images and shrieking noises, and also Anthony Hopkins staring directly into the camera in a way few other actors could, I felt I was being promised an experience which not be average or cliched in any conceivable way. I also very much prefer it to the main theatrical trailer which, quite frankly, gave far too much of the story away to where I am so very thankful I didn’t see it before I saw this brilliant motion picture on the silver screen at Crow Canyon Cinemas.

For the record, “The Silence of the Lambs” is one of my favorite movies ever, and one which I am happy to revisit quite often. This teaser trailer is also one of my favorites as those who put it together made it clear to audiences that this was a motion picture you would be foolish to miss out on. While the darkness it presented could have frightened many audience members off, not once did it feel like your average slasher flick.

First Trailer For ‘Alien: Romulus’ Has Been Unleashed

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For my money, both Sir Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant” were worth the price of admission as the famed director dared to take this franchise he began back in 1979 in a different direction as they both dealt what happened before the events of the original. But regardless of Scott’s intentions, audiences were very critical of both films as many were expecting something along the lines of what they got before. After watching the teaser trailer for the upcoming “Alien: Romulus,” I get the feeling they will get what they want, but are we also charting our way back into familiar territory?

The start of this trailer features familiar visuals as we visit a spaceship which looks very much like the Nostromo. From there, we see a couple of capsules which I assume the humans hibernated in, and one is quite the bloody sight. From there, we see characters running through corridors, we see a female getting something very long and possibly deadly being pulled out of her throat and mouth. It all culminates with Caliee Spaeny wielding an “Aliens” looking weapon as she carefully traverses the corridor, terrified of what might be waiting for her around the corridor. Looking at the way she is dressed and the weapon she has in her hands, it is very clear Spaeny is being introduced as the Ellen Ripley of this franchise installment.

Looking at this first trailer, it has me wondering if 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) was adamant that it look like something which stoked the nostalgia of the “Alien” franchise’s most die-hard fans. Clearly, they feel the need to give the fans something they want after the commercial under-performance of “Alien: Covenant.” But if that is the studio executives’ intention, can they succeed in doing so as nothing can ever compare to the original? Moreover, there is no guarantee that the fans will be accepting of the same old thing when they get it.

For what it is worth, however, the image of those numerous facehuggers galloping out of a certain room to land on the faces of the unsuspecting is quite the sight. It gives new meaning to the term, “I want some head.”

What really gets me excited about this particular “Alien” installment is what I have read about it thus far. It is directed by Fede Alvarez who directed the “Evil Dead” remake which I was lukewarm about, but he also made the 2016 film “Don’t Breathe” which proved to be an excellent thriller and a great exercise in handling suspense in a motion picture. If Alvarez can make “Alien: Romulus” every bit as unnerving as “Don’t Breathe,” then we are in for quite the cinematic ride.

Also, this film is a interquel, a sidequel and a prequel as it takes place between the events portrayed in “Alien” and “Aliens.” Furthermore, it has the sincere approval of the directors of those two classic movies, Ridley Scott and James Cameron. Scott has been quoted as saying the rough cut he has seen is “fucking great,” and Cameron has praised the same cut as well. If that is not the best endorsement a filmmaker can get, what is?

While I am obligated to keep any expectations I have for “Alien: Romulus” in check as I do with most movies, I do look forward to checking it out when it arrives in theaters on August 16, 2024. Please feel free to check out the trailer below.

An Ultimate Rabbit Video Review: ‘Thanksgiving’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

So here I am with another video review of a recent movie release. This time it is for Eli Roth’s “Thanksgiving,” a movie which was promised to us ever since Roth made his fake “Thanksgiving” trailer for 2007’s “Grindhouse.” But while that trailer came across as a send-up and satire of the many slasher films we grew up with over the years, this one is more of a reboot of what came before. It also comes with quite the cast of actors which includes Patrick Dempsey (recently crowned People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive), Rick Hoffman, Gina Gershon, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae and Milo Manheim to name a few. Furthermore, it proves to be far more well-produced and directed than the average slasher flick to where it becomes clear this one has a much higher budget what filmmakers would usually expect on a shoot like this.

What results here is a horror movie which is not about to redefine the genre in any way, shape or form, but instead one which acts as a love letter to those Roth and company grew up on like “Halloween,” “Silent Night Deadly Night,” “New Year’s Evil” and “April Fool’s Day” to name a few. I found “Thanksgiving” to be a complete blast as it featured a number of truly suspenseful and scary moments, and I found myself laughing harder here than at any other movie released in 2023. While Eli Roth’s output as a director has been mixed at best, this film reminds you he is a better filmmaker than we tend to give him credit for. From start to finish, I could say everyone in front of and behind the camera put a lot of love into this project, and they must have had the time of their lives making it.

Please check out my video review below, and you can also check out both the real trailer for “Thanksgiving” and the fake one Roth created for “Grindhouse.”

All-Time Favorite Trailers: ‘The Exorcist – The Version You’ve Never Seen’

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There are several trailers out there for William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” which are very memorable, but the one which stands out for me is the one made for its rerelease back in the year 2000. In some ways, it is a huge surprise that this trailer was not treated like a red band trailer as the film remains ever so shocking after all these years. Regardless, it does a great job of reminding audiences, old and new, of what an incredibly unnerving and unforgettable experience this 1973 film was when it first came out, and how it remains so all these years later. Even if there was no new footage made for this release, this trailer made seeming it back on the silver screen an offer no movie buff could ever refuse.

I have to tell you, seeing this version on “The Exorcist” at a celebrated movie theater in Westwood, California provided me with one of the best cinematic experiences I ever had. On top of this film never having lost any of its power, as it contains scenes no studio would allow any filmmaker to capture on film today, the theater had the most extraordinary sound system which made watching it all the more adrenaline-inducing, exhilarating and enthralling to sit through. This trailer gave me such a great reason to check it out on the biggest silver screen in my neighborhood.

To date, there has yet to be an “Exorcist” sequel or prequel which can at the very least equal Friedkin gave us half a century ago.

Please check out the re-release trailer down below.

All-Time Favorite Trailers: ‘The Expendables 3’

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With “The Expendables 4,” or “Expend4bles” as the studio cleverly calls it, about to be released, I wanted to reflect on its predecessor which came out nearly a decade ago. As disappointed as I was with “The Expendables 3” to where my opinion would be no different if it were rated R instead of PG-13, I still adore its teaser trailer which I still find myself watching quite often. It is short and sweet as we are introduced to the cast of the sequel to the tune of Malcolm Arnold’s theme to “The Bridge on the River Kwai.” There is something thrilling about seeing all these actors and movie stars coming together on the silver screen to this famous piece of film music, the same one the actors of “The Breakfast Club” whistled at one point while losing an entire Saturday for whatever it was they did wrong.

Like the teaser trailer for “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” this is a great one for a movie I really cannot stand. While I am happy to revisit “The Expendables” and “The Expendables 2,” “The Expendables 3” is one I would prefer to believe never existed in the first place. But yes, we always have this delightful teaser trailer to it.

Check out the teaser trailer below.

All-Time Favorite Trailers: ‘Little Children’

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A lot of movie trailers are scored with certain kinds of music to where certain themes are used over and over in them such as the ones from “Black Rain” and “Requiem for a Dream.” But for the “Little Children” trailer, however, the images we see are instead scored to the sound of a locomotive train which is about to reach its desired destination, and it proves to be the perfect illustration of the repression the main characters are experiencing, and of how they will eventually see their passions rise to the surface in a much-needed way.

“Little Children” is a romantic psychological drama film released back in 2006. It was based on the novel by Tom Perrotta who wrote the screenplay with the film’s director, Todd Field. I loved how the trailer used the sound of a train to show how these characters innermost desires, passions and needs were just simmering underneath surface, and of how they were about to explode through the confines placed upon them. Images of Kate Winslet breathing deeply while wearing a red bathing suit while Patrick Wilson looks on in an escapable way to where he is trying his best not to be seduced made this film look all the more alluring to me. This was also aided by the appearance of Jennifer Connelly who plays Patrick Wilson’s wife, and she openly wonders why he is spending a great deal of time with Winslet.

This is one of the most brilliantly conceived movie trailers ever as its sounds and images promised you a most enthralling time in a theater when this one came out. It also proved to be one of the most unique trailers of its time when it was unveiled to audiences everywhere and, to me, it made this motion picture one which I owed it to myself to see on opening day. Some movie trailers want you to believe they are promoting the next Oscar-friendly bet, but this one made me believe it would sweep the Academy Awards with relative ease. The fact that it did not is unfortunate, but it does not take away from the film’s incredible merits which include a great cast of actors who inhabited their roles ever so deeply and believably.  

A24 to Re-Release ‘Stop Making Sense’ in Remastered 4K, and I Cannot Wait

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Like any other year, 2023 has brought with it a lot of exciting news about the many movies coming our way very soon. But news of one movie really piqued my interest, and that was of A24 acquiring the worldwide rights to the classic 1984 concert film “Stop Making Sense.” directed by the late, great Jonathan Demme, it is set to be remastered in 4K and will be released in theaters sometime before the end of the year.

A24 has since premiered a promo trailer for the film’s re-release which features David Byrne showing up at a dry cleaner establishment to pick up a piece of clothing which sure enough turns out to be the big suit he wore in the latter half of the concert, starting with the song “Girlfriend is Better.” He is pleased to receive it and is quick to put it back on once he arrives at his apartment. To see that it still fits is not a surprise in the slightest and, like everyone else, I look forward to see him rocking and rolling in it yet again.

The only thing which bothers me about this rerelease trailer is that it does not feature the other members of Talking Heads: Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth. Surely, they too are excited about this classic concert film, right? The likelihood of these four ever reuniting remains astronomical, but it would have been nice to see these three featured in this trailer as well even if they were forced to film their appearances separate from Byrne’s.

What I love about “Stop Making Sense” is that it is a motion picture you cannot watch sitting still. Whether you are viewing it on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, your local theater or in 4K, Demme makes you feel like you are watching the show along with those lucky patrons at the Pantages. I did get the chance to see on the silver screen at an arthouse theater in Orange County while I was a student at UC Irvine. The crowd in that theater, however, was quite small, so I hope the next crowd I see it with when it arrives back on the silver screen before the end of 2023 is much, much bigger. Seriously, this film is a great and exhilarating experience to take in with groups of people, and I cannot wait to do so in the near future.

Check out the promo trailer down below.