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25. Real Life (1979)
By IFC
on 06/25/2009
If you’re going to sell a comedy without showing any actual footage from said film, the promo material you do use better be downright uproarious. If done right, it’s a gamble worth taking, as evidenced by Albert Brooks' trailer for 1979’s "Real Life," which tells you next to nothing about the film itself but thoroughly convinces you of Brooks’ sardonic gifts.
The trailer opens to the star/director sitting at a fancy office desk typing on a calculator -- as if some routine accounting were being interrupted by our appearance -- and he proceeds to explain to viewers how "Real Life" will be in 3-D (which is a lie), and so too will the forthcoming trailer (which is also sort of a lie). After instructing audience members to don their nonexistent 3-D glasses -- or borrow some red and blue cellophane from the theatergoer sitting beside them -- Brooks, now shot in out-of-focus 3-D, proceeds to repeatedly stick his finger, as well as throw a drink, at the screen in typical 3-D-gimmicky fashion. Finally, in the most self-consciously absurd moment in a trailer filled with them, he brings out world champion paddle-ball player Randy Brown for an extended bit in which he hits balls right at the screen while Brooks puts on glasses and goofily exclaims “Randy, it looks like you’re actually here!” --Nick Schager
I guess you guys haven't seen the trailer for The Hughes Bros.'s Dead Presidents, huh? What about Forest Gump? I think those are the 2 greatest of all time. Gump is better than the movie. And Dead Prez is the best ever.
Oh... what about the SW Ep 1 teaser? Maybe you should call this the best film trailers on YouTube! LOL. Dead Prez is probably too hard for you to locate.
I think The Dark Knight, Iron Man, and 300 should be included!
Clerks? No love for the Clerks trailer? Sigh.
Honorable mention for the Grindhouse fake trailers? "Don't" was brilliant.
Great list, by the way. Thanks for including 'Man Who Wasn't There'
Seriously? We have to click 50 times just to get the damn list? No thanks.
Like clicking 50 times is soooo hard, right? But you guys forgot about There Will Be Blood!!
50 PAGES?!!! Get back to work researching how to post an article. No Digg for you.
50 PAGES?!!! Get back to work researching how to post an article. No Digg for you.
GREAT article and flawless pick for #1. I actually did a lil piece on that trailer at our own movie blog, so I'm elated to see as your top pick. Yay trailers!