Let’s consider for a moment that going to the movies is like going on a trip, which in many ways it exactly what it is.

So, you’re planning to take this trip and it’s one you’ve really been wanting to take.  You’ve read or heard a little about it from others who have already been there to whet your appetite.  Maybe some of your friends have even gone recently and told you what a great time they had.  Okay, so now you’re really excited!

Now imagine one of your friends says to you, “Hey, you wanna see some pictures of you on that trip you’re about to take?  Yeah, I’ve got this great new camera.  It lets me lets me take pictures now of all the best stuff you’re gonna do while you’re there.”

Set aside for a moment the insatiable, albeit ‘train wreck’, curiosity anyone would have upon first hearing of such a device to see it first-hand to stop and think; would you really want someone to show you pictures of all the good times you were *about* to have?  Would that really make you more excited about what was waiting for you, or would it kill all the spontaneity of experiencing it fresh as it happened?  Furthermore, if you did decide to look into the future, what would that do to the memories you’d make while you were there?

Just picture the scene as your friend explains each of the photos. . .

‘Oh, Look…Look!  There’s that corner booth where the waiter is going to spill a drink in your buddy’s lap while he’s in the middle of telling you that old locker room wedgie story for the umpteenth time.  Oh!  And there’s that briefcase full of money you’ll find under the mattress in your hotel room, which turns out to be drug money your *other* buddy brought along to put a hit on you on account of that hanky business deal you accidentally found out about just before you left, only now cause you got the money the hitman thinks he’s working for you instead of your buddy and isn’t sure who he’s supposed to kill . . .’

I think you get the idea.

Basically, all through your trip, instead of simply going along for the ride and enjoying the trip as it unfolds, you’ll spend half of vaguely recalling what comes next and the other half rolling your eyes at any apparent suspense or mortal danger involving certain people, which *might* have seemed possible otherwise, but now has been rendered impossible since you’ve already seen them in some *other* photograph doing something that they haven’t done yet.  Clearly they’ll live to pose another day.  {sigh}

Of course, after I’ve seen the movie I’m more than happy to go back and watch the trailer.  I usually do.  But then it’s more like flipping through a old photo album recalling my favorite memories, than it is dodging a barrage of heavy-handed spoiler images the film maker’s marketing team  decided would make me want to go see it in the first place.

So movie-makers, you may keep your trailers . . . at least before the show.  I prefer to be surprised!