Classic Movie Trailers

Instant Classics?

Movies never start out as classics but evolve into one if all their stars and planets align in just the right way. As an exercise, turn the clock back and watch these relic movie trailers and see how well the short preview matches up to the movie and if it foreshadows its classic status. Casablanca is on everyone's list as a classic. Its movie trailer gives one the impression that it was just a nice little love story between an expatriate American guy named Rick who owned a bar and looked good in a tux and a Swedish dame with a twinkling eye that melted your heart who was carting around some baggage named Lazlo and were stuck in Northern Africa while being harassed by the dirty rat Huns. Yes, there's some gunfire, drinking, singing, melodrama, good guys and bad guys. But does it look like it would be listed as #2 on AFI's Top 100 Movies of All Time? No? Whatever, we'll always have Paris.

#1 Classic Movie Trailer?

So, what was #1? Of course it was Citizen Kane and Orson Welles' trailer puts a different spin on his Rosebud. The preview starts with a microphone and Orson pumping his story of John Foster Kane by introducing the film's actors behind the scenes during its production. The trailer shows the same artistic approach in lighting and editing that Welles showed in the actual movie.

Some Other Interesting Trailers

But let's get back to this notion that moviemakers aren't aware they are making classics and are mostly hoping to just make a good movie. It's fun to go back and check out classic movie trailers just to see what movie production companies' concept about these movies and how they tried to market them. Sometimes they hit the mark, sometimes they didn't. Sometimes they would also make a classic movie trailer unto itself. If you are like me, I have no problem watching Julie Andrews singing and twirling in circles on top of an Austrian Alp but it is unbearable sitting through 5 minutes of The Sound of Music and I can never make it far enough to climb any mountain let alone every one. Don't have enough time for 212 minutes of Ben-Hur but want a taste of galley slave life and a good old-fashioned blood 'n guts chariot race? This classic movie trailer gives you a sense of this epic movie and might spark your interest to perhaps set aside the time to watch Charlton Heston in toga and sandals.

Tracking Down Trailers

The internet has a many sites and places that let you view movie trailers without spending a nickel. You can visit AFI to get their assorted 100 movie lists or also at IMDB where trailers and links are arranged alphabetically for you to screen. And by the way, you can see find almost all Humphrey Bogart movie trailers here. One idea is to watch the trailer for John Huston's [African Queen] and then watch the trailer for Clint Eastwood's White Hunter, Black Heart film where Clint plays a fictional character based upon John Huston trying to produce and direct Bogie in the African Queen, one is a classic whereas the other is a sleeper. And for you Bela Lugosi and Winona Ryder fans, compare the 1931 Dracula with the 1992 Francis Ford Coppola's version. Keanu Reeves doesn't fit in either version.

The following are some good sites to stream some classic movie trailers online.

• Turner Movie Classics

Hey, Turner says they're classics so they must be.

• Spout

A movie blog produced by buffs.

• Rotten Tomatoes

An online movie community.

• Reel Classics

If you like Texas and want to watch James Dean get soaked in oil, check out George Stevens' Giant.

• Movie-List

Don't forget to preview "the stuff that dreams are made of."

Note also that all movie trailers are not equal, many movie companies release different versions that are targeted for specific audiences.

"All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.