History Main / ScreamerTrailer

Contrast SubliminalAdvertising.

So anyway. Trailers, films, and VideoGames that [[NothingIsScarier can't rely on time to build suspense]] will use the ScreamerTrailer to scare and shock with glimpses of the movies' monster, mayhem, or even random things, often paired with a scream or other scary and loud sound to catch the viewer by surpri-- [[spoiler:[=pIstAcHiO AVocADo iCecrEAm!=]]] Okay, you can cut it out now, it's not scary anymore.

[[spoiler: [[{{Zalgo}} he comes]]]]

In fact, this technique is quickly moving towards becoming a DiscreditedTrope from overuse. This still shows up played straight in several Internet videos premised precisely on this kind of scare. Some moviegoers have even become desensitized to the strobe light scare, and come to expect the last half second of every such movie trailer to contain one fina-- [[spoiler: Boo!]]

* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' (and by extension, HideakiAnno) loves this, though it is more frequently used to suggest the thoughts and feelings of characters than to outright freak out the viewer. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay174Yvnx7s Which is not to suggest that it doesn't do that as well.]]

So you're sitting in a movie theater, [[InnocentBystander minding your own business,]] when all of a sudden a trailer for a scary movie comes on! It looks cool and the plot is abo--[[spoiler: [[TheScream blooD hatE deatH!]]]]-- what the hell?!

Wow! That hidden frame/half a second flash cut with the scream sure was scary, more so than a CatScare, and [[StringyHairedGhostGirl the pale stringy haired girl]] was frea-- [[spoiler:[[ScareChord PAIN EVIL KUMQUAT]]]] gyah! Okay, a little less scary, but still surprising.

Contrast SubliminalAdvertising.

[[AC:{{Anime}}]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

* ''Film/Thir13enGhosts'' and ''Film/HouseOnHauntedHill1999'' use the Screamer Trailer effect in-movie, as new ghosts are revealed or about to do something nasty to the heroes.

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* The trailer for ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'' (a science-fiction horror game) starts out with shots of a spacecraft and its dead crew, accompanied with a [[IronicNurseryTune creepy lullaby]]. About thirty seconds in, screamer scenes from the game start appearing. The trailer eventually fades more and more into the screamers, and eventually just plain features the gory scary bits.

* ''{{Exmortis}}''? It's one of the best flash games ever, you can see it at http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/189227

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

<<|VideoGameTropes|>>

* The most recent trailer for ''HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince'' has one involving evil, resurrected Voldemort flashing on top of his younger FlashBack self in Albus' memories.

* ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'' (and by extension, HideakiAnno) loves this, though it is more frequently used to suggest the thoughts and feelings of characters than to outright freak out the viewer. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay174Yvnx7s Which is not to suggest that it doesn't do that as well.]]

* ''AdventureTime'' used this for the trailer for "The Lich" that aired directly after "[[TearJerker I]] [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming Remember You]]". Seeing The Lich's face [[JumpScare zoom in at you]] [[MoodWhiplash directly]] after [[spoiler:Simon Petrikov-era Ice King gives a young Marceline a toy during the Mushroom War]] is unsettling.

* ''Film/ThirteenGhosts'' and ''Film/HouseOnHauntedHill1999'' use the Screamer Trailer effect in-movie, as new ghosts are revealed or about to do something nasty to the heroes.

* The classic example is ''{{Suspiria}}'', which told you nothing about the movie except that the word "Suspiria" [[SayMyNameTrailer was highly relevant]].

* ''Film/ThirteenGhosts'' and ''Film/HouseOnHauntedHill'' use the Screamer Trailer effect in-movie, as new ghosts are revealed or about to do something nasty to the heroes.

<<|VideoGameTropes|>>

* The trailer for ''DeadSpace'' (a science-fiction horror game) starts out with shots of a spacecraft and its dead crew, accompanied with a [[IronicNurseryTune creepy lullaby]]. About thirty seconds in, screamer scenes from the game start appearing. The trailer eventually fades more and more into the screamers, and eventually just plain features the gory scary bits.

* ''{{Thirteen Ghosts}}'' and ''{{House On Haunted Hill}}'' use the Screamer Trailer effect in-movie, as new ghosts are revealed or about to do something nasty to the heroes.

* The sci-fi film ''{{Sunshine}}'' includes a possible subversion in a sequence within which the main cast's wandering through a [[spoiler:seemingly]] abandoned spaceship is intercut with flashing images which, at first, look like closeups of human faces with far too much red...and are revealed immediately afterwards to be from a photo of the crew celebrating a birthday party against a red backdrop.

* The sci-fi film ''Sunshine'' includes a possible subversion in a sequence within which the main cast's wandering through a [[spoiler:seemingly]] abandoned spaceship is intercut with flashing images which, at first, look like closeups of human faces with far too much red...and are revealed immediately afterwards to be from a photo of the crew celebrating a birthday party against a red backdrop.

'''''Troper General's Warning:'' Strobe light effects can be hazardous to the health of small children, epileptics, or the [[SickeninglySweet overly cute.]] We recommend using {{Rickroll}}s instead.'''

Wow! That hidden frame/half a second flash cut with the scream sure was scary, more so than a CatScare, and [[StringyHairedGhostGirl the pale stringy haired girl]] was frea-- [[spoiler:[[ScareChord PAIN EVIL KUMQUAT]]]] gyah! Ok, a little less scary, but still surprising.

So anyway, Trailers, films, and VideoGames that [[NothingIsScarier can't rely on time to build suspense]] will use the ScreamerTrailer to scare and shock with glimpses of the movies' monster, mayhem, or even random things, often paired with a scream or other scary and loud sound to catch the viewer by surpri-- [[spoiler:[=pIstAcHiO AVocADo iCecrEAm!=]]] Okay, you can cut it out now, it's not scary anymore.

* The sequel's trailer is even worse, as it's just scary bits with the rhyme playing over them.

Wow! That hidden frame/half a second flash cut with the scream sure was scary, more so than a CatScare, and the pale stringy haired girl was frea-- [[spoiler:[[ScareChord PAIN EVIL KUMQUAT]]]] gyah! Ok, a little less scary, but still surprising.

* ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'' (and by extension, HideakiAnno) loves this, though it is more frequently used to suggest the thoughts and feelings of characters than to outright freak out the viewer. {{http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay174Yvnx7s Which is not to suggest that it doesn't do that as well.}}

* ''{{Halo}}''. Flood. That is all.

* ''{{Eversion}}''. It's really not what you think.