The Dark Knight Teaser-trailer audience reaction thread

[Katsuro]

So, the teaser has supposedly been shown with screenings of The Simpsons tonight. I myself wasn't lucky enough to have one during my showing, as I was quite curious as to how the audience would react to this very... controversial teaser.

So, for those of you who did get to see the teaser in a room full of strangers, what were the reactions? What did people say when it came on, or when they realized what it was? What about after the movie, did anyone make mention of it on the way out?

It'd be nice to know whether or not it's just the fanboys who are wholly underwhelmed by this thing.

 

[TheBatman072]

I never hear audience reactions from trailers or teasers before movies. Only if it's a comedy. Then they're laughing.


Maybe it's a regional thing.

 

[Kid.]

The reaction was ridiculous at my theatre. People knew the instant it started what it was, and the entire theatre cheered so loud that literally the only words I heard were "man of my word". So I guess, positive?

 

[TheBatman072]

The reaction was ridiculous at my theatre. People knew the instant it started what it was, and the entire theatre cheered so loud that literally the only words I heard were "man of my word". So I guess, positive?

Where do you live? It must be awesome.

 

[Kid.]

Near LA. It's cool for the the audience to get into it, but I was pissed 'cause I couldn't make out any of the dialogue. All's well that ends well, though. Thanks MovieWeb.

 

[MSwift]

Near LA. It's cool for the the audience to get into it, but I was pissed 'cause I couldn't make out any of the dialogue. All's well that ends well, though. Thanks MovieWeb.

What theatre did u go to? I had the same reaction at my theatre (AMC in Universal City Walk). Hard to hear the dialogue, but everybody knew what it was. The people know The Dark Knight is coming.

 

[salo120]

I caught the midnight show in New York, and the teaser played. The audience reaction? Stunning.

Seriously, I got on here expecting to see the same reaction but was puzzled when I saw that it wasn't largely reciprocated.

For those who said that the casual viewer wouldn't be interested in the film after seeing the teaser, I'd advise you to stop being such a negative ****ing internet fan boy who thinks he can speak for the general public. The audience clapped, and in my 22 years as a film buff, I have never seen any crowd actually clap after a trailer was shown. I couldn't even tell you what the next trailer was because the entire crowd was busy talking about the "Dark Knight" trailer. The clapping began after the laugh came through.

The laugh was more audible in the theater than it was on the leaked version. Honestly, it reminded me of Mark Hamill, the man who I consider to be the definitive representative of the Joker. Ledger's voice sounds like a cross between Hamill and Nicholson, which I can more than live with.

As said, I've never witnessed an audience actually clap after a trailer. Especially a teaser trailer that didn't show anything. Everyone was buzzing over Michael Caine's lines and how well written, and performed, they are. You have to realize that I'm talking about New York, where we have some of the harshest audiences around. If a New York city, at midnight, would clap after a trailer like that, then I know it was effective. The fan boys need to speak only for themselves, and not for the rest of us. We all loved it. It was great.

 

[Nepenthes]

^ great news honestly the trailer was very ho hum for me but I guess as a fan I was expecting more and it never had a chance to take me by surprise, which is what would happen in a theatre.

 

[hatebox]

In my experience of Begins, fans on the internet have an amazing ability to exaggerate audience reaction to their films, but if people really were buzzed after the teaser then great. It's probably more of an American thing to get actively involved in the movie (eg clapping when it finishes!) as in England people never go that far.

 

[dark_b]

the ones who like hte teaser will say that everyone loved it. the ones who didnt will say that noone like it.

some of them...lets say 20% will tell the truth.

 

[salo120]

Well, can't say I didn't expect those reactions.

OK. The audience clapped after the trailer ended. Everyone around me was talking about it. Where is there room to exaggerate any of that?

As I said, quit being so negative and thinking that you can speak for the general public. I observed this with my own two eyes. You silly monkeys, an audience clapping after a trailer can't possibly be misinterpreted. Go back to jacking off to your Batman the Animated Series DVDs.

 

[hatebox]

Well, can't say I didn't expect those reactions.

OK. The audience clapped after the trailer ended. Everyone around me was talking about it. Where is there room to exaggerate any of that?

As I said, quit being so negative and thinking that you can speak for the general public. I observed this with my own two eyes. You silly monkeys, an audience clapping after a trailer can't possibly be misinterpreted. Go back to jacking off to your Batman the Animated Series DVDs.

Assuming you're addressing me, you could just be outright lying rather than exaggerating I suppose. I don't really care, but I know that after Begins dozens of users were making wild, ridiculous stories about theater reactions to the movie. Like i say, i live in England so I know for a fact I'll never see reactions like that, but I've gone to the cinema many times in the US and still not seen it to that level for a teaser. Hell, if someone takes a video of it and proves me wrong then great, i want the film to be a success...

 

[salo120]

Assuming you're addressing me, you could just be outright lying rather than exaggerating I suppose. I don't really care, but I know that after Begins dozens of users were making wild, ridiculous stories about theater reactions to the movie. Like i say, i live in England so I know for a fact I'll never see reactions like that, but I've gone to the cinema many times in the US and still not seen it to that level for a teaser. Hell, if someone takes a video of it and proves me wrong then great, i want the film to be a success...

I think it would be a success no matter if the reaction to this teaser was 100% negative. You have to understand that in America... uh... we don't have large attention spans. Sad but true. By the time July 2008 rolls around, we'll have an official trailer with clips of the film, and more and more material relating to the film itself. This teaser will be as distant a memory as you can imagine.

Now that I got my positivity out of the way...

Of course I could be lying. And I expected such a reaction in advance. (I don't typically post because of the constant senseless bickering around these parts) But I saw it with my own two eyes. In the grand scheme of thing, it means nothing, but it is what it is. People were clapping. I was feeling pretty good about the film. Enjoyed "The Simpsons". Came home and had a burrito. Admired the sunset. And the world is at peace with itself, even if you aren't at peace with your keyboard.

 

[stonecold]

i think the minimalist, stark nature of the teaser means it will be really powerful in theatres.. the much lamented fact ( by some )- that it does so little - will actually make it more effective.. and we only had a little phone video of it... it will be the same but i can see why the teaser will work..it builds tension, dread, its scary, claustrophobic and subtle, relying just on sound and simple iconic imagery... i think its awesome and moody, sets the tone perfectly. its designed for theatres not youtube. im happy its getting a good response...

 

[Excel]

from another board

"Trailers:
Batman:The Dark knight: only one that got a rise out of the crowd"

 

[RevNorman]

Long-time lurker, first time poster...

I thought most of what you saw visually in the trailer was kind of lame, with the Joker card flying through the bat symbol being the exception.

However, I thought the dialogue was really cool.

 

[Excel]

1 more I found

"The Simpsons Movie"
Thurs/Fri 12:01am
90% Full
Fantastic Reactions all around! Everyone really love the movie!

Trailers (Hype Meter 1-10)
Alvin & the Chipmunks - A few laughs (4)
Good Luck Chuck - Lots of Laughs (7)
The Dark Knight - LOTS of talk (9)
Horton Hears a Who - Very little response (3)

 

[slickrick2k1]

I've gone to the cinema many times in the US and still not seen it to that level for a teaser. Hell, if someone takes a video of it and proves me wrong then great, i want the film to be a success...

This is definitely true. You're not going to get crazy love and fan reaction from just any movie screening in the U.S. You gotta go to the midnight showing, to where you *already* have a ton of enthusiastic people who are die-hard pop culture fans enough to watch a midnight showing. You like the simpsons? Chances are you might like batman. So, yeah, you're both right. Er, both wrong. Whatever.

 

[itsthebatman]

Great to hear. I'm surprised, but pleasantly so.

 

[echostation]

what about the part in the teaser where Batman punches the Joker and says "YOU MADE ME FIRST!"

 

[Mr. Socko]

Very good to hear.

 

[Spidey Lover 10]

whatever.

 

[Excel]

Oh and yeah...dont believe the people who are like "everybody stopped, and broke out into insane clapping and cheering''.

 

[Juanigi]

what about the part in the teaser where Batman punches the Joker and says "YOU MADE ME FIRST!"

"I'm going to kill you"

 

[Stotch]

My car broke down on the way to seeing it last night