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Now the British Board of Film Classification is in the spoilers business Now the British Board of Film Classification is in the spoilers business
(about 2 hours later)
The fundamental requirements of acting are to know one’s lines and not bump into the furniture. Similarly, the least that any critic can do is to write well and avoid spoilers – those morsels of information that can remove in one stroke a film’s element of surprise.The fundamental requirements of acting are to know one’s lines and not bump into the furniture. Similarly, the least that any critic can do is to write well and avoid spoilers – those morsels of information that can remove in one stroke a film’s element of surprise.
The novel Gone Girl has been bought by 8.5 million readers, but that doesn’t give film critics permission to splurge the plot details in reviews of the movie version. As one of the small band of social outcasts who had not read the book, I approached the picture in intentional ignorance. It would have been hypocritical for me to then snatch that option away from my readers by telling them: “The butler did it!” (Don’t panic. There aren’t any butlers in Gone Girl.)The novel Gone Girl has been bought by 8.5 million readers, but that doesn’t give film critics permission to splurge the plot details in reviews of the movie version. As one of the small band of social outcasts who had not read the book, I approached the picture in intentional ignorance. It would have been hypocritical for me to then snatch that option away from my readers by telling them: “The butler did it!” (Don’t panic. There aren’t any butlers in Gone Girl.)
This is also part of the fun for me of criticism. Writing about a film while parcelling out only the minimum plot details necessary to make the review coherent is a valuable discipline. Review a comedy without transcribing the zingers. Write about a horror film but don’t mention the bit where the killer springs out of the airing cupboard.This is also part of the fun for me of criticism. Writing about a film while parcelling out only the minimum plot details necessary to make the review coherent is a valuable discipline. Review a comedy without transcribing the zingers. Write about a horror film but don’t mention the bit where the killer springs out of the airing cupboard.
These challenges represent the closest most critics will get to slalom skiing. Think of the spoilers as poles. Hit one and you’re in trouble.These challenges represent the closest most critics will get to slalom skiing. Think of the spoilers as poles. Hit one and you’re in trouble.
Most critics are fortunate enough to know little or nothing about a movie before the lights go down. That experience should be replicated as closely as possible for the reader. At the risk of sounding militant, I believe it is often going too far even to mention the existence of a surprise in a newly released film, let alone to say what it might entail. Primed by the hint of a hairpin bend in the plot, the viewer can’t help but be in a state of expectation. “Wait until the twist!” is not very different from telling the unknowing recipient of a surprise party: “Wear your best frock tonight!”Most critics are fortunate enough to know little or nothing about a movie before the lights go down. That experience should be replicated as closely as possible for the reader. At the risk of sounding militant, I believe it is often going too far even to mention the existence of a surprise in a newly released film, let alone to say what it might entail. Primed by the hint of a hairpin bend in the plot, the viewer can’t help but be in a state of expectation. “Wait until the twist!” is not very different from telling the unknowing recipient of a surprise party: “Wear your best frock tonight!”
Social media, word of mouth and, worst of all, a film’s own trailer will all conspire against the viewer’s innocence. And now the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has entered the spoilers business, including explicit narrative signposts in its viewer advice for movies such as Frank and Two Days, One Night. The only exception to the spoiler rule would be that rare species of film with a giveaway title. Anyone going to see The Death of Mr Lazarescu can be fairly certain that poor old Mr Lazarescu won’t be skipping off into the sunset in the final reel.Social media, word of mouth and, worst of all, a film’s own trailer will all conspire against the viewer’s innocence. And now the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has entered the spoilers business, including explicit narrative signposts in its viewer advice for movies such as Frank and Two Days, One Night. The only exception to the spoiler rule would be that rare species of film with a giveaway title. Anyone going to see The Death of Mr Lazarescu can be fairly certain that poor old Mr Lazarescu won’t be skipping off into the sunset in the final reel.
There is also a statute of limitations on certain types of spoiler. Were I to write about great examples of actors playing themselves on screen – Bill Murray’s unbilled cameo in the 2009 horror-comedy Zombieland would top my list – it isn’t a plot twist, after all, and it’s fair to assume after five years that the information is in the public domain. There is also a statute of limitations on certain types of spoiler. Were I to write about great examples of actors playing themselves on screen, Bill Murray’s unbilled cameo in the 2009 horror-comedy Zombieland would top my list – it isn’t a plot twist, after all, and it’s fair to assume after five years that the information is in the public domain.
Similarly, any secrecy surrounding Kevin Spacey’s surprise appearance at the end of Seven has faded inevitably in the 19 years since that movie was released. Plot-based spoilers are different. For the sake of future audiences, I hope the film critics of 50 years hence can refrain from divulging the middle of Psycho or the end of The Usual Suspects.Similarly, any secrecy surrounding Kevin Spacey’s surprise appearance at the end of Seven has faded inevitably in the 19 years since that movie was released. Plot-based spoilers are different. For the sake of future audiences, I hope the film critics of 50 years hence can refrain from divulging the middle of Psycho or the end of The Usual Suspects.
Even without the runaway nibs of careless critics, there is a risk that spoilers will leak out. The spoiler can also be a political act: protesters vented their disgust at the homophobia of Basic Instinct by disclosing the identity of the film’s killer to patrons queuing at cinemas to see the film. And voters at the Academy awards famously did a nice job of ruining The Crying Game for anyone who hadn’t seen it (and stop reading now if that means you) by nominating Jaye Davidson as best supporting actor, revealing in the process a twist that nobody – except, one trusts, Jaye Davidson’s mum – had seen coming.Even without the runaway nibs of careless critics, there is a risk that spoilers will leak out. The spoiler can also be a political act: protesters vented their disgust at the homophobia of Basic Instinct by disclosing the identity of the film’s killer to patrons queuing at cinemas to see the film. And voters at the Academy awards famously did a nice job of ruining The Crying Game for anyone who hadn’t seen it (and stop reading now if that means you) by nominating Jaye Davidson as best supporting actor, revealing in the process a twist that nobody – except, one trusts, Jaye Davidson’s mum – had seen coming.