Comparisons Between W. and Black Hawk Down

Although different types of movies, the trailers for the movies W. and Black Hawk Down follow similar structures.

Both of the trailers begin with background information of the current situations. The movie W. opens with a rundown of George W. Bush's previous occupations, which he failed to excel in and that led him into his current situation. This same pattern can also be seen in Black Hawk Down with information presented about the Somalian genocide in 1993. This technique introduces the audience to the movie by telling them basic information that is essential to understanding the movie. In short, the beginning of a movie trailer is just an argument to inform.

The differences between the trailers are seen immediately following this introduction. In Black Hawk Down, the music and action begin to die down and then ultimately stop, bringing the audience into suspense. This break only lasts a moment, then everything picks back up to its most intense state. The music is fast and the screen cuts are faster; all of the action reels the viewer in even more than before. The difference between the two trailers is that in W., after the initial introduction, the music becomes a lot more relaxing and has a much lighter feel. But both movie trailers serve as arguments to convince the audience to watch the movie.

An interesting point with Black Hawk Down is that the trailer opens with a heavy blue tint on everything which serves as a depressing intro to the movie. The trailer also concludes with the same blue tint, ending in the same fashion as it began. This is different from the W. trailer which opens with light, western music and good vibes but then ends with a slow song.