If these days being spoiled is considered the worst thing when watching a movie or a series, this idea is not straightforward. On the contrary, it is a reflection of our new relationship to works.
At the slightest release of a film or series, the watchword is not to spoil at all costs. Even as each novelty is endlessly debated. We can see it with You. Season 3 is barely finished, that we already conjecture about what season 4 has in store for us with a possible imprisonment of Joe. Contradictory. As if a movie comes down to its end and its twists, knowing them would take away all his interest. But yet, a few decades ago, we could go and see Titanic knowing that the boat would sink with Jack. What happened ? Why is the spoiler suddenly so important? This phenomenon specific to our time deserves to be decrypted.
Blame it on the playoffs
Spoiler is a word that simultaneously spread to movie buffs forums, then popularized with social media. It is on the occasion of series of which the secret of the end has been widely disseminated that some shouted spoiler after a tour on Twitter. The discovery of the end would have “spoiled the fun”, in English to spoil. The imperative of preserving the details of a plot to appreciate it got the audience’s full attention to the ending. This will be the subject of all the debates. We have seen this with the Game of Throne series, of which it seems that of the 8 seasons, fans have only remembered the end. This new way of approaching programs means that it is necessary not to know the outcomes in order to have the feeling of forming your own opinion.
The popularity of the new series, become an art that sets the tone for others according to sociologist Marjolaine Boutet, has reinforced this way of consuming programs. Unlike traditional sitcoms such Malcolm Where My family first where the main plot takes the background, the new series only focus on the main plot. Each episode prepares for the next thanks to scriptwriting that always spares the suspense. When the last scene is a fall in the void of one of the main characters or a marriage proposal, it’s hard to wait more than 10 seconds to see the rest. And that, Netflix understood it well to make us fall into the binge-watching.
Suspense at all costs
Suspense has long been a feature of horror and crime stories. Hitchcock is also cited as a master in the field. But now, inserting suspense into the plots has become the norm for all genres. This is the case with both series and fast-paced movies. The actions follow one another, always bringing a new batch of unsolved mysteries. Pauses in action are rare, except when it comes to raising the tension again. And that, until the last minutes. The success of the final twists, twists and turns that completely reverse the plot, are an example. It is essential to surprise the viewer to keep it until the end. We are more than ever in the era of zapping.
The new way of making films means giving up many dramatic springs. Stops on the landscape, gestures or facial expressions are more or less put aside when a period work is readapted. Lost illusions, the recent adaptation of Balzac’s novel, is also celebrated for its dynamism. Likewise, secondary elements are most often put aside, insofar as they do not directly serve the main plot. From then on, the desire to create a sound and visual atmosphere specific to the film is no longer a priority. There is therefore a real resemblance between different films and series of the same genre. The atmosphere Twilight can also be found in Vampire Diaries than Riverdale : dark forest, mansions and teenagers clinging to their smartphones.
Too many reboots kill the reboot
The injunction to surprise, which was created by the audiovisual industry, is contemporary with a period when we seem to lack inspiration. Among the films showing or new series, there are mainly reboots, literary adaptations or sequel to blockbuster films. Between Sabrina, Gossip Girl and maybe to come The prince of Bel-Air, producers rely on works that have already proven their worth. Especially with these re-adapted successes, it is possible to attract the attention of the public, without having to say too much. It is possible to avoid spoiler even in the trailer.
The reboot fashion should logically oppose that of the spoiler. We suspect or hope that the new Blair will end with his Chuck. To overcome this, the party is screenwriters is to propose a new rewrite of the plot. Since the characters, the settings and the action are relatively similar, it is the twists that must feed the story. So we come back to the need to preserve the suspense in order to appreciate a work. Thus, the fear of the spoiler is perhaps only the result of a lack of originality of more and more works. But also a desire to take advantage of the nostalgia of an audience that always wants to find its cult films. The proposals for a sequel to Harry Potter go in this direction.
