Spoiler Alert! Are Spoilers the Filmmakers Best Kept Secret?

Growing up, I was never too fond of the traditional spoiler. When it appears essential to the plot, for example: in The Film That We Do Not Talk AboutThe Usual Suspects and Shawshank Redemption, it can be downright annoying when your friend reveals that all-important ending or crucial plot development. I knew the twist to Fight Club before watching it and this undeniably affected my viewing experience and I came away from the final scene feeling as though I hadn’t properly sat through it. However, spoilers have always held mystical appeal to some. But does just knowing there’s a spoiler or twist in a film, count as ruinous to the watching experience itself? With our current stream-centric media consumption occurring at a whizzing pace, can we ever avoid them? How long is long enough before discussing plot points? It appears spoilers leave you with more questions than answers. 

These days it is pop-culture mega-hits such as Star Wars, Marvel and the recently wrapped Game of Thrones that have been at the helm of spoiler-avoidance. Film secrets are a Marvel speciality – given that they have included post-credit scenes in the majority of their films since Iron Man in 2008. This drives buzz as fans are itching to get their hands on what is coming up in the MCU and to tell friends who haven’t yet seen the film. Secrecy and mystery propel sales and the end scenes seem to drive excitement for the next one… and the next one… It changes the cinema-going experience as well; many a time I have sat and actually watched all the credits (something which shamefully we just don’t do a lot of), making friends wait for the post-post-end credits scene. 

For some dedicated fans, scouring the internet for clandestine clues about new character involvement or obscure plot points is intoxicating. It would seem die-hard Star Wars fans can’t wait to unearth plot details about the potential reappearance of Emperor Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker with the latest TV spot End becoming the latest hunting ground for clues until the next teaser. Both the TV spot and the trailer have developed enough speculation that it is almost certain that he will appear. Is this not seeking out a spoiler, or does this add anything overall to the enjoyment of the film? It could be argued either way. 

According to Amazon TV, when it comes to netiquette, with great power comes great responsibility. Back when they planned a release of a Lord of the Rings spin-off, the PR team developed a top-secret bunker to hide the drama’s crucial information – compared to Soviet state security by the host of The Watch, Chris Ryan. It was also seen as unnecessary by even top fans of the books as they argued that the Aragorn origin story inspired by the original Tolkien books cannot be kept as a mystery. 

Luckily, despite what seems like an overwhelming presence of spoiler coverage on the web and both the film and TV industry, there are ways in which you can keep the clues confidential. With The Guardian’s Now You’ve Seen It, it is now possible to direct your spoiler inducing friends away to discuss the hush-hush elements of shows and film’s in a spoiler-safe environment, even if they are breaking the first rule of Fight Club in the process. 

Image Credit: The Odyssey Online 

Band of Skulls @ The Brudenell Social Club 27/11/19

This year marked indie rock group Band of Skulls reaching their 15th year and tonight at the Brudenell they celebrate the tenth anniversary since the release of their debut album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey. Featuring some of their most iconic songs including ‘I know what I am’ and ‘Cold Fame’, the album’s success saw tracks selected to feature in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock and the soundtracks of Friday Night Lights and the Twilight Saga (unashamedly the latter is how I discovered them).

Supporting them throughout the anniversary tour are Higher Peaks, a band who just last week released their song ‘Sick’n’Tired’ featuring Band of Skulls. Though the differing styles of each song make their genre difficult to pin point, the atmosphere created through their use of synthesised piano organs and harmonising vocals mixed with their occasional heavy riffs feels new and fresh.https://www.youtube.com/embed/w-luMmez2UI?feature=oembed

As the room fills up for the sold out night, the lights dim. Shirley Bassey’s ‘Diamonds are Forever’ exudes and the room begins to sparkle as light refracts from the disco ball above the stage. Russell Marsden (vocals and guitar), Emma Richardson (bass and guitar) and Julian Dorio (drums) enter the stage as crowd anticipation peaks. The band open with the heavy riffs of ‘Love is all you Love’, the titular track from their latest album released earlier this year and after two songs Marsden declares, “Happy birthday!” to Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, kick starting the anniversary celebrations before playing the album start to finish.

Hyde Park’s gem, the Brudenell, has been home to some of Leeds’ most iconic gigs. It’s the ideal venue for both immensity and intimacy and nowhere does this show more than when Marsden and Richardson ditch their electrics for acoustics and share a microphone. The crowd, full of fans, simmers down from their excitable sing-along state to listen to the delicate melodies and harmonies of ‘Hometowns’ and ‘Honest’ before the room roars back into movement.https://www.youtube.com/embed/5te1t-3DiVI?feature=oembed

This tour is homage to the fans, a thank you for supporting them over the last decade and the crowd certainly revel in it; as do the band. The night ends with an encore that sees Marsden and Richardson engulfed into a circle of jumping fans, all singing into the microphones; band and fans as one.