Star Wars and anti-spoiler culture. Why?

[JKtheMac]

Something I have really struggled with is the anti-spoiler hysteria that surrounded the Star Wars release. I just don't get it. back in the eighties fans read the novels well before the film even hit the screens. I suspect it is more to do with films not being released in the U.S. first. We got used to the interviews leaking loads of info on a film.

Is knowing who is who in a movie, or who is related to who really a spoiler? Even a brief synopsis of the plot isn't a spoiler, but if anyone had posted that in certain places on Thursday they would have been hung drawn and quartered. I can't help feeling people are mistaking incident and character points as story. You get the full story watching the movie. No other way. That is why you still enjoy it second time around.

[Buried Alien]

I respect others' aversion to spoilers, but never really worried about it myself. In fact, I like knowing about a movie's major plot points going in because then, I can just enjoy watching it unfold without stressing over figuring stuff out (not every movie is a mystery to be solved). It takes the burden off and enables me to enjoy the film/show more. For books, comics, and home video movies, in fact, I often skip to the ending first to see if the whole thing is even worthwhile. If not, I don't waste my money/time.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Joker]

I like to know as little as possible about any movie going in, at this point. Who's in it, who directed it and what genre is all I want to know. I like being surprised by it, coming in totally cold. I barely even watch trailers anymore.

I just find if I have no expectations I enjoy movies more.

Regarding Star Wars, when I get to the CBR front page I click the comics filter before reading a word. I'm sure they'll spoil something with an article headline before I get to see it in January.

[lancerman]

If people have a problem with Spoilers they should get off the internet. Plain and simple. Especially for a massive blockbuster.

[DrNewGod]

If people have a problem with Spoilers they should get off the internet. Plain and simple. Especially for a massive blockbuster.

Or, we could not be tools about it and let others enjoy the surprise by simply labeling threads and posts as containing spoilers, and use handy instruments like the spoiler tags on these threads. Assuming we start with the notion "it's not all about me."

This is not a new phenomenon either. There were plenty of films in past that expressly asked audiences to not reveal the ending to others. Hitchcock actually built part of Psycho's promotional campaign around it.

If an online community exercises reasonable precautions, however, somebody that walks into a spoiler is kind of asking for it.

[Mister Mets]

It comes down to choice.

If you want to read the novelization before seeing the film, that's your decision.
Some people prefer not to know what's coming up in a story. They'd like to see a scene without knowing what the payoff is.

[lancerman]

Or, we could not be tools about it and let others enjoy the surprise by simply labeling threads and posts as containing spoilers, and use handy instruments like the spoiler tags on these threads. Assuming we start with the notion "it's not all about me."

This is not a new phenomenon either. There were plenty of films in past that expressly asked audiences to not reveal the ending to others. Hitchcock actually built part of Psycho's promotional campaign around it.

If an online community exercises reasonable precautions, however, somebody that walks into a spoiler is kind of asking for it.

Or people who don't want to be spoiled can exercise a little self control and not go into places where literally every movie gets spoiled.

If someone screams a spoiler while someone is literally walking into see the film that's one thing. If you are on some website where hundreds of people are discussing the film and every little parsec of knowledge they have beforehand, and someone says something spoilery, well hard to feel too much sympathy.

Two days ago I saw someone post a spoiler in spoiler tags and people freaked out. I saw someone post a link to spoilers, and people freaked out. Sorry if your the one who is going to lose it over spoilers then don't go to places where there is the potential for it.

[DrNewGod]

Two days ago I saw someone post a spoiler in spoiler tags and people freaked out. I saw someone post a link to spoilers, and people freaked out.

On that we agree. If reasonable precautions are offered, there's no grounds for complaining.

I look at it as a good manners issue. Of course, those seem to be dying in western culture.

[Joker]

So far I've had no problem avoiding Star Wars spoilers, but I'm using my common sense.

[justinslot]

Yeah, people are wayyyy weirder than usual about spoilers for Force Awakens. Like, people getting unfriended on Facebook levels of weird. I don't understand it at all, but I'm close to an absolutist about spoilers: if a spoiler can ruin a movie/show for me, the movie/show wasn't particularly good to begin with.

But why it's such a bigger deal to avoid spoilers for Force Awakens...I guess I'm surprised by the level of meaning Star Wars fans need from this movie.

[Joker]

If something in Star Wars gets spoiled for me, well, I guess that's partly on me for not seeing it sooner. I could avoid the few days if I was seeing it in the first week, but I'm not, I'm seeing it weeks later. I doubt it would ruin the movie, but I'd like to see it as cold as possible.

I think people just need to be respectful for the first little bit. Not everyone is able to see it at midnight on a thursday. Give people a chance to see it at least.

[Goggindowner]

I have actively avoided running into spoilers for this movie, including reading reviews or even headlines. I am never that anal about avoiding information about a movie before I see it, but Star Wars is special in my mind. I even deactivated my Facebook page just in case. I want that "Luke, I am your father" moment that audiences got all those years ago (if one exists, I still haven't seen it so I don't know).

If I wander into a thread clearly labeled as containing spoilers then that's on me. But if we are talking about something other than the movie, like in this thread, and the third person in starts blasting major plot points, then that is a douche bag thing to do.

[Buried Alien]

Spoilers are largely a product of the Internet era, but let me tell you a relevant anecdote from the pre-Internet era.

In May, 1980, I was eight years old. I had collected STAR WARS toys for several years, but had never seen the movie because when the original film was in the theaters during its original run in 1977-1978, my parents thought I was too young for the cinema (my first movie theater experience came in 1979...Jackie Chan's original DRUNKEN MASTER). I was generally familiar with the characters and story of STAR WARS, however. My Uncle David, who kindly supplied me with many action figures when I was that age, went to see THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK about a week before I would go see it with my dad. Uncle David told me that Darth Vader cut off Luke Skywalker's hand in a lightsaber duel, and that in fact, Vader was Luke's dad. Far from being upset about learning about these facts before seeing the film, it made me all the more excited to see these developments for myself, though at the time, I also thought David was pulling my leg about the part of Vader being Luke's dad.

But these are different times with different expectations. I still don't mind spoilers myself, because I grew up in a time when they weren't a big deal, but the culture is different now.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Innocent Bystander]

Yeah, people are wayyyy weirder than usual about spoilers for Force Awakens. Like, people getting unfriended on Facebook levels of weird. I don't understand it at all, but I'm close to an absolutist about spoilers: if a spoiler can ruin a movie/show for me, the movie/show wasn't particularly good to begin with.

But why it's such a bigger deal to avoid spoilers for Force Awakens...I guess I'm surprised by the level of meaning Star Wars fans need from this movie.

this is precisely my attitude.

I can understand for a mystery movie/novel/etc., but this is an action movie.

I haven't gone out of my way to avoid spoilers, and don't see it until tomorrow, and I really don't know what's coming aside from things I've seen in the previews. I remain more anxious, because J.J. Abrams is not my cup of tea and I was totally underwhelmed with his Star Trek reboot, but there you go.

[Cyke]

Or, we could not be tools about it

I had the juiciest chance for revenge, but I opted not to because I'm no dirty Sith.

I usually do everything that I can to avoid Game of Thrones spoilers. No fansites, no forums, no Twitter, et all. And yet, despite all those precautions, a "friend" of mine managed to spoil a major death -- his post showed up on a Facebook newsfeed. He was called out by me and several of his friends, but he remained defiant and angrily defended his right to post spoilers and ruin it for everyone. In terms of fandom, it was very much the "**** you, I got mine" mentality. Totally selfish.

He's a huge Star Wars fan (moreso than me), but I did something he couldn't do -- I managed to score opening night tickets. I could have spoiled it for him very easily with a simple private message, but I didn't. Because I'm better than him. Because I respect other people's right to enjoy surprises and take in the full creative intent of the movie for themselves. Loose lips sink starships.

As for him, I've since blocked him from my newsfeed. He can see what I post, I just won't see what he posts. So I still have power here, if I choose to exercise it.