J.J. Abrams’ Super 8 teaser dissected

Two days ago I jumped into the whisper chain about the new J.J. Abrams trailer set to debut with Iron Man 2. Several sources agreed with NY Magazine’s Vulture speculation that it involved a prequel to Cloverfield. Yesterday J.J. Abrams spoke to Vulture directly and told them they had it all wrong. Today there’s a detailed shot-by-shot description of the trailer circulating, but let’s first quote Abrams on the subject of keeping secrets — and the quandary of how to spring surprises while hinting there are surprises to be sprung:

“I don‚Äôt know if it would matter with you guys,” he said, laughing. “I don‚Äôt think it matters.” Is there a better way to keep secret monster movies under wraps? “I’m working on it,” he told us.

Setting the movie in 1970’s suburbia pays homage to Spielberg’s Amblin-era blockbusters like Close Encounters, ET, Gremlins, and Poltergeist — isn’t knowing that enough to get us amped? This morning you can find the teaser being picked apart like the carcass of an alien from a crash site, but won’t that kind of analytical overkill ruin it for you? On the other hand, if you weren’t planning on seeing Iron Man 2 tomorrow, don’t want to wait for a bootleg of the teaser on youtube, but still want to be in the know — then you can read about Super 8 right here as well as anyplace else. SPOILER, via slashfilm, after the cut.

A train rushes by the screen. We notice that it has lots of cargo.

Text comes on the screen: “In 1979, The U.S. Air Force Closed A Section of AREA 51.”

We see the railroad crossing light blinking and ringing as the camera pans up we see some sort of light moving in the background. What is it? A UFO?

More Text: “All The Materials Were To Be Transported To A Secure Facility In Ohio.”

No, it appears to be the headlights of a yellow 1970’s truck, which skids in a 180 degree motion, and suddenly pulls onto the tracks.

Point of view of the truck heading into the light.

Black screen and white text: “From Producer Steve Spielberg”

We see the truck explode as it hits the train.

Then… the cargo train is heading towards the car explosion РBAM. It is wrecked, thrown from the tracks like a wild snake. The flaming metal body flipping towards the camera. Cars flying through the air. It is INTENSE.

Another black screen and the text: “And Director JJ Abrams”

The camera really slowly moves in on the wrecked pieces of the train, most of which is now just scrap metal. At least one car remains intact.

Black screen, white test: “Next Summer”

We see some sparks.

Black screen, white text: “It Arrives”