Where this was said
'In a World…' — The Birth of a Catchphrase
At 12:18 · chapter starts 11:05
The conversation arrives at what LaFontaine is most famous for: the 'In a world…' phrase that became the ur-catchphrase of movie trailers. [1] — Chuck "'In a world…' was LaFontaine's invention, and his explanation for it is brilliantly simple: it sets the scene of a feature film in just a h…" 11:35 Chuck pulls from sources including the New York Times obituary and donlafontaine.com to explain that LaFontaine also pioneered phrases like 'a one man army,' 'nowhere to run, nowhere to hide,' and 'no way out.' But 'In a world' was the money phrase, and LaFontaine himself explained why: it's an incredibly efficient mechanism for establishing the premise and tone of a feature film in a matter of seconds. Josh notes there's no definitive historical proof LaFontaine literally invented it, but he's universally credited with it, and no one has mounted a serious counter-claim.
When LaFontaine launched Don LaFontaine Associates in 1976, his very first assignment was the trailer for The Godfather Part II.
'In a world…' was LaFontaine's invention, and his explanation for it is brilliantly simple: it sets the scene of a feature film in just a handful of words. What reads as cliché now was a genuine creative breakthrough that shaped how movies are sold.
LaFontaine is widely credited with originating the 'In a world…' trailer phrase as a rapid, efficient way to set the scene of a film in just a handful of words.
