Things that Instantly Date Films

[redhawk23]

Over time, films tend to become dated. That isn't to say that's necessarily a bad thing. Even so called "timeless" films are ultimately products of their time.

But there are some things that stick out more than just the way the movie looks or what people are wearing.


Tech in movies will always contribute to dating it, especially if its supposed to be considered futuristic. That I don't so much mind. What is laughable however is even in films from 15 minutes ago, so many shows and movies used fairly gigantic cellphones as some kind of status symbol for the rich or government agents.


Also, how ridiculous is watching Spider-man today when Macy Gray shows up?

 

[Franklin Richards]

[YT]ZKM9oThOWmM[/YT]

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

Music. Lmao

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Fashion is a big one, unless it is a period piece.

 

[Drizzle]

"You've Got Mail". The whole damn movie.

 

[Figs]

When a movie takes place in the future but they actually say the year. Much like Predator 2 which I think it says "Los Angeles 1997". There have been other films that have done this and it's kind of funny when you watch them again and the current year is past the year in the movie, when it's supposed to be futuristic.

 

[kickass]

When a movie takes place in the future but they actually say the year. Much like Predator 2 which I think it says "Los Angeles 1997". There have been other films that have done this and it's kind of funny when you watch them again and the current year is past the year in the movie, when it's supposed to be futuristic.

Oh, I hate that! Why not make it atleast 200 years into the future or something? The worst is when I hear people say Star Wars is supposed to be in the future........They honestly believe that Star Wars is a story about how things will be in our future. I have people ask me "Why does it say A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far Far Away if it's supposed to be in the future?". It irks me to no end.

But anyway, back on topic haha.

I hate seeing real-life movie posters for other movies in a film. I've seen some romantic comedies and action films do this. It's so terrible.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

When a movie takes place in the future but they actually say the year. Much like Predator 2 which I think it says "Los Angeles 1997". There have been other films that have done this and it's kind of funny when you watch them again and the current year is past the year in the movie, when it's supposed to be futuristic.

Similarily, if the film was made prior to 1990 the USSR will always be around in the future.

 

[jaymes_e06]

When a movie takes place in the future but they actually say the year. Much like Predator 2 which I think it says "Los Angeles 1997". There have been other films that have done this and it's kind of funny when you watch them again and the current year is past the year in the movie, when it's supposed to be futuristic.

2001: A Space Odyssey.

 

[amazingfantasy15]

Movies that use pop culture references, Scary/Date/Epic/etc... Movies do this a lot. Nothing like using someone's 15 minutes of fame in your movie to date it.

 

[Dave McFly]

XFL in The 6th Day

 

[danoyse]

The "Pepsi Free" joke in Back to the Future. They stopped making Pepsi Free in 1987, I think.

 

[Franklin Richards]

The "Pepsi Free" joke in Back to the Future. They stopped making Pepsi Free in 1987, I think.

A sad day indeed. Before that I drank Rondo. They got rid of it too.

 

[kit1982]

Robert Wuhl

 

[jaymes_e06]

Cell phones. Watch the first Wall street you'll see what I mean.

 

[danoyse]

A sad day indeed. Before that I drank Rondo. They got rid of it too.

I know, I loved Pepsi Free too.

 

[The Guard]

You know what dates films?

Dates.

On gravestones. Nothing bugs me like actually having to see a gravestone date in certain circumstances, if the movie isn't tied to a particular date or era.

 

[redhawk23]

Oh, I hate that! Why not make it atleast 200 years into the future or something? The worst is when I hear people say Star Wars is supposed to be in the future........They honestly believe that Star Wars is a story about how things will be in our future. I have people ask me "Why does it say A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far Far Away if it's supposed to be in the future?". It irks me to no end.

But anyway, back on topic haha.

I hate seeing real-life movie posters for other movies in a film. I've seen some romantic comedies and action films do this. It's so terrible.

Because they aren't telling a story set hundreds of years in the future. I could see leaving it a bit more vague like just "in the near future" but for many of the films that used 90's setting the 90s were a vague future. Many films were making a deliberate point of extrapolating their own times and rate of technological progress. Children of Men was very much about creating a very realistic view of the future outside of the no one having babies thing, that film extrapolated many current trends into the future. It was very evident that the world of 2006 still had repercussions.

Is it a bit odd watching now that we are still cranking out babies 3 years after the films infertility date? Not really. Its still a strong work of fiction, reflecting the world at the time in which it was made, in a reality with a very specific point of diversion from our own timeline.

2001 very much did this, particularly in the descriptions in the book, there were several aspects of the modern world they got spot on, others though turned out differently due to different rates and areas of progress and politics.

( Why was everyone so sure the 90's particularly 1997, were going to suck? dystopic 90's is almost a trope in and of itself).

 

[redhawk23]

Similarily, if the film was made prior to 1990 the USSR will always be around in the future.

Its seems like everyone only saw two possible course of action, that the Cold War would either continue, or we would completely destroy eachother.

No one really seemed open to the idea that it might just end.

On another note, and this is speaking specifically about 60's sci-fi: Super Computers that run on miles and miles of hyper-magnetic tape.

 

[Boom]

The usual suspects:

Fashion
Music
Special effects

 

[DACrowe]

Fashion, music, cars, telephones or style of cell phones, type of lighting or film stock.

In that order.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Hair.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

The "lingo".

 

[dark_b]

i dont have such a big problem if a movie is dated.

i could see a problem when studios use the same cinematography and specific action shots more than once. sometimes even for 5 years. for example you watch movies and tv shows in the last 10 years and compare them to the 90's and 80's. modern movies look bright and 20 year old movies look dark. you show today to parents and kids NeverEnding story and they will think its a horror movie.

 

[Rowsdower!]

If OJ is in it.