Look Ma Almost No Strings! |
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The technological advances in movies through the years have been astounding. We have come from saucers on strings in Ed Wood's PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1959) to the recent CGI extravaganza of Pixar's WALL-E (2008). Even more intriguing is not only the technology that makes movies, but the technology in movies.
Movie Dating
Say you feel nostalgic and you pop in a movie like ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944), besides the great writing, directing and acting what you will see are people picking up the telephone and telling the operator to connect the call to a number like "Radcliffe 732", or the discussing of a delivery date for the ice man to make his ice delivery. These types of things were just matter of facts, they were not purposely put into the script, the filmmakers just put it in as part of the story, because that was actual life as it was happening in that era.
Let's say then you skip ahead and throw in a movie like SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES (1980), in this movie you may see things like people playing 8 track tapes in their car stereo, or stopping off on the side of the road to use the payphone. Again just 
Modems could connect in less than 3 hours! |
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everyday occurrences.
And who could forget that infamous scene in the movie SAY ANYTHING (1989) where John Cusack is standing in from of Ione Skye's house with a boom box over his head blasting a dedicated song to her via cassette tape.
These technologies are not anything that lent itself to the story at the time of their respective movie's release; however, with the passage of time, they come close to taking away from it.
When I sit down and watch these movies, it is amazing to see the time period that they took place in. These were not period pieces; these were contemporary films taking place in their own time. So now watching John Cusack has the same message, but with that message being played through a boom box it seems a little more dated now. A little more aged. A reminder that time has moved on.
The Sign of the Apple
Hollywood certainly plays favorites with all sorts of things. Whether that be what types of films they produce, what stories they grab onto and product placements of all shapes and sizes. Audiences have gotten smarter with being able to pick out product placement. Audiences have 
Okay maybe not like this, but you get the point. |
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also become more complacent to this phenomenon and just accepted it as part of the movie culture.
One product that may or may not be product placement is the Apple/Macintosh computer. I watch a lot of films, one might say too many (however that is a whole different column entry). What I have noticed time and time again over the last few years is when the characters in the movie need to jump on a computer of any kind it usually has the warm fluorescent glow of a Macintosh apple. Be it laptops or desktops (mostly laptops now), it is the Apple computer people are on. I thought it might just be me (which is possible); however very rarely in modern films do you see a character rush to their Hewlett Packard or Dell computer.
This might be due to the fact that it is commonly known that creative types have long been associated with the design and multimedia tools of the Mac and that is just simply what is "around" in the Hollywood culture. Who knows if Apple gets a piece of this? If this is a planned placement or it is simply what is an everyday occurrence.
Again, this may just be me, but check it out next time 
Remember us well future movie fans. |
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the characters in your film sit down to their computer, check out what brand they are using. In modern days films they will most likely be the Apple.
Into the Future
It has certainly been a long time since Matthew Broderick sat down to his gigantic modem in WAR GAMES (1983) to dial into the government's computers. It has even been longer since a giant computer (which was slower than today's slowest computer) was housed in its' own room in the movie DR. STRANGELOVE (1964). However, these are what makes classic films, not only is it the story that makes it a classic, but the costumes, lingo and technology in it.
Sometimes, it is sort of sad to think how much time has passed since those simpler times, although it is much nicer to watch a scene with a spaceship cross the screen without having to squint to block out the string connected to it.
It is just a matter of time until the aforementioned WALL-E, this website, this column, us, will all be aged, dated and just part of what was happening as an everyday occurrence "back then".
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A little corner of the world where you get to read my rants and raves on the world of entertainment. Lucky you.
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| Jeff Lurie |
Skye enjoys telling people that while he rarely wears underwear, when he does it is usually something rare and exotic. Inspired by scaring circus clowns and random 80's movies, Skye has always had a passion for writing and the world of entertainment. He hopes that through his writing he will in turn inspire others or at the very least propel them into a life of mopping adult coin operated booths.
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