Dated Movies
I was flipping channels the other night and Bye Bye Birdie was on. I remember that movie from when I was a kid and I liked it a lot so I watched it. I enjoyed it still, but was very aware of how dated it seems. That got me wondering about dated movies.
Saturday Night Fever is dated. Miami Vice (the TV show) is dated. The Graduate and Joe are dated.
The Godfather, The Great Gatsby, The Caine Mutiny, and The African Queen don't seem dated.
These are all films that take place in a particular time, yet some are dated and some aren't.
Seems to me that movies most likely (though not always, of course) to seem dated are those which are made during the time they take place. But I can't put my finger on why this is. One friend suggested that movies filmed in their time that are topical will end up seeming dated later, and maybe he's right. I'll have to think about it some more.
Or maybe I just need to get out more.
posted by Occidentally @ 7:54 PM
1 Comments:
I think you are right about what makes one movie date and others not so much. Sometimes our attitudes have changed and that dates the movies. What is offensive to one generation is de rigeur for another - there was a time when showing a couple in bed together was scandalous. Surely there will come a time when Sharon Stone's beaver shot will too seem tame.
As an aside, "African Queen" is a long time favourite of mine - and shall NEVER date.
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