Anachorisms in Film and TV - Movie Review Example

Anachronisms in Film and TV Anachronisms in Film and TV Introduction Anachronism is a Greek word meaning ‘against time’. It is a chronological inconsistency in customs, events, people or objects depicted in different kinds of art representing a certain period of time. Objects maybe misplaced in time through technology, verbal expressions, musical styles, animals or plants or even materials and textiles presented in the arts. Placing objects out of their proper temporal domains has been criticized by historians for wrong representations and not accurately portraying history (Neiger, Meyers & Zandberg, 2011). Anachronism, especially in film and TV could be intentional or unintentional. Anachronism could be introduced intentionally in artistic or literally work in order to help audiences to readily engage with historical periods or to shock, be rhetoric or comedic to the audience. Unintentional anachronism, however, happens when the writer or artist is not sufficiently aware of the differences in fashions, customs, attitudes and technologies between the historical eras. The different types of anachronism include parachronism, which is representing something in a time period when it could not be found. It is the presentation of things that are already outdated in a future era. Prochronism, on the other hand, is the presentation of things that had not been invented in the time that the artistic work or presentation covers. Behavioral and cultural anachronism is the intentional use of old cultural artifacts like the quill in modern day’s artistic works. Politically motivated anachronism is depicting customs and institutions to be older than they really are. Intentional or unintentional, anachronism will be noticed by the keen eyes in all works of imagination, especially films and TV (Richardson, 2002). Discussion In the recent past, most directors and writers in the film industry have used anachronism, intentionally or unintentionally, in their films. For example, films that have been set to represent the past have been using modern music thus clashing time periods. Almost all medieval movies have featured knights with armors covering from head to toe in full plate regardless of what century the movies represent whereas those armors were not developed until late in the period (Ramey & Pugh, 2007). A good example of blatant anachronisms is the movie Goodfellas, where the title clearly states that the movie scenes are set in 1963 at Idlewild Airport in New York. Moments do not pass before a 747 Boeing flies overhead. These planes were not made until 1969. An actor, Henry, is seen leaning on a Chevy Impala developed in 1965. These anachronisms could have been avoided easily by showing planes and cars made by 1963. The ignorance portrayed here is immense as the car and the plane add no fun to the film. It is not acceptable for producers to ignore such information especially on technology. Another film, Super 8, depicts one of the kids comparing an alien building block to a Rubik’s cube. The movie is set in the summer of 1979 in a small Ohio town while the Rubik’s cube went on sale in 1980. A gas station attendant also owns a Walkman, which was introduced in the market in the late 1979. The anachronism in this film is, however, a bit acceptable since the time periods are so close that it is easy to confuse the dates. It is seems so unintentional and one could easily forgive the producers for these mistakes. Another flagrant anachronism is portrayed in the biblical movie The Ten Commandments. An actor puts on view a modern wrist watch in the times of Moses and the burning bush. The producers could have not been more ignorant. This in unacceptable and it is very unfortunate to make such a mistake and confuse not only centuries but a millennium. This mistake could be compared to the film Cleopatra. The film which is set in the ancient Egypt has a plane apparently flying over the skies. One could never call this an oversight, it is ignorance. Troy should have existed in the eleventh and twelfth centuries Before Common Era. However, there is a metal ribbed beach umbrella that was seen centuries after. On showing how well the royal class lived in Troy, the producers forgot that such umbrellas were not invented in that era. Though hard to notice, the umbrella is an obvious mistake showing their ignorance. This could, however, have been intentional since it showed clearly the prestigious lifestyles of royal classes in that era and other eras. In The Patriot, the anachronism is quite different. The movie clearly starts at the start of the revolutionary war and ends at sometime around the end of the war. The war happened for around five to seven years. The main actor’s children, however, do not age a day for all these years. They remain the same for the whole film. This ignorance though unintentional, shows how discourteous the producers could be. A period of five years and above in young children brings a lot of changes that the producers could have been careful to portray. In The Aviator, Howard Hughes is portrayed as a man who lived ahead of his time. In a scene that was supposed to have happened in 1928, he is seen ordering 10 chocolate chip cookies that were invented in the 1930s. Howard seemed to have lived in the future. The producers ignored these little details though they were hard to notice. In Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, they use a refracting telescope invented in the early 1600s while the movie was set in 1194. The introduction of future technology worked magic in the film and actually acceptable. It was, however, unacceptable for the movie Malcolm X where he calls out someone to call 911 after his house was firebombed. This service was introduced in 1968, three years after Malcolm X was assassinated. The ability to detect and identify anachronisms can be employed as a forensic and critical tool to reveal the fraudulence of films purporting to be from an earlier era. A good example is the movies The Pirates of the Caribbean which were set during the 1740s. The producers seem to have difficulties with fruits for example. We find them taking the Granny Smith apple that did not exist until the 1868. There are also sweet bananas which did not exist until 1836. In the Curse of the Black Pearl, Norrington’s orders are signed George R. depicting King George’s signature who ruled between 1714 and 1727. At the time that Barbossa reveals the curse, we see one of the pirates with a concertina which were invented in 1829. The Port Royal gaol cells are constructed using modern welding which were used from the 1880s. In the Dead Man’s Chest, we see a ship bearing modern Plimsoll lines in Tortuga. Lord Cutler Beckett’s flagship HMS Endeavor painted in the Nelson Checker became common from 1805 and the first rates were not stationed in the West Indies. In At World’s End, there is the use of sugar cubes which were not invented until later in the 1840s. Singapore, which was founded in 1819 also seems to exist. There are also the gallows’ trap doors which were not used until 1813. In On Stranger Tides, Blackbeard who died at around the age of 38 is acted by Ian McShane who was 68 at the time. The mandolins also use mechanical tuners that were not used until in the early 19th century. There is also the use of a pea whistle which was not invented until 1883. The anachronism in these films is, however, acceptable since the movies depict some humor in them. There are films that have used intentional anachronism to create great artistic effects. In Marie Antoinette for example, the producers bring a funny twist in showing that the actor was 14 and in adolescence when her marriage to Louis XVI was arranged. The trademarks of being young are shown by introducing converse sneakers that were by no chance made in that era. There is also a collection of contemporary hits being played in the background. The point was clearly made and anachronism seemed to work for the producers though the film has been highly criticized. Another film that speaks to today’s film fun is Sin City. The movie exists in its own cinematic reality. The characters have a uniquely modern spin whereas the cues are from the hard boiled noirs of the past. The viewer is never sure which era he is watching with cars from the 1940s and the 1950s are set together with machinery from way in the future especially the helicopters. It is very interesting to confuse the viewers in this way and the anachronism here works very well. In the 2001, A Knight’s Tale, a movie involving rivalry, romance and jousting in the era of knights, ladies and lords, the producers use modern music to as soundtracks. It is very refreshing that they are able to contain classic rock songs in the medieval era. Introducing the movie with a Queen Song, we will rock you, the audience is promised of a great movie. Included in the movie are songs by AC/DC, Eric Clapton, Sly and the Family Stone, Rare Earth and Thin Lizzy. Though the songs seem to not really combine with this era, the combination puts other film’s soundtracks to shame. It is an acceptable combination and brings out the story very clearly. Other soundtracks that are anachronism but works quite well are the John Legend’s, Rick Ross’ and Jim Crose’s songs in the Django unchained of 2012. The movie which is about a freed slave mixes the eras perfectly. Other movies that confuse the eras in special ways include Halloween (2007) and Halloween (2009). You cannot actually tell when the movies take place. Judging from Mike Myers outfit in the opening, the hair style and clothing are from the early 1980s. After the time skip, which should be to the late 90s, since its 17 years later, we see people using cell phones which were used after 2004. The flat screen televisions the actors are watching in the film were actually made in 2007. We hear them making references of Austin powers but no one in the movie refers to music beyond 1990. The things being watched on TV in the film are from before 1970 and the cars are from before 2000. The film seems to be covering over five decades all at the same time. There is also the case of X-Men: First Class, which is set in the Cuban missile crisis but characters flaunt modern haircuts and warships fire tomahawk cruise missiles. The funny part is that some of these warships were not invented by 1962. In X-Men: Days of Future Past, the personal stereo that Quicksilver owns during the scenes was not invented until 1979. The stereo belt as the stereo was known was released some years before the Sony’s Walkman. Sherlock Holmes is the film that shows anachronism to the fullest. At the introduction, a constable is seen loading a plastic shotgun shell in the breach of his shotgun. These were introduced in 1960 and they only used paper or brass in 1890. Sherlock Holmes shirt also has an attached collar only introduced in 1929. There are a lot of references to the term radio which started being used in 1907. The funniest part is when Holmes is bailed from jail. The paper he is holding is dated Friday, November 19th 1981. This date was actually a Thursday that year. Conclusion The novelists and film makers strive to avoid anachronisms at all costs. It is however not extremely avoidable. Even the best of the lot only make it to a minimum anachronism that only can be noticed by the few demanding experts. It is very hard to acquire an absolute historical accuracy. It has become so serious that an organization, The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., created a set of rules on how to use anachronism in 2005. The set rules help in guiding the film producers to use anachronism in a productive manner. Some anachronisms will slip by audiences forever while others are just open for judgments from anyone that watches a certain film. If used productively however, anachronism will help producers in entertaining their audiences and bringing up controversies that are sometimes good marketing methods. References Neiger, M., Meyers, O., & Zandberg, E. (2011). On media memory: Collective memory in a new media age. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Ramey, L. T., & Pugh, T. (2007). Race, class, and gender in "medieval" cinema. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Richardson, N. E. (2002). Postmodern paletos: Immigration, democracy, and globalization in Spanish narrative and film, 1950-2000. Lewisburg PA: Bucknell University Press. Read More