What's the deal with the old technology?

I thought it was pretty clearly a character trait. He's clearly into old fashioned things.

No cell phones, either. But I guess it would kind of derail the plot a bit if the whole "let me come in and use your phone" trick ended with someone handing Clayne Crawford a cell phone on their doorstep.

The way I see it:

1.Polaroid camera
Guarantees a 'one time' shot. no digital trace, no film developed.

2.Super 8 projector/film
That may just be nostalgia, beats me.

3.Roladex/contacts book (w/ Juila's #)
I've seen Rolodex's still being used, but yeah, rather outdated. It may just be a plot device, something to use in the movie, vs. watching him scroll through his address book on a Mac/PC.

4.The mask used on John from the Black Lagoon (which was made in the '50s)
That is a timeless icon. could be 1950s or 2050s -- easily identifiable

5.No visible TVs/computers in his house
Wasn't there a flatscreen TV above the mantle?

6.Postcards? Everything is done thru email, who sends postcards anymore? (Although I do see how this one fits into the plot).
I send postcards when I travel. It's actually more fun to get a post card in the mail with handwritten words vs. an email. It is something tangible and substantive. Plus it was something he was sending to himself, so it may just be a manifestation of his own neuroses.

Then he complains about technology "getting out of control" (in reference to the Polaroid photo) towards the end

this refers to the assailant photoshopping things, which is rather modern. but at the same time, if he is complaining about technology, then that would explain the lack of it in his house. So, overall it's a sound statement.

my $0.02

I just figured it was part of his quirky character. Good observation!

There's also some kind of weird reference, where the cop brings a CD with data on it, then says "Where's your computer?" and he says "You know I don't have one" and then seems to take a laptop out of his own briefcase. I assume it's meant to be the other cop's laptop, but it's really strangely shot.

I think he's just an older guy who wants to use older technology most of the time. His front door camera is pretty sophisticated but I guess if you were going to torture people you would try make it as secure as possible.

I am usually good on picking up on anachronisms, but totally let one slip by me in this movie as a friend watching it with me commented on the outdated glass bottle of antiseptic (alcohol?) the girl made John drop in the convenience store robbery. We have lived in a plastic society for years.

So, mcse72, can you honestly say that if you went to Australia or Thailand, you'd just send an email from there, not a postcard? Seriously? How does that differentiate from emails you send from your desk at work?