I mean, it's not important to the plot or anything but I was really bugged by the fact that this movie was supposed to take place in 1988, but by the clothes, hairstyles, makeup, etc. it looked like it was filmed yesterday by hipsters. Not convincing at all. I feel like if you're going to make a movie that takes place in 1988 then you should make it look like it took place in 1988. That's all. Maybe I'm just OCD
shareEverything about this movie taking place in 1988 California bothered me a bit, the costumes weren't even the biggest things. The one thing I forgive is that that it's not really VHS, it would have made it unwatchable quality. But there are a ton of goofs already listed. But it's like they barely tried.
Twelve minutes in and Denis says "bow chicka wow wow." ? Really? That phrase was never even really heard until the early 1990's when a stand-up comedian named Jordan Brady used it in his act, and then not popularized until way later. And then they refer to it as "a sex tape" in a conversation the next morning (2 minutes later in the movie). Who used that phrase before the internet? And the Virgin Mary on the toast thing was way out of place (but that's already mentioned in the goofs) What possible point is there to throw modern colloquial words and phrases in the dialog?
There were several major earthquakes in California in 1988, like Feb 11, Dec 3. Why not have had the earthquake on a day there actually WAS an earthquake.
I'm not trying to nitpick, it's just that the movie is very hard to get into when you are constantly jarred into thinking about stuff that's out of place that has nothing to do with the plot.
You're obviously more observant than any of us.. but you're right; I think it was all just careless directing on their part. Most people I guess wouldn't care since it doesn't have much to do with the plot. But for me and for you too I think the fact that it was supposed to take place in 1988 and obviously didn't seem that way at all really ruined a big part of the movie.
shareBelieve it or not, there were 'sex tapes' as soon as there were camcorders, and sex tape is what we called them. In 1988 Rob Lowe's sex tape severely damaged his career.
We had skinny jeans and flat shoes in the Eighties. Sometimes we still wore them when they went out of style. I still have a couple of pair hanging in the back of my closet. Once in a while I wear them. Perhaps the mum in the film was wearing hers because she liked them.
Bow chicka wow wow originated from 1970s porn films. Clearly the Seventies came before the Eighties. Believe it or not, there was life before the internet. We had late night talk shows, variety shows and comedians who passed the word to the hip. Perhaps you never heard it until the early Nineties.
My understanding was the house shaking was caused by Toby, not an earthquake. Did I get this one wrong? *off to review the FAQ*
Believe it or not, there were 'sex tapes' as soon as there were camcorders, and sex tape is what we called them. In 1988 Rob Lowe's sex tape severely damaged his career.I think you might be missing the point. I remember the Rob Lowe thing as well, and I'm pretty sure it was reported as "a home video has surfaced of Rob Lowe with an underage girl" and not TMZ style reporting "there's a new Rob Lowe sex tape out." I'm not questioning the existence of porn on video, or the personal use of camcorders. I'm questioning the use of the term "sex tape" as it's used 2x in a row in the film, and in recent tabloid journalism. Even the Pam Anderson and Tommy Lee video from the late 1990's was called a "home video" and not a "sex tape" (see Penthouse Magazine, March 1998). Through the 80's people still were misusing the term "film" for videos.
Bow chicka wow wow originated from 1970s porn films. Clearly the Seventies came before the Eighties. Believe it or not, there was life before the internet. We had late night talk shows, variety shows and comedians who passed the word to the hip. Perhaps you never heard it until the early Nineties.Actually, I first heard it in the TV show Friends (26 March 1998 episode "The One with the Free Porn"), and then a TV commercial. And subsequently did research the history of the phrase, and it's credited to be originating from Jordan Brady's stand up act. The earliest it could have been was late 1980's, but it was not a popular phrase until much later. So, again I think that's missing the point. It was people in the 1990's and 2000's making fun of the music from 1970's pornos, not something people walked around saying in the 1970's.
My understanding was the house shaking was caused by Toby, not an earthquake. Did I get this one wrong? *off to review the FAQ*That's what I thought as it happened. But then the next morning the assistant guy came and they talked about the earthquake. The assistant didn't say "what earthquake?" If it was Toby, it was really odd that the assistant didn't mention anything.
We had skinny jeans and flat shoes in the Eighties. Sometimes we still wore them when they went out of style. I still have a couple of pair hanging in the back of my closet. Once in a while I wear them. Perhaps the mum in the film was wearing hers because she liked them.Really? I don't remember that but then I hate skinny jeans and always have. Maybe I blocked them out. I hated the 80's altogether, my yearbook was ruined by Madonna look-a-likes with very ridiculous high hair.
I just finished the film and I felt the same, that it didn't feel as 80s as it could have, particularly with the characters' outfits.
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I agree to a point. The clothes and hair styles were 80's esque u might say. Most of the clothing and styles popular right now are very 80's inspired. So it looks like they just took todays styles and tried to make them look 80's. Skinny jeans were around in the 80', although I don't think they were called skinny jeans then and the off the shoulder style was very popular then. The moms hair was pretty good too, but yeah could have been made bigger. I think the little girls clothes were dead on though
shareSkinny jeans were around in the 80', although I don't think they were called skinny jeans then100% right, they were around, and called "tight jeans." I know for a fact girls (and guys) got the tightest jeans they could, even when they would bearly fit. I remember (and I'm a Guy!) owning Jeans in the 80s I could bearly fit my ankle though so they would be "anti-bell-bottom" style, and girls that had zippers on the cuffs of the jeans to make them fit tighter. And lace-ups, and zipper-rounds... Tight jeans WERE the 80's.
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Bottom line is I am out of place ranting on recent Hollywood movies, and it's not just this one. This was "ok" with minor errors. It's just me annoyed with the general irreverence. Really spends any time researching that was realistic in a movie set after 1959, because it's not a "period piece" that justifies the budget.
It's me, and probably my own issue with how JJ Abrams and his disrespect for period pieces and screw-ups. Like the waitress in Super 8 with low-rise jeans that seemed off. 20 microwave ovens stolden, the Rubic's Cube after the train crash, all the things that were "possible" then MAYBE, but not probable. Those things just pop out at me and red flag. And with his new "Revolution" thing that just takes his "we have relied on technology for SO long and can't be resourceful without it" makes man kind MORONS without electricity, it's put on the lookout.
I acknowledge I'm in the minority, sensitized by a hack of a writer/director, and it has nothing to do with being an acceptable movie for the "period" of 1970-1990. I guess my memories of those years are just still to vivid, as much as I try to forget them.
Something like "Hot Tub Time Machine" was MEANT to mock the 80's, if they didn't research it, it would have been pathetic. But I have to start to forgive the mistakes of "flashbacks" in movies that aren't "about" that era.
But, at least I have to say, even in Super 8, when the cop took the video at the 51 minute mark in Super 8, the kid called it "my film" not "my tape." The obvious mess ups to the period of 1970-1990 are probably a personal issue of mine, and from reading reviews and other comments, I'm in a minority. I still firmly believe no one in the 80's used the term "sex tape" or "bow chika wow wow."
It's hard for me to see them and watch them, but I get that it doesn't really matter to most people. So I won't say a movie "sucks" just because they make a few timeline mistakes. It's just me that goes "uh, no, no one did that then, and I was in SoCal in the 80s-90s." To me, it's like making a movie about 50's-60's surfers and having them say these clothes are so "tubular" (like "so cool") in every scene. Sure, waves had a tube quality to them, and surfers know that, but NO ONE SAID THAT in the 50s-60s.
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There's some research done into "period pieces" set after 1959. Like "Mad Men," the TV show set in the early 60's. And "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" from 1998 was pretty good about portraying 1972, and also "Donnie Brasco" from 1997 was all right for its late 1970's setting.Absolutely true. Ok, I'll extend my self deprecating hate to after "That 70's show." Seems most things were researched well up to that point? ;-) But after JJ Abrams came on the scene in Hollywood, this movie, his movies, everything is "wide open" to revisionist history?
Well the the characters were in their 30's and had the whole mature homemaker responsible parent thing, so they probably weren't trend followers. There was still a bit of 80's fashion as another poster pointed out, Julie with her one shouldered tops for example. And the babysitter had the 80's fashion going. I would've been more disappointed if it looked like 'the wedding singer' ensembles.
shareI agree they could definitely have put some more effort into the costumes, but I don't think this series is about artistic integrity and realism (besides maybe the first film). Having to worry about making the hair look 80's and tracking down multiple 80's outfits (or having them made) would likely bleed into the profits. The paintings in their house are very 80's though. Same with their lame sectional couch and all his video equipment.
shareAgreed, I didn't think the mom looked 80s at all. They barely made an effort with the off-shoulder top and tucking her pants into her boots but thats it. No spiral perm? No shoulder pads? She should've tucked her shirt in to show off some high waisted jeans. The jeans she had on looked too modern. I don't recall anyone having faux whiskers on their jeans till around 2000. But the kids clothes reminded me off stuff I wore as a little kid in the early 90s, so I guess they got that right.
"Flash where have you been?"
"Where haven't I been! Wooof!!"
They did that because the hairstyles and clothes from 1988 were fvck1ng ruhtarded.
shareI have no idea what you're talking about. Those people look pretty much like every picture of normal 80s people I have in my photo albums.
I mean, not everybody in the 80s was walking around dressed like Bruce Springsteen and Madonna... I can tell you in my entire family there was ONE woman with a huge perm and only one or two that really wore makeup... I mean, were you expecting the entire cast to walk around dressed like a glam metal band with bright pink leggings and bleached hair crimped up to the ceiling ?
It annoys me so bad when people around me blend all those stereotypes together and go "LOOK I'M SO EIGHTIES!!!" I mean don't you see that real life people walking around like this back then were considered over the top if they weren't teenagers ?
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