MovieChat Forums > Ship of Fools (1965) Discussion > Doesn't 1933 look awfully like 1965?

Doesn't 1933 look awfully like 1965?

posted 9 years ago by sheepdater
7 replies | jump to latest

Is it my imagination or didn't they try very hard to make this a period piece? The costumes and hairstyles seem much more contemporary to the time this movie was made rather then the time it was supposed to be taking place. 1960's skinny men's ties aside, even smaller touches don't ring true either. All the smokers seem to be smoking cigarettes that have filters. In 1933 I'm pretty sure nonfiltered were the rule.
In fact the only thing that seemed to fit the period was when one of the characters undressed he was wearing a shirt with a collar that wasn't attached.
Did anybody else notice this? Was it done on purpose perhaps? I mean the opening line of the film did mention being able to see yourself in the characters. Maybe it was a way to point out the timelessness of the satire. What do you think?

[–] PrometheusTree64 9 years ago

1960s movies, even when they were great, were nearly always guilty of this -- making a historical piece look like it was contemporary in terms of styles and hair. They often didn't even try --- even on otherwise top-notch films.

There was a similar problem in the '80s, which attempted a lot of period films. There, they made the effort at least to reflect the period they were portraying, but the '80s was so neurotically self-conscious it still looked like yesterday anyway.

--
LBJ's mistress on JFK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXeutDmuRA

[–] whiskeyTango-06 8 years ago

i will take your comments seriously when you stop including such stupid links in your signature.

[–] PrometheusTree64 8 years ago

But should I be concerned with you taking me seriously?

--
LBJ's mistress on JFK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXeutDmuRA

[–] supergolfdude 8 years ago

Exactly!

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mdonln 8 years ago

I think the problem is you're all focusing too much on the wrong things. The movie is specifically set during a time when all the things they're talking about are relevant. The characters have a certain perspective of and on the events that are happening and are unaware of things that we know will soon happen in their lives.

I suppose some people have trouble playing along unless all the details of the set, wardrobe, and hairdos are precise but I don't think those things matter that much. If they did perhaps more attention might have been paid to their accuracy. Even if all the actors were wearing the same color bodysuit, the movie would make its point.

For all we know this was done intentionally. As we are warned in the beginning of the movie, we may recognize ourselves among the passengers. In a way, this is a good example of that. Some of the characters were focused heavily on things that didn't matter while ignoring what did.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]

[–] denis-38 8 years ago

Sheepdater--

It was on the Movies! Network the other day and I watched--it's one of my childhood faves--and had to laugh, once again, at the absurd fashions. I don't think movie costumes came into any real accuracy until "The Great Gatsby" in 1974. The 1950s and 60s were the worst. Even films set WAY back, tended to look like everyone just left a contemporary cocktail party.

Leigh and Signoret managed some sense of the period, although that was due more to the fact they were great actors. That said, everybody was made-up like Liz Taylor in "Cleopatra." In 1931 cosmetics were certainly used, but not with such a heavy hand. (Leigh's famous scene in front of the mirror--going over her makeup--doesn't resonate quite as much as it might, because she was already painted in a very extreme manner.)