I can't explain it, but i'm sure we all agree, A Christmas Story actually feels like it was filmed in the same time period as the movie. I don't know if it's just Christmas setting, or something about the actors. At best It Runs in the Family, feels like the setting is 60's, around the same time as The Sandlot. Anyone else notice this?
shareThough I love this movie, I can kinda see what you're saying. I still can take it as the '40's, don't feel like it's the 60's, but it doesn't have the feel like A Christmas Story does. I wanna say this one is too clean and crisp visually, but even the older Ralphie movies, made for TV, don't capture the 40's feel that ACS does. There was just something about the film quality used in the early 80's, for one thing. Something hazy about it. It's what makes Raiders of the Lost Ark feel more 30's than the other Indy flicks. But, I think also, there's the music. The music. In fact, they even play some Clint Eastwood spaghetti western music in this one, which is from the... 60's? And wouldn't be in a fantasy a kid was having in the 40's. It's little things like that. I think the cast also is more recognizable and "modern" looking, and not that this is related, but I actually always felt Shep's narration was a little too lighthearted-kids' movie in this one. Don't get me wrong, I still really enjoy this film.
shareTrue,a lack of a soundtrack can make a flick dull. Plus it does not have the gritty appearace like ACS.
shareThey didnt use much period music, that makes a difference. The grain and haze on ACS helps too. But everyone is dressed right for the period, thats how they looked in the summer. Plenty of cars.
Ollie Hopnoodle was worse, they didnt capture the era at all. In fact in almost every scene you can spot at least one modern car in the background, that killed it. Not much period music. Clothes seem generic.
Oh, and segregation was apparently practiced in Indiana at this time, that rule gets broken constantly, but perhaps the movie makers did it deliberately.
In the original ACS there was a black child in Ralphie's classroom. This is an anachronism because schools in Indiana didn't start desegregating until 1949.
shareThe theme music from THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY didn't help. I was like "yeah, reference a movie that shouldn't exist yet."
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What is amazing is that Bob Clark blew it so bad with this one. If it has been a hack director brought in to do a ripoff sequel it would be easy to understand why the film is so inferior, but the same freaking guy who wrote and directed "A Christmas Story" did this turkey.
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