Batgirl
Director
Posts: 1,014
Online Status:
|
Post by Batgirl on Jun 17, 2020 11:17:20 GMT
There are plenty of tv shows and films that accurately present an earlier era and have the classic cars to match. Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes are two much loved examples of that on this forum !
BUT when I see an old car used in a modern time period film or tv show it really stands out. Agatha Raisin was on tv tonight, Series 1 episode 1 'Walkers of Dembley' and I thought I'll have a look at the first episode. It was made in 2016 and appears to be a modern setting. Run of the mill, easy watching, no need to think mystery and then what car did I spot as the attempted murder vehicle ! A Ford Cortina. It was the drive on from the rear that gave it away. Would you all have picked it ? The car was only seen at night trying to run down Agatha and the plot had them checking on the owner of an old Cortina the next morning. Well bad choice of car if you don't want to be identified. What tv shows surprise you by including a random classic? It appears at 33.27
|
|
|
Post by Gene Hunt on Jun 17, 2020 17:43:50 GMT
Well spotted Batgirl! It's unmistakable when you freeze frame it!
Gene.
|
|
The Saint
Moderator
Swinging London - 1967
Posts: 5,420
Online Status:
|
Post by The Saint on Jun 17, 2020 18:58:46 GMT
I recall that Dennis Waterman’s character drove a Triumph Stag in the TV series New Tricks.
The Saint
|
|
Cartman
Producer
Posts: 4,018
Online Status:
|
Post by Cartman on Jun 17, 2020 19:00:22 GMT
Turning this on its head, I've seen a couple of films which were set in the past, but had then current cars in them. One is quadrophenia, which was made in 79, but was set in the early 60s. However, there were loads of 70s motors in the background scenes? Another was The Odessa File, which was made in 73, but was, again, supposedly in the early 60s. They simply filmed current traffic scenes in West Germany at the time so the film had a 70s look to it.
|
|
Three Litre
Producer
Oscar 24
Posts: 3,418
Online Status:
|
Post by Three Litre on Jun 17, 2020 19:15:19 GMT
One issue I have with old cars in films is they always seem to make them look pristine.
Which doesn't reflect the reality of old cars, many would be rusty and most would dirty and some damaged.
|
|
Cartman
Producer
Posts: 4,018
Online Status:
|
Post by Cartman on Jun 17, 2020 19:59:01 GMT
Good point. This applies to anything in preservation really, be it old cars, buses or trains. They are always shiny and pristine, when they were in daily use, or in traffic, they seldom were
|
|
|
Post by Dirty Epic on Jun 18, 2020 7:44:14 GMT
One issue I have with old cars in films is they always seem to make them look pristine. Which doesn't reflect the reality of old cars, many would be rusty and most would dirty and some damaged. Took my words out there 3L and chatted to someone outside the forum about it too. The never ending chain of period drama’s particularly have vehicles in them, even ones like trucks and buses which look totally concours and in a better condition when they left the factory all those years ago. To be fair the owners of these vehicles have spent a lot of time, effort and personal money and sometimes sacrifices to get these cars up to spec so can see why they'd be reluctant to turn it into a 1950s version of a 00s Fiat Punto!
Still surely in the 40s/50s etc. they had the equivalents of say a well-hammered 05-08 plate vehicles now on the roads. Surely there’s be rough as guts Humbers, Morris Minors, Ford Populars, Austin A30/35s, Standards, Hillmans etc. rolling around back then as much as say The Bill in the 00s used to wreck rough as hell 1990s Astras, Vectras, Escorts and Mondeos. Yes you can say people took more pride back then but a 5-10 year old car up to about the ‘90s used to get very long in the tooth by about that time… some more than others! That’s the glaring error they seem to make when making these period dramas IMO that the cars are always ultra-pristine and clean enough to eat a gourmet dinner off!
|
|
Cartman
Producer
Posts: 4,018
Online Status:
|
Post by Cartman on Jun 18, 2020 16:26:54 GMT
Totally correct DE, in the 70s you saw lots of ropey looking early 60s stuff still on the road and a look at photos taken in the 50s will show a lot of tough looking pre and early post war cars.
|
|
|
Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Jun 18, 2020 18:30:50 GMT
Just adding to this, after watching a fair number of Minder episodes whilst at home, on earlier Lockdown, it was surprising how many cars that were old then, (1982-89 episodes I saw), can be seen in the background and Arthur even had a few on his forecourt, like a sheeted over black pre or just post war Rover (P3 perhaps), and a MK1 Consul (I think) convertible seen from the side. Often wondered what happened to those cars. Then the Jensen CV8 with Interceptor Rostyles driven by Jimmy Nail in The Car Lot Blaggers.
Also reminds me of the Armstrong Siddeley Typhoon seen in Colet Gardens in "Cover Story" with a wheel missing, so would have been 25 years old at the least then.
Another film set in the past with contemporary traffic caught driving past was The Day of The Jackal, also set in 1963 with closer up the proper period cars (Alfa Spyder and various French cars) but in one scene setting shot of the street traffic Paris, visible is a Renault 16 not launched til 1965 and the MK3 Cortinas German cousin, a brown Ford Taunus TC1 turning a corner.
What amazes me is how American films makers today can totally convert and dress up whole streets to look like it was in the late 50's, 60's or 70's with dozens of period cars in shot, and pretty accurate too as far as I can see. It's probably easier for them to do it compared to the UK with the space and cars available and the companies probably have warehouses full of classics to get out for these purposes. I saw this with the recent fictional film with real characters "Once Upon a time in Hollywood" or "Le Mans 66" both of which I saw last year.
|
|
Cartman
Producer
Posts: 4,018
Online Status:
|
Post by Cartman on Jun 18, 2020 19:12:52 GMT
I think there is a danger in filming a scene which is set in the past, but not that long ago, probably more so than one set in a much earlier decade. Say you wanted to make a film now that was set in 2010. There aren't that many differences really so you would probably go out and just film the passing traffic.
You could probably get away with it as cars from the 90s onwards are characterless, amorphous and indistinct anyway so you don't really notice them, whereas ones from the 60s and 70s have definite identity
|
|