The Energon Pub

Ever watch an older show or movie that had them use technology or make a reference to something that was current when it was made, but over time has become dated? What are some examples?

I don't watch many movies or TV, so the example might not be very good, but this thread reminds me of G1 Transformers episodes like "Autobot Run" when Jazz brings attention to his 8 track player or "Roll For It" when Chip Chase puts the anti-matter formula on a floppy disc.

Any futuristic show with a lot of flashy buttons. At least the Jetstons were somewhat ahead in their thinking to have only one button for running a sprocket manufacturing plant (which George had to press as the only part of his job).

Spaceballs with its instant cassette where the entire movie was already in stores on vhs before the movie was made. Continuing the theme of vhs, Red Dwarf using them for their media, though the mini-series back to earth gave a reason for that, saying that we gave up on cd based media as we kept losing them and it was way harder to lose videotapes.

ZeroWolf wrote:Spaceballs with its instant cassette where the entire movie was already in stores on vhs before the movie was made. Continuing the theme of vhs, Red Dwarf using them for their media, though the mini-series back to earth gave a reason for that, saying that we gave up on cd based media as we kept losing them and it was way harder to lose videotapes.

Or the "canned air" in Spaceballs

I was watching the original Iron Man recently, and there were two such references within the first five minutes(note the movie is soon to be just 10 years old):

The first I'll mention is iffy, but still qualifies. They showed a LOT of magazine covers, and in the time since the movie was made we've veered away from the importance of print media. Print media still exists, as does Time (and I think) Wired, but the point still stands. If the movie were released this year the montage would include more web articles(for good or ill).

The other reference, not so much. When the army solider and Tony were getting their pictures taken(by a digital camera not phone, but still valid), Tony tells him not to post it on his Myspace page. Dunder Mifflin would be proud.

CastletonSnob wrote:Ever watch an older show or movie that had them use technology or make a reference to something that was current when it was made, but over time has become dated? What are some examples?

I'm a huge fan of Columbo. When I'm in bad mood, I watch them again, probably saw each episode 15 times.

It's extremely fun seeing him discover the new high end technology of this period, like getting explanations how to use a... fax machine. So high end and modern and future technology that it quite disappeared now.

There's ton of what was high end and very new technology back in time involved in the murders he is investigating on, but which nowadays teenagers would have difficulties to understand or at least understand how it would create (or destroy) such alibies.

- Fax machine used to pretend the victim was alive and using it
- typewriter ribbon containing the text of the previously typed letter
- Photo inverted during the developping process in the lab
- phones not showing the caller so being able to pretend to be on another location
- phone recorder tapes being cut and pasted.
- TV recorder used to made a witness think he is watching live TV.

etc...

I higlhy recommend if you don't know. And especially if you didn't lived at this period.
It's quite the opposite of CSI, the experts being the criminals.

Seeing old brick phones in 80's movies and shows is always amusing.

Star Trek: The Original Series's Captain Kirk would not want to be a captain in the year of 2519 with all those millennial punks and their instance on wearing full bodied uniforms, And wanting to take on more dangerous work such as Security, engineering, Science officers, rather then Communication which they would see as a politically correct term for secretary.