# Why must the 1960s and earlier always be shown in muted colors? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2015, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772 "2015-11-27T22:11:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/1 "2015-11-27T22:11:09Z")
The Man in the High Castle is only the latest in a long series of shows that depict times of long ago in muted, almost sepia, tones and eternal twilight. The program is set in 1962, and as I recall it real life then was as vividly colored and lit as today. It has become as overused a device as SF’s overuse of teal, and I am sick of it. Can’t somebody make cinematographers stop it? ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/2 "2015-11-27T22:27:09Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > The Man in the High Castle is only the latest in a long series of shows that depict times of long ago in muted, almost sepia, tones and eternal twilight. The program is set in 1962, and as I recall it real life then was as vividly colored and lit as today. It has become as overused a device as SF’s overuse of teal, and I am sick of it. Can’t somebody make cinematographers stop it? Plus they all look too clean cut and clean. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/3 "2015-11-27T22:37:51Z")
[Bill Watterson explained it best.](http://calvin-and-hobbes-comic-strips.blogspot.com/2011/11/calvin-asks-dad-about-old-black-and.html) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/4 "2015-11-27T22:55:08Z")
Both _Mad Men’s_ 60s and _Boardwalk Empire’s_ 20s were generally brightly colored. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/5 "2015-11-27T23:05:28Z")
I assume they are going for the look of films from that era, in order to enhance the audience’s feeling of “being there.” Face it, those of us that actually \*remember \*the sixties are getting rarer and rarer. The bulk of the audience for film and TV only knows the sixties from the movies that were made during that era. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/6 "2015-11-27T23:10:43Z")
I haven’t seen _The Man in the High Castle_, but I would guess in this case the device was also being used to distinguish the alternate reality from the actual reality of the 60s. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/7 "2015-11-27T23:48:22Z")
I think that sepia-tone is all over the place, including more modern shows like _The Killing_ and half the action movies produced these days. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/8 "2015-11-28T00:39:02Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I haven’t seen _The Man in the High Castle_, but I would guess in this case the device was also being used to distinguish the alternate reality from the actual reality of the 60s. That would be _Wizard of Oz_ style. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/9 "2015-11-28T00:51:37Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > [Bill Watterson explained it best.](http://calvin-and-hobbes-comic-strips.blogspot.com/2011/11/calvin-asks-dad-about-old-black-and.html) This. Not to mention when Reagan became president, the CIA had to stop putting LSD in everyone’s drinking water. [tin foil hat smiley] ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/10 "2015-11-28T01:51:33Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Both _Mad Men’s_ 60s and _Boardwalk Empire’s_ 20s were generally brightly colored. Exceptions that prove my rule. [/handwave] > [@Colibri](#): > > I haven’t seen _The Man in the High Castle_, but I would guess in this case the device was also being used to distinguish the alternate reality from the actual reality of the 60s. You give the filmmakers credit for more creativity and talent than I do. A better explanation may be that they were filming in Washington State and BC, which are oppressively drab locations. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/11 "2015-11-28T02:10:26Z")
In regards to Man in the High Castle, I assumed it was to better mesh with the CGI. Frankly, I hate it; the picture looks dirty. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/12 "2015-11-28T02:12:35Z")
Isn’t it a show about an alternate timeline where the Nazi’s one WWII? I don’t think ze Germans would have switched to an Austin Powers-esq palette after the war. Seig hiel mein dude! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/13 "2015-11-28T05:34:12Z")
I always assumed those colors are used because so much film stock from pre-1970 or so becomes pale and washes out over time. That’s how we’re accustomed to seeing images from “back then.” ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/14 "2015-11-28T06:04:59Z")
Like [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ob59hsRaFU) you mean? That’s what the old 8mm Kodak films looked like in the day. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/15 "2015-11-28T08:30:08Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I assume they are going for the look of films from that era, in order to enhance the audience’s feeling of “being there.” Face it, those of us that actually \*remember \*the sixties are getting rarer and rarer. The bulk of the audience for film and TV only knows the sixties from the movies that were made during that era. –which are brighter and more colorful than modern films, except possibly when rebalanced for TV viewing. Anyway, the obvious answer is “because modern audiences don’t expect flashbacks to be in black-and-white” – which is the way it was all through the 70’s and 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/16 "2015-11-28T15:44:35Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Exceptions that prove my rule. [/handwave] You haven’t demonstrated that it’s actually a rule. I’ve given twice as many examples where it’s not the case as you have where it is. > [@](#): > > You give the filmmakers credit for more creativity and talent than I do. A better explanation may be that they were filming in Washington State and BC, which are oppressively drab locations. If the filmmakers were deliberately filming in drab colors, that would be an expression of creativity and talent. And if the drab colors are the result of drab locations, then this is unlikely to evidence that drab colors are typical of films set in the past. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/17 "2015-11-28T15:56:00Z")
I saw something. Hey, I saw another something. It’s a trend! It’s happening everywhere! Why is nobody else noticing? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/18 "2015-11-28T23:02:42Z")
Scream Queens uses the muted color flashbacks for scenes that happen all the way back in the distant past of the mid 1990’s. Meanwhile, this season Walking Dead had an episode that used b&w for flashbacks to things that happened mere hours before the “present” action. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/19 "2015-11-29T03:01:13Z")
I haven’t seen the show, and am not claiming historical accuracy for its color palette, BUT I believe the world actually was a bit more muted then. At least until the mid to late 60s, fabrics, wallpapers, paints were not quite so bright - they were rich, but softer and more “natural”. In addition, the world, at least in the city, was also just grimier, with the products of incomplete combustion filling the air and settling out on buildings. Sunsets might have been more dramatic; foliage was probably the same … . I’m not claiming we were all walking around in sepia, more like an oil painting, a very subtle difference. > [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I assume they are going for the look of films from that era, in order to enhance the audience’s feeling of “being there.” Face it, those of us that actually \*remember \*the sixties are getting rarer and rarer. The bulk of the audience for film and TV only knows the sixties from the movies that were made during that era. Roughly [27%](http://www.indexmundi.com/united_states/age_structure.html) of the U.S. population is 55 or older and probably remember the 60’s quite well. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772/20 "2015-11-29T03:17:28Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You haven’t demonstrated that it’s actually a rule. I’ve given twice as many examples where it’s not the case as you have where it is. Okay, I’ll even it out: _Saving Private Ryan_. Now note that I handwaved away your objections and go away, kid. Ya bother me. 😉 And those of you who have dismissed me, I condemn you to noticing the bland, tan palette of most shows set between 1860 and 1965! _Agent Carter,_ though it does make her lipstick stand out, a cheap and tacky ripoff of the girl in a red coat in _Schindler’s List_! _Manhattan,_ where everything is dim, even in the middle of a stinking desert–I’ve been in that desert and the sun will burn your eyelids off! _O Brother, Where Art Thou?_ though it wasn’t exactly real. Now, don’t get me going on unnecessary darkness. I’m looking at you, _Gotham._ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-the-1960s-and-earlier-always-be-shown-in-muted-colors/738772.md?page=2)