For the A-Z Blog challenge, I will be addressing some of life's big questions.
Perhaps together we can find the answers to many heretofore unsolvable mysteries.
is for Books
Why is it that in old movies the books still look old? At some point, the books had to have been new, but we never see it. This is something that has bothered me for a long time. No matter how far back in time the movie goes, the books are always old. Someone please explain to me why?
What new "old" books should look like:
What they show in the movies:
 |
| Tomorrow's Question: The protection of covers. |
Maybe they were new then? And they just come looking old to us?
ReplyDeleteI think Hollywood has this problem a lot. In a period movie they tend to make everything look old, even if it was new then. It adds to the atmosphere.
DeleteThere were shiny paperbacks with glossy covers back then, but they didn't sell well at Ye Ol' Barnes & Noble. People liked musty things. Must carriages, musty castles, musty clothes. Shiny wasn't cool.
ReplyDeleteHaha! I'm thinking that back then, a new, leather-bound book would have been shiny and the pages might even have had guilder edges. They had to start of new looking sometime. :)
DeleteGood point. I once had a book rebound in leather for my Grandfather - the leather was glossy and the gilding glittered. That's how I imagine they must have looked - and the indentations from the press would have been crisp, too.
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly what I'm talking about. Thank you!
DeleteSomeone was just telling me that they were having a yard sale, and someone came looking for old books. He looked only at the covers, because that's what mattered. They weren't meant to be read-- they were meant more as a piece of art. A shelf in his living room of cool-looking old books. So maybe in the movies it's an art thing, too?
ReplyDeleteI think you're right, they just need the old, musty books to look artsy, not so much realistic.
DeleteThose are old books from old movies. Remember, Captain Kirk had the first iPad on the Enterprise. Only it wasn't called an iPad than.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember Capt. Kirk's tablets. But I was young when those were on TV. I'll have to go back and check. It's crazy that technology is catching up to science fiction.
DeleteHahaha now that's funny.
ReplyDeleteThanks TJ
DeleteIt's because old books just LOOK cool. Even people in Austen's era understood that I guess and kept a few oldies in their libraries. I wish I had some, but apparently my books need a few centuries to age. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI agree, they do look cool. And I think we just expect them to look a certain way.
DeleteI can't say I've ever thought of that. Were they only reading books from the 10th century? I agree with your comment about Hollywood, though. They take liberties with a lot of things. Although even in the BBC productions the books look old, right? It does add to the atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteOh I bet your a joy to go to the movies with. LOL :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I click on your name to try to visit your blog, it doesn't take me there. Help!
DeleteMind blown. It's so true! I never noticed!
ReplyDeleteLove it!!
ReplyDelete