doesnt look like its set in the 80's
morel ike the 90's
shareits set in the summer of 1986
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MovieChat Forums > A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006) Discussion > doesnt look like its set in the 80's
Actually,it doesn't seem it's set at any specific period since 1980 and after.It could be 1986,1996,or 2006...Really,I don't think they made a lot of changes on the streets while they were filming it.
shareSorry to burst your observation bubble folks, but, Asteriods? Tube Tops? Lacoste shirts? Old Impalas/ The tune Baker St????
he went 70's for a look because it was cooler looking than the 80's! can we say
Boogie Nights?
I actually thought it seemed very 70s, especially the music. I thought it was strange that teenagers in 1986 would be listening to the theme from "Welcome Back Kotter" and "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty.
Also, as was mentioned above, if the characters were teenagers in 1986, they should only be mid-thirties now, not in their mid- to late-forties. Seems like the movie was off by a decade or so.
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I agree. Let's face it..I was out there during both times, and 70's tunes kicked the 80's butt
shareThere is no indication that this was the 1980's. Along with the casting (the ages don't come even close to matching up), this was a puzzling fumble. I can understand that a lot of people might still have Seventies decor in their houses - especially if they were poor - but that VCR was a dinosaur from the Seventies! And the music was pretty eclectic. Not sure what was going on there.
The person who posted about the costumes was spot on correct. Denim was exactly the same as it was during the Seventies: pale blue and tight. There were no baggy pants. And all the boys's haircuts are WAAAAY too short. Nobody, especially in a tough neighborhood wore crew cuts. Only hip types in Manhattan would have worn them and even then, people stared at short hair. It looked to me like everyone wore their clothes from home and didn't bother to get period haircuts.
Despite all this, the movie is really great. Very powerful filmmaking despite the failure at capturing the period.
The Scottish kid Mike mentioned that they wanted their band to be more like Black Flag. That would have to be after 76 but more likely between 82 and 85, when Black Flag had gotten a little more mainstream press- unless the Scottish kid just has very cool taste in music for a kid at that time and place. Of course that also doesn't rule out the possibility of it being after those times.
Only the dead stay seventeen forever.
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mister smartypants.
shareThere is a caption at the beginning of the film that says "1986."
"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"
It's supposed to be 1986. I haven't seen the movie but was an accidental extra in it, and I will say that the woman in charge of the extras and the set (which was just outside the restaurant where I was working delivery) didn't really seem to strict about how everything looked, though. She came up to me between takes (and deliveries) and asked me if I was an extra. I said, "No, I work here," and she looked me over, decided I was 80's enough in style and dismissed it. They continued to shoot, even with my bike, a 1997 Gary Fisher, in sight.
So, if it doesn't look completely 1986 understand that it's a movie with limited resources.
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I agree that the movie looked like it was set in the 70s. From what I recall, all the music was from the 70s. Those headphones Frank was wearing when they went by his apartment to collect their money looked especially anachronistic for the mid-80s. Also, Frank was talking about them like they were the newest thing.
shareYeah, being from ny i noticed a lot of little things, but i dont think they had the ability nor the budget to change it. For example the trains and the walk/dont walk signs.
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I'm with the late 70's early 80's vote. In fact sometimes it very vaguely reminded me of Saturday Night Fever some of the plot lines i.e the conflict with Dad, the gang and the one who wants to be different, or even at a push Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing (I think that's the title anyhow). I don't put it up there with SNF but it was a good watch and I'd probably watch it again.
shareJust watched the movie tonight and the opening sequence clearly states "Astoria, Queens--1986" so there is really no mistaking that. Having said that, I completely agree that the look, feel and especially the music gives it a vibe much closer to 1976 rather than '86.
Good movie. Fresh and engaging with good performances all around. A particular nod to Anthony DeSando and his terrific performance as Frank, the gay dog walker. Also I liked the way they matched the younger and older actors, with one exception--Eric Roberts is much too old for the part of Antonio as an adult. There is no way to believe he and Robert Downey Jr grew up together.
"I don't want any Commies in my car. No Christians, either."
I just saw the movie; hard to follow, but as a former Queens resident, I watched it mostly for the gritty portrayal of Astoria. I swear it didn't look that much different from the Astoria I remember from the early 60's when I worked every summer as a counsellor at the Boys Club of Queens off 21st St.
I used to walk from the el station to the club, sometimes after dark, and never worried about getting jumped or anything. I think the Boys Club is now the Variety Boys and Girls Club, or something like that.
I like to think I helped some kids (who are now in their 50's) make it out of what was, even then, a pretty tough neighborhood.
Actually as a Queens native, I can recall that we did not get cable TV until late 1986. There was actually a corrupt politician who prevented it and later shot himself in the head when he got caught stealing from DMV funds. Anyway Queens was a very violent place at the time and bat attacks, people getting jumped by packs of up to forty guys, stabbings and drive by shootings were pretty common. Usually it started because of tagging up (graffiti) or other stupid reasons. I do agree about the way the girls dressed. They dressed much more conservatively than now or they'd quickly be labeled a slut.
shareinteresting
shareI think that was Donald Manes who killed himself.
I don't know what part of Queens you lived in or visited, but to my recollection, there were no gangs in Astoria, let alone gangs with bats attacking people, stabbings or drive by shootings.
Queens is a fairly large borough, consisting of Northwestern Queens: Astoria, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, Corona, Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Rego Park, Ridgewood, Sunnyside and Woodside.
Let's not forget, Northeastern Queens: Auburndale, Bay Terrace, Bayside, Beechhurst, Bellerose, College Point, Douglaston, Flushing, Floral Park, Fresh Meadows, Fresh Pond, Glen Oaks, Hillcrest, Kew Gardens Hills, Kew Gardens, Linden Hill, Little Neck, Malba, Oakland Gardens, Pomonok, Utopia, Whitestone and Willets Point,
Southwestern Queens: Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, Howard Park, Ramblersville, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill and Woodhaven.
Southeastern Queens: Bellaire, Briarwood, Cambria Heights, Hollis Hills, Hollis, Holliswood, Jamaica, Jamaica Estates, Laurelton, Meadowmere, Queens Village, Rochdale Village, Rosedale, Saint Albans, South Jamaica and Springfield Gardens.
The next time someone generalizes about an entire borough: "Queens was a very violent place at the time".....they really need to be a little more specific about exactly which Queen's neighborhood they're talking about!