Hollywood’s obsession with nostalgia dates back over 100 years. While the movie industry’s recent ’80s craze may be a prime example of Hollywood banking off nostalgia, it’s actually much deeper than that. Our newest video essay takes a deep dive into the 3 remarkable ways Hollywood loves to use nostalgia to sell tickets.
One of nostalgia’s core elements is being reminiscent of one’s childhood. This is why films like “Grease” work so well. While “Grease” takes place in 1958, it actually hit theaters in 1978. By setting this film one generation prior, parents of the late ’70s could be nostalgic for their high school experience. Additionally, teens of 1978 can see what life was like when their parents were their age. In our video, we get into how “Back to the Future” perfectly takes this to the extreme.
Other times nostalgic films aim to ensure an iconic character or story gets passed down through generations. Through the help of upgraded technology, characters like King Kong have been a part of childhoods for nearly 100 years. Similarly, we break down why one mega media conglomerate *cough* Disney *cough* has been doing this lately.
Lastly, movie franchises pass the torch down to a new generation through legacy-quels. This has happened in new iterations of Star Wars, the Ocean’s franchise as well as TV to film adaptations like “21 Jump Street.” Hollywood often passes the legacy down through families or surrogate families just like we do with our own. However, these differ from simply remaking a film. Watch as we highlight how filmmakers learn from the source material to update the stories while maintaining the heart of the franchise.
Check out our video above for a fun in-depth look at 3 remarkable ways Hollywood loves nostalgia or click here.
