Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. - Page 12 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Station X · 29th Oct 2017, 1:14 pm

They should have employed Edward Huggins as a technical consultant.

RojDW48 · 12th Jan 2018, 3:58 pm

There was a quite respectable horror film on TV recently called 'Stoker'. Featured Nicole Kidman, wondering where she had left the script, Matthew Goode pretending to be the American psychotic Uncle Charlie and a Quad 22 FM tuner - in several shots, on top of a cupboard, not apparently connected to anything which would respond to bit of FM. What an odd prop!

newlite4 · 21st Jan 2018, 9:09 pm

Just switched over to Call the Midwife on BBC1 and in the first scene in the kitchen of Nonatus House the news is coming from a cream Roberts Revival with the top push buttons. It would not have been too difficult to have sourced an original example given that there are normally a few at most car boots each Sunday.
Neil

michamoo · 21st Jan 2018, 9:14 pm

It's like they just can't be bothered at times! Modern Yale type locks on doors when it's supposed to be the 1920's are another..

gary_crutchley · 21st Jan 2018, 9:20 pm

Yes, I also spotted the radio too. Trixie Franklin actually pretended to tune it as well!

Brigham · 13th Mar 2018, 12:45 pm

I spotted one of those difficult to explain 'other way round' anachronisms in an episode of Gideon's Way the other night.
Jack Hedley appeared to be wearing a quartz wristwatch, with characteristic 'dead-beat' seconds hand, in February 1965!

rontech · 16th Jun 2018, 7:52 pm

Maybe off topic a bit, but I recall an episode of a detective story set ca 1936 ( probably a Poirot one ) where a 78 rpm dance band record was played. The record was clearly an HMV bright blue label one, almost certainly of the POPnnnn series of the 1950's ( they featured Elvis and contemporary artists )

P.S. In all other respects,the period detail was excellent!

Brigham · 19th Jun 2018, 12:28 pm

A local arts student made a delightful compilation film of my home town '...in the Swinging Sixties', using borrowed 8mm home movie footage.
Unfortunately, she made the soundtrack 'swing' with Jimmy Dorsey, Artie Shaw...

rontech · 21st Jun 2018, 9:15 am

I would close my eyes and enjoy the soundtrack!

Grubhead · 16th Jul 2018, 12:42 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by rontech

Maybe off topic a bit, but I recall an episode of a detective story set ca 1936 ( probably a Poirot one ) where a 78 rpm dance band record was played. The record was clearly an HMV bright blue label one, almost certainly of the POPnnnn series of the 1950's ( they featured Elvis and contemporary artists )

P.S. In all other respects,the period detail was excellent!

That sort of thing is common in films and TV shows.
I spotted once in a 60's based Heartbeat TV show that used late 1970's style PYE single record sleeves.

A 1960's electric doorbell in the Battle of Britain film was I think the earliest mistake I ever spotted.

arjoll · 16th Jul 2018, 3:53 am

I hardly ever contribute to these, but spot odd things.

This isn't quite the same as other examples, and has been shared elsewhere - including be me on Facebook a while ago when it aired here on Three - but according to NCIS: Los Angeles, it appears that the US nuclear missile launch sites use Commodore 64s....

Now I know they do use some pretty old tech, but somehow I don't think this is accurate.

terrybull · 16th Jul 2018, 6:13 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by michamoo

It's like they just can't be bothered at times! Modern Yale type locks on doors when it's supposed to be the 1920's are another..

They doubtless are modern Yale locks but I beleive they go back a long way.

broadgage · 16th Jul 2018, 7:43 am

A recent episode of Foyles War featured a large country house being used for the training of spies etc.
Several modern looking self contained emergency lights may be seen over internal doorways. They have been covered up or painted to match the light green walls, but still look out of place.
One can also see the dust marks on the wall above the lights, caused by the modest but continual heat output.

Some premises did have emergency lighting then, but this consisted of standard "mains type" incandescent fittings supplied from a central battery.
And not fittings containing a battery and a miniature fluorescent tube.

Herald1360 · 16th Jul 2018, 11:36 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrybull

They doubtless are modern Yale locks but I beleive they go back a long way.

The picture looks suspiciously like a Vaughan, not Yale, lock.

Though having found it online, it would seem that they were the originators of the design which only later became owned by Yale.

http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Muse...tteer/gazv.htm

Station X · 16th Jul 2018, 11:59 am

I think Yale bought the company, not the design, so they had a UK manufacturing facility.

Richard_FM · 16th Jul 2018, 1:58 pm

I remember spotting that doorbell in The Battle of Britain, the same house has a lifting garage door which I don't think was common for another decade or so.

rambo1152 · 17th Jul 2018, 2:10 am

Apologies if someone has already mentioned this one
It's an episode of heartbeat called "Judgment Day"
This character is taping up the dial of a VTR103 so she doesn't lose the spot where she gets the police messages
Would that it were, as Robert Robinson used to say, it's a humble TR82.

https://www.itv.com/hub/heartbeat/Ya0757a0289

Peter.N. · 18th Jul 2018, 9:40 am

On the VHF version you could get the police band at one time.

Peter

Herald1360 · 23rd Jul 2018, 12:46 am

Interesting. Not actually an anachronism but rather a lack of attention to detail nonetheless.

broadgage · 24th Jul 2018, 12:38 pm

In last nights episode of Foyles war, Foyle gives some fishing flies to an American soldier.
They are in a moulded polythene multi compartment box, as widely used today for storing small items.
Although polythene HAD been invented then, it was still expensive and in very short supply and would not have been used for low priority civilian purposes like storage boxes.

29th Oct 2017, 1:14 pm	#221
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 16,552	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. They should have employed Edward Huggins as a technical consultant. __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Keep the soldering iron hot.

12th Jan 2018, 3:58 pm	#222
RojDW48 Octode Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 1,714	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. There was a quite respectable horror film on TV recently called 'Stoker'. Featured Nicole Kidman, wondering where she had left the script, Matthew Goode pretending to be the American psychotic Uncle Charlie and a Quad 22 FM tuner - in several shots, on top of a cupboard, not apparently connected to anything which would respond to bit of FM. What an odd prop! __________________ '....don't go mistaking Paradise for that home across the road!' (Bob Dylan)

21st Jan 2018, 9:09 pm	#223
newlite4 Octode Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bath, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,463	Roberts Revival - call the midwife Just switched over to Call the Midwife on BBC1 and in the first scene in the kitchen of Nonatus House the news is coming from a cream Roberts Revival with the top push buttons. It would not have been too difficult to have sourced an original example given that there are normally a few at most car boots each Sunday. Neil __________________ preserving the recent past, for the distant future.

21st Jan 2018, 9:14 pm	#224
michamoo Hexode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cambridge, Cambs. UK. Posts: 429	Re: Roberts Revival - call the midwife It's like they just can't be bothered at times! Modern Yale type locks on doors when it's supposed to be the 1920's are another.. __________________ If smoking is so bad for you, how come it cures kippers?

21st Jan 2018, 9:20 pm	#225
gary_crutchley Heptode Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Bloxwich, West Midlands, UK Posts: 530	Re: Roberts Revival - call the midwife Yes, I also spotted the radio too. Trixie Franklin actually pretended to tune it as well! __________________ http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_crutchley/ http://www.crutchleyhistory.co.uk/

13th Mar 2018, 12:45 pm	#226
Brigham Heptode Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Co. Durham, UK. Posts: 930	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. I spotted one of those difficult to explain 'other way round' anachronisms in an episode of Gideon's Way the other night. Jack Hedley appeared to be wearing a quartz wristwatch, with characteristic 'dead-beat' seconds hand, in February 1965!

16th Jun 2018, 7:52 pm	#227
rontech Hexode Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Southport, Merseyside, UK. Posts: 381	Re: Antiques Roadshow playing 78 wrong way round Maybe off topic a bit, but I recall an episode of a detective story set ca 1936 ( probably a Poirot one ) where a 78 rpm dance band record was played. The record was clearly an HMV bright blue label one, almost certainly of the POPnnnn series of the 1950's ( they featured Elvis and contemporary artists ) P.S. In all other respects,the period detail was excellent! Last edited by rontech; 16th Jun 2018 at 7:53 pm. Reason: postscript

19th Jun 2018, 12:28 pm	#228
Brigham Heptode Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Co. Durham, UK. Posts: 930	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. A local arts student made a delightful compilation film of my home town '...in the Swinging Sixties', using borrowed 8mm home movie footage. Unfortunately, she made the soundtrack 'swing' with Jimmy Dorsey, Artie Shaw...

21st Jun 2018, 9:15 am	#229
rontech Hexode Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Southport, Merseyside, UK. Posts: 381	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. I would close my eyes and enjoy the soundtrack!

16th Jul 2018, 3:53 am	#231
arjoll Nonode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Invercargill, New Zealand Posts: 2,812	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. I hardly ever contribute to these, but spot odd things. This isn't quite the same as other examples, and has been shared elsewhere - including be me on Facebook a while ago when it aired here on Three - but according to NCIS: Los Angeles, it appears that the US nuclear missile launch sites use Commodore 64s.... Now I know they do use some pretty old tech, but somehow I don't think this is accurate. Attached Thumbnails

16th Jul 2018, 7:43 am	#233
broadgage Octode Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: North Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,508	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. A recent episode of Foyles War featured a large country house being used for the training of spies etc. Several modern looking self contained emergency lights may be seen over internal doorways. They have been covered up or painted to match the light green walls, but still look out of place. One can also see the dust marks on the wall above the lights, caused by the modest but continual heat output. Some premises did have emergency lighting then, but this consisted of standard "mains type" incandescent fittings supplied from a central battery. And not fittings containing a battery and a miniature fluorescent tube.

16th Jul 2018, 11:59 am	#235
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 16,552	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. I think Yale bought the company, not the design, so they had a UK manufacturing facility. __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Keep the soldering iron hot.

16th Jul 2018, 1:58 pm	#236
Richard_FM Octode Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 1,182	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. I remember spotting that doorbell in The Battle of Britain, the same house has a lifting garage door which I don't think was common for another decade or so.

17th Jul 2018, 2:10 am	#237
rambo1152 Octode Join Date: May 2010 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 1,961	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. Apologies if someone has already mentioned this one It's an episode of heartbeat called "Judgment Day" This character is taping up the dial of a VTR103 so she doesn't lose the spot where she gets the police messages Would that it were, as Robert Robinson used to say, it's a humble TR82. https://www.itv.com/hub/heartbeat/Ya0757a0289 Attached Thumbnails __________________ -- Graham. G3ZVT

18th Jul 2018, 9:40 am	#238
Peter.N. Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK. Posts: 3,428	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. On the VHF version you could get the police band at one time. Peter

23rd Jul 2018, 12:46 am	#239
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 14,570	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. Interesting. Not actually an anachronism but rather a lack of attention to detail nonetheless. __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O

24th Jul 2018, 12:38 pm	#240
broadgage Octode Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: North Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,508	Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc. In last nights episode of Foyles war, Foyle gives some fishing flies to an American soldier. They are in a moulded polythene multi compartment box, as widely used today for storing small items. Although polythene HAD been invented then, it was still expensive and in very short supply and would not have been used for low priority civilian purposes like storage boxes.