The Football Schedule in Dawn

[EvilNed]

Again, video games are the same as fashion and architecture...unavoidable logistics. Which still sets it in a time-period. Both you and I agree on that. Where our opinions differ is wether we should just ignore this, or ackowledge it. I'm sorry, but to me are so much more stronger if I just watch them. And accept them as they are. Ummm...we are talking about the films. Then why did you bring GAR into it by stating he was the same guy who forgot the copywrite?

[Philly_SWAT]

Okay... I think I get this now. Philly you are saying when Mr. Romero filmed this he did not intend for the movie to be "locked into a time period" but instead filmed it in the 70's and that is why all the items in the film scream 70's. This said his intention was for it to be "without time period" and that it was just impossible (and logically so) to accomplish this. So the film should exist outside of a "time" and we should use our ability to suspend disbelief and just accepted it as "now". This is almost what I am saying. Regardless of how GAR intended it or not (I do think he did intend it that way, but that wouldnt satisfy EvilNed's "art is personal" thing...) I am saying that the films ARE that way. Whether someone agrees or not, or thinks a filmmakers intentions are important or not, that is up to them to determine. But I do think that a person should suspend their disbelief with the 70's clothes, just as krakken suggested to suspend your disbelief about strings holding spaceships up, visible trampolines, etc. But overall, this entire discussion (which is proving quite enjoyable in any event) got side tracked a lot. The main point I was making to begin with is that from a logic standpoint, the existence of a date on the schedule does not prove anything about "when" the movie is.

[krakenslayer]

Okay... I think I get this now. Philly you are saying when Mr. Romero filmed this he did not intend for the movie to be "locked into a time period" but instead filmed it in the 70's and that is why all the items in the film scream 70's. This said his intention was for it to be "without time period" and that it was just impossible (and logically so) to accomplish this. So the film should exist outside of a "time" and we should use our ability to suspend disbelief and just accepted it as "now". I couldn't have put it any better. Exactly!

[Thorn]

I would agree that old dates on items do not prove anything. When I moved into my last office there were pictures on the wall from 1970 something, items in the desk including files, file folders, and personal items dated from the 80's. This was in the year 2000. If that were captured on film it would not necessarily mean that the year of the film was what was listed on those items. As for suspending disbelief I can do that too and ignore that a film was clearly made in the 80's. I don't have an issue with that, and do it routinely for other films in a variety of other ways. As to the debate about the moving cars and such such... let's be honest. The moving cars were straight up a mistake that made it into the film. I do not beleive the football schedule was anything more than an oversight, not because George WANTED to purposefully mask the year but because frankly I do not think he cared one way or another to scrutinize it as closely as we would. Also by the mains own admittance he never expected the films to devlop this kind of die had fan base where people examine in minute detail frame by frame what he considered a "wrap". We are more apt to go over his work than his production crew, and we have had YEARS to do it, and no one breathing down our necks to make them money in the process.

[Philly_SWAT]

I would agree that old dates on items do not prove anything. When I moved into my last office there were pictures on the wall from 1970 something, items in the desk including files, file folders, and personal items dated from the 80's. This was in the year 2000. If that were captured on film it would not necessarily mean that the year of the film was what was listed on those items. As for suspending disbelief I can do that too and ignore that a film was clearly made in the 80's. I don't have an issue with that, and do it routinely for other films in a variety of other ways. As to the debate about the moving cars and such such... let's be honest. The moving cars were straight up a mistake that made it into the film. I do not beleive the football schedule was anything more than an oversight, not because George WANTED to purposefully mask the year but because frankly I do not think he cared one way or another to scrutinize it as closely as we would. Also by the mains own admittance he never expected the films to devlop this kind of die had fan base where people examine in minute detail frame by frame what he considered a "wrap". We are more apt to go over his work than his production crew, and we have had YEARS to do it, and no one breathing down our necks to make them money in the process. Well said.

[EvilNed]

Hey. I don't give a damn about the football schedule. All I'm saying is that it's there, and can't be ignored. The film is definetly set in the 70's, tho. And how did I come to that conclusion? I watched the goddamn film!

[Philly_SWAT]

Hey. I don't give a damn about the football schedule. All I'm saying is that it's there, and can't be ignored. The film is definetly set in the 70's, tho. And how did I come to that conclusion? I watched the goddamn film! I agree that the football is in fact there. I say it can easily be ignored, as easily as we ignore the trampoline that the Savini zombie jumps on. I watched the same goddamn film, and came to the conclusion that is it set in the "present".

[EvilNed]

So Daytona Beach, Florida is stuck in the 70's?

[Philly_SWAT]

So Daytona Beach, Florida is stuck in the 70's? No. But the high schools still display old football stuff

[EvilNed]

Of course they do.

[Philly_SWAT]

Of course they do. Of course!

[Thorn]

I like the idea that it is entirely possibly that this is a janitor reliving his old days of glory and has refused to take it down. It was on the wall when he first got his job there after his "high school career" ended and he just couldn't or wouldn't take it down. Like a trophy that maybe eluded him. Is that the story? I tend to doubt it but it makes me smile all the same. It reminds me of the breakfast club where if you pay attention the valedictorian (or whatever) turned out to be Carl the janitor. It is subtle but if you watch it, and you are a fan you notice it.

[Trin]

I am often accused of over-analyzing movies to the point that I cannot enjoy them for what they are. But I gotta say - you guys make me look quite under-analytical. I'm one of the people who think that the movies all exist within the same universe with the same rules. In Land I believe if they looked hard enough they'd find a farmhouse with a burnt truck outside, a Mall with trucks parked across the doors, and an underground research facility with signs that survivors had been looking for answers. Fran and Peter and Sarah and John and Bill and Riley and Charlie are all out there and could find each other. I agree with a lot of the posters in this thread that the movies are set in the indeterminate present and the 70's look of Dawn is merely a function of when the movie was filmed, not when it was set. I enjoy that each movie is a continuation of the storyline of the world's descent into zombies, with each movie showing that descent from the perspective of a different group. I enjoy that too much to get tripped up on differences in fashion or video games. I just don't know how anyone can enjoy the later movies without the context of the previous ones to set the stage.

[sandrock74]

Well spoken Trin and I readily agree with you on all points.

[krakenslayer]

I am often accused of over-analyzing movies to the point that I cannot enjoy them for what they are. But I gotta say - you guys make me look quite under-analytical. I'm one of the people who think that the movies all exist within the same universe with the same rules. In Land I believe if they looked hard enough they'd find a farmhouse with a burnt truck outside, a Mall with trucks parked across the doors, and an underground research facility with signs that survivors had been looking for answers. Fran and Peter and Sarah and John and Bill and Riley and Charlie are all out there and could find each other. I agree with a lot of the posters in this thread that the movies are set in the indeterminate present and the 70's look of Dawn is merely a function of when the movie was filmed, not when it was set. I enjoy that each movie is a continuation of the storyline of the world's descent into zombies, with each movie showing that descent from the perspective of a different group. I enjoy that too much to get tripped up on differences in fashion or video games. I just don't know how anyone can enjoy the later movies without the context of the previous ones to set the stage. Agree wholeheartedly on all points. Excellent post.