Friday, December 4, 2015

Shadows in Old TV Westerns.

I like to watch old black and white TV westerns and the Western Channel carries a lot of them.  It seems that those old shows got a few things wrong, besides some of the plots and the people and the times in history.  So what am I talking about.  Shadows and lights, that is what I am talking about.

Let me explain.  An actor runs into an old mine, the camera is further in the mine to catch the action as the fellow runs into the entrance of the mine.  It is a bright day outside the mine entrance, but the actor's shadow points away from the camera towards the door.  That is opposite of what I think it should be, but of course the camera needs the light, right?

OK, what about an outdoors scene or show that depicts life in the late 1800's.  The actors are outside talking over plans for catching the stagecoach robbers when I hear an airplane flying over head.

Also, the candles, matches, and oil lamps were a lot better back then, too.  A fellow enters a dark room and lights a match and the whole room lights up.  Same thing happens with candles and oil lamps.  Both of which must have been at least the equivalent of a 100 watt light bulb or more.

There are a lot more instances like these but for now, I would like you to tell me what all mistakes you have seen in movies or any TV show.  It is fun to look for modern stuff in movies and shows that are set a couple of hundred years ago.  Now, make sure your shadows are pointing away from the light and have a good day, you hear?

6 comments:

  1. When we first got a TV my younger brothers and I would watch Six-Gun Theater every afternoon. My parents would walk through the room and laugh about the errors they picked up on right away, such as you were talking about. I don't think we kids even cared, but it didn't take me long to discover that for me, these westerns were really terrible in acting, scenery, depiction of Indians, etc.

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    1. I still enjoy those old black and white westerns like the early Gunsmoke, etc.

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  2. How funny.... I'm pretty good at puzzles and other stuff like that... but I'll admit... so much of that I just don't "subscribe" to anymore so don't have an inkling about what it's all about. Did I notice? Heck, I don't know... I was probably more interested in the outcome.

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    1. I wish I didn't notice those mistakes, and just watch the show. But I always notice even the smallest details.

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  3. That's why i don't go back further than the 60s, bad filming, acting, etc. I never thot John Wayne could act at all...

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    1. But Wayne was entertaining and I did like some of his movies.

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