Scope of Present-Day Past?

Present-Day Past is about a fad from the present day unconsciously seeping into a work from the "recent" past. Firstly, how far back would "recent" be defined? Secondly, is there a good reason to restrict this trope to works from the recent past?

I have an example from an American Western movie shot in the mid-20th century and one character uses the term "Commie" which was not a thing 100 years prior. The time difference probably wouldn't satisfy the "recent" criteria but the fact that the Red Scare which was vividly on the minds of the American creators of the 1950s transpiring into a period piece where Russians already existed still feels true to the core of the trope.

Or would this simply be Anachronism Stew and Present-Day Past is just the same trope but for works of the most recent past where such mistakes are more readily overlooked?

Edited by eroock on Apr 20th 2024 at 6:51:31 PM

I would accept that example, despite being further back than most. The Wild West is a national myth for the modern USA, and there is very much a tendency to project today's issues on it, though not usually this blatantly.

Present-Day Past is almost omnipresent as a concept, as modern ideas will always seep in. The proposed example sounds fine. The thing about Anachronism Stew is it's centered on a variety of things and not just one, so proper examples of that would be like set in the 40's but uses modern slang, the clothing is 1920's and a 1960's handgun is seen.

Here's a related case which I would like to discuss:

A troper removed following Anachronism Stew entry from a work page with the comment that the two cases mentioned are too minor to make the cut. The movie was created in 1989, set in 1959 and includes two pieces of props from the 1970s and 1980s.

So is Anachronism Stew for blatant period misplacement only? Would there be a fitting alternative for the examples above?

Edited by eroock on May 2nd 2024 at 6:54:02 PM

I would agree that Present-Day Past fits that, at least better. Anachronism Stew feels like it's more for stylistic choices that affect the work as a whole, and not single details. That said, Anachronism Stew is something of a mess.