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eroock
Since: Sep, 2012
jormis29
Since: Mar, 2012
HyenaOfIce
Since: Feb, 2024

What trope is this?
SUMMARY: A horror film clearly takes place in present day, but it is peppered with anachronisms (vintage cars, paper maps) only going as far back as 1968, plays 80's-style (esp. The Thing-style) background music, and only uses practical effects (no CGI or green rooms) This is done purely for the sake of aesthetics/feel and as a form of shout-outs to other horror movies that heavily inspired it. It doesn't take place in an alternate timeline or universe, either.
LONG EXPLANATION: The setting clearly takes place in the present, because everyone has a cellphone, but there are many anachronisms, such as vintage cars (though most are modern ones), faux-vintage attire (one character has yellow-tinted aviator sunglasses, sideburns, and a fedora, but thankfully it's not a 70's-style fedora, and he doesn't wear 70's era jeans) Everyone uses the radio for news (this example is a shoutout), and several characters use paper maps or 1980's and/or 90's AM/FM radios. One character drives across a wooden covered bridge. Also uses lots of "The Thing"-like drones of dread and exclusively uses practical effects (animatronic models and makeup, no CGI or green rooms) It's a horror movie and this is clearly done intentionally for aesthetic appeal and shout-outs. The Anachronisms doesn't go back further than 1968, with the possible exception of a silent movie playing on a flatscreen TV in the background (the TV has no audio or is on mute)
I assumed it was Anachronism Stew, but that trope is about historical inaccuracy or time crash. Ambiguous Time Period doesn't work, because it's clearly the present day. I looked at Purely Aesthetic Era, but this doesn't seem to work, either, because from the sound of it, this can't take place in the present day unless it's schizo tech.