Nostalgia is a universal feeling that can be easily triggered by any of the senses, and film is one sure-fire way to access the emotion. According to an article from Indiana University Bloomington “The Underbelly of Nostalgia in Film & TV” from 2018, productions’ use of nostalgia has been steadily increasing since 2008, especially in the form of movies and TV shows set in the 1970s and 80s. A few examples of this are “Stranger Things”, “Adventure Land” and “Young Sheldon.”
Nostalgia bait in film and TV usually appears as a reboot of an older piece of media, or time-period references in newer productions. The goal is to trigger positive nostalgic feelings from the audience which in turn boosts the production. Though this marketing strategy has been on the rise, it is not a completely new development. There were plenty of movies released in the 80s such as “Grease”, “The Outsiders” and “Stand by Me” that were set in the 50s, inviting adults then to look back to their youths, even if just in a dramatized representation.
“[My parents] can connect to some of the things that we just see in the movies,” ninth-grader Darien Hull said.
This representation of the past, often idealized, also has the ability to access feelings from younger generations, evoking a sort of nostalgia for a time they did not even experience first-hand.
“There’s some movies from an older time that make that time seem better,” Hull said.
There are many ways that aspects of film can be used to enhance this nostalgic feeling in productions: setting, color, costume and sound all play a part.
The roller rink. Bright pink, blue, and yellow strobe lights. Big hair, suspenders. Gum smacks in everyone’s mouth as they bounce to electronic dance music. With all of these components accounted for in a film, the decade will likely not need clarification.
Not only is nostalgia used as a tool for engagement with newly released projects, but it is often used to revitalize an old franchise. Older movies or series are often remade or followed by many sequels. These productions rely on the fact that fans of the original will watch it for nostalgia’s sake. Some examples of this include “Ghostbusters”, “The Lion King” and “Scream.”
Sophomore Iris Luther-Suhr encountered this with the many iterations of Star Wars. She first was introduced to the franchise in fourth grade by her father. “I don’t like the sequels,” she said, “but the TV shows, yes.”
“The Acolyte came out this summer, and it made me feel nostalgic for the prequels, which are my favorite section of Star Wars,” Luther-Suhr said.
The manipulation of nostalgic feelings in the production and marketing of new movies and TV is a hit-or-miss endeavor, but based on the rising success of nostalgia-bait films, it is a very powerful tool. Because everyone is capable of feeling nostalgia, films that access the emotion invite both older and younger generations to reminisce, even if it may be a time they never experienced.