Tonight I watched an old episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, of which there are many. A private eye gets a visit from a wealthy man. The man's wife was murdered years earlier, and he wants help. Not help finding the man who killed her, which he's already done. No, the heavy implication is that he wants to kill the man. But even after he reveals this, it's pretty obvious he's still hiding something.
One thing struck me. The episode came out in 1960. James Franciscus, who played the private eye, was born in 1934. So when the story went in front of the cameras, the leading actor was only 25 or 26. If the story were being filmed now I have a hard time imagining anyone that young taking the lead without their youth and everyone calling them "junior " and the like. So maybe people were more mature a few decades ago. Or maybe just better at asking like they're grown-u;
One thing struck me. The episode came out in 1960. James Franciscus, who played the private eye, was born in 1934. So when the story went in front of the cameras, the leading actor was only 25 or 26. If the story were being filmed now I have a hard time imagining anyone that young taking the lead without their youth and everyone calling them "junior " and the like. So maybe people were more mature a few decades ago. Or maybe just better at asking like they're grown-u;
2 comments:
We enjoyed watching a number of Alfred Hitchcock Presents stories a couple of years ago, but I can't say I remember that one. It does sound good, though, and Hitchcock was a little diabolical in the tales he chose to feature - in many ways his were equal or superior to shows like The Twilight Zone for malice, albeit with frequent touches of humor.
You're right about people appearing more mature at younger ages in movies and tv shows in decades past. The term Jer told me he'd seen regarding young people today was kidults. Sounds about right as a description for some at least.
It's not surprising if you didn't catch this one. AHP had, I think, seven seasons before it became The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and that's when seasons were much longer. For the most part the hourlong shows weren't as successful. And in defense of Rod Serling, he was going for something different, a sentimental pathos that could turn horrifying at times.
"Kidults" seems a pretty appropriate term. It's not entirely a matter of intent. There's not as much waiting for you after the cusp of adulthood as there used to be.
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