Why are movies & TV shows from the 70's so colorless & misty whereas older films have a crispness & clarity

Question

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Answer 1

Older films were made using quality techniques. In the '70s, cost cutting was in fashion. The cheapest way to do something was often chosen over quality. Also, many new techniques were also developing, and weren't as successful as hoped.As far as colorlessness, especially the mid-70s were the pastel period, and colors were muted.

Answer 2

I think what you are observing is the evolution of videotape and film. In the early 70's, Kodak was experimenting with new types of film stock like Kodachrome, Ektachrome and Technicolor was another company trying to perfect the colors in film. They were still experimenting all through the 80's and videotape was improving all the time as well, until we arrived at the digital age. Now all the companies are investing their research money in digital technologies.
The older feature films were using a rich, color saturated film stock that was tried and true and started experimenting in the 60's with VistaVision and CinemaScope which were photographic processes for getting a wide angle look on a regular size screen. A lot of the older films have been restored, using a digital enhancement process and even some black and white films have been "colorized", so every film is different as to why it has a certain look or feel. The "misty" look was a lot of times done intentionally to give the film or a certain scene that "look", used by the cameraman when he wanted to convey a certain mood.

Answer 3

Betamax