Old (Unoriginal) Hollywood
old (unoriginal) hollywood
by emma o’keefe
photos by emilie dumas
At the 2024 VMA’s, two of the biggest up-and-coming pop stars, Sabrina Carpenter and Tate McRae, both wore red carpet looks that referenced past pop stars’ iconic outfits. Carpenter paid tribute to Madonna’s 1991 Academy Awards gown, and McRae referenced Britney Spears’ 2001 VMAs black lace dress. Each of these looks paid homage to women who paved the way for these modern stars, today both sonically and in style. I don’t think there's anything wrong with a good throwback look, but who will the next generation of pop stars reference when today's stars do nothing but reference looks and sounds from the past?
This isn’t just a trend in music or fashion; nostalgia bait has taken over the entertainment industry in the past decade. Everything is getting a sequel, and if not a sequel it's a prequel, and if not a prequel it's a spinoff. Amazon is currently casting for a Legally Blonde spinoff series about the origin story of the iconic Elle Woods, despite the fact that there are already two sequels to the original movie in addition to a Broadway musical. In fashion, it’s not just modern pop stars recreating their idols' best dresses. It happens on the red carpets of film premiers, in street style, and in the going-out attire we see in paparazzi photos. Even staged paparazzi walks are a PR technique recycled from the early 2000s. In music, sampling, a technique originally used in ’80s hip-hop to reference obscure pieces of media and music, has become a lazy way for producers and artists to bring listeners back to an earlier time without any major changes or innovations. Even in the podcasting sphere, Spotify is bombarded with re-watch podcasts from former cast members of your favorite shows.
It seems like in every corner of Hollywood we’re seeing recreations of past eras. Is originality dead in the entertainment industry? Inspiration and influences are important, and to pay homage to your influences is a way to show your appreciation for the artists and eras that make your art and style what it is. However, another big part of what makes your creations stand out, and one of the most important parts of art, is originality and individuality.
Consumers have expressed being tired of this unoriginal trend in Hollywood but they are also buying into it. Inside Out 2 is now the highest grossing animated film of all time at the box office. If the first Inside Out did so well, from a purely financial standpoint, why wouldn’t Pixar bank on it again instead of a new concept that they have no idea whether audiences would like? It’s no wonder that almost every Disney and Pixar movie coming out in 2024 is a sequel: it's what's going to make them the most money. Recycled media is what makes headlines, and music that grasps for an earlier time is what's topping the charts. This marketing trend will only continue to ramp up if we keep buying into it.
Making something totally new is a risk, and maybe it's one that studios and record labels aren’t willing to take. It can take a long time for new and authentic art to pay off. Look at Chappell Roan whose unique sound and style has brought her to the forefront of pop music. She’s widely known now, but she only blew up a few months ago and has been making music in that persona for years. She pays homage to her favorite drag queens while putting her own twist on it and creating her own infamous looks most of the time. Her authenticity is both critically and commercially claimed. Sequels and recreations in media may be able to claim commercial success, but critically they can’t say the same. The longevity isn’t there either since it’s the reference that's really grabbing people's attention.
Gen-Z especially longs for a time before social media, where authenticity thrived, but we’re consuming eras like Indie Sleaze through social media. Candid party photos are making a comeback through photographers like Cobrasnake, but doesn’t a planned night of candid photos defeat the purpose of what candid actually is? In yearning for individuality through the past, we only create a less enticing version of that time, instead of something that is distinctively our own.
By no means, however, is original and authentic art dead. It can just be harder to find it behind the nostalgia-bait entertainment being forced onto our screens. Hollywood will always have a cyclical nature to it; after all it’s an industry, and executives are looking to make money above anything else. There’s nothing wrong with honoring past icons and trends, but it’s become tiring for audiences to see this over and over again. It’s important when taking inspiration from the past to put your own spin on it to make it brand new. If you’re sick of recycled ideas and concepts in entertainment, one of the best ways to help change this movement is to listen and watch artists who may not be backed by a major label or studio, but are doing their own thing and might be on the forefront of pop culture soon. Another great way to change and progress the standards of art and entertainment is to make your own. Make art that is uniquely you.