What is Newstalgia?

Have you ever been watching a movie or TV show that sort of makes you feel nostalgic for a time gone by but also has new elements that make you feel like the story is happening in the present, capitalizing on present feelings?

Well, there’s a new word to define all of that: newstalgia.

Today, we want to define it, look at some examples, and pick apart the characteristics of the term.

Sound good?

Let’s dive into the past and the present together.

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Newstalgia Definition

Newstalgia is a term that covers the feeling of the comforting familiarity of the past when it’s mixed with the fresh spirit of the present.

It’s created when you take elements from past eras — aesthetics, cultural symbols, touchpoints — and then update them for contemporary audiences.

Newstalgia Characteristics 

• Blending of Past and Present:
  • Newstalgia mixes retro elements with modern aesthetics, technologies, or sensibilities.
• Emotional Connection:
  • It uses the power of nostalgia to ease you into something new.
• Accessibility to New Audiences:
  • Newstalgia makes older cultural trends relevant to younger audiences.
• Cultural Remix:
  • It involves taking elements from various past eras and combining them in new and unexpected ways.

How Filmmakers Can Use Newstalgia

Believe it or not, filmmakers have been using newstalgia since before it was a widely used term.

Think about all the reboots and reworks of older movies now. Or how companies revamp their old symbols but adding new colors or digitizing it.

Or like when Tarantino makes a new movie, he uses that classic “feature presentation” animation before his stuff starts.

The blending of old and new happens in many different ways.

Visual Aesthetics:

• Retro Style with Modern Techniques:
  • Filmmakers can blend vintage visual styles (e.g., film grain, specific color palettes, aspect ratios) with modern filmmaking techniques.
  • Example: Hateful Eight using lenses used in Spaghetti Westerns and shooting in 70mm to make it feel retro.

Sound and Music:

• Soundtracks:
  • Using popular music from a specific era or creating original scores that emulate the style of that time.
  • Example: Incorporating synth-pop music to evoke a 1980s atmosphere in Guardians of the Galaxy.
• Sound Design:
  • Using sound effects that are reminiscent of older films or technologies.

Storytelling and Themes:

• Reimagining Tropes:
  • Taking familiar story structures and character archetypes from past films and updating them for contemporary audiences.
  • Example: Shrek taking classic fairy tales and updating them.
• Cultural References:
  • Incorporating references to popular culture from past eras, such as movies, TV shows, music, and fashion.
  • Using those references in a way that is relevant to the current story being told.

Newstalgia Examples

The best way to understand this trend is to look at examples across film and TV.

• Stranger Things:
  • This series is a prime example of newstalgia, heavily drawing on 1980s science fiction and horror films. It recreates the look, feel, and atmosphere of that era, complete with period-accurate fashion, music, and technology.
• Bel-Air:
  • This is a dramatic reimagining of the classic 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. While it retains the core concept and characters, it presents it with a modern and more serious tone.
• Fuller House:
  • This sitcom brought back the beloved characters from Full House, providing a nostalgic experience for fans of the original series while also introducing the characters to a new generation.

• Top Gun Maverick:
  • This movie is a perfect example of newstalgia. It brought back the beloved character of Maverick, and included many of the same feelings and styles of the original Top Gun while using modern film techniques.

Summing Up Newstalgia 

Now that you understand this fancy new word, it’s time for you to go out and use it in your own film criticism and in your creation.

You can make your ideas more marketable and tie into those old feelings for a new generation, which means execs of all ages can identify with what you’re putting on the page.

Let me know what you think in the comments.