Why did people from the 1920's to the 1950's voices sound funny?

Has anyone ever notice that in old, classic movies the people sounded much different then the people of today? I know it was their era but dam it sounded strange, compared to the voices of now. How did the peoples voices evolve to the voices that we have now?

I'd guess it's more a matter of the ancient recording equipment unless you mean the various archaic terms they used that are no longer used. I've noticed more that they LOOKED different. It's like thier facial bone structure is wrong or something. Or maybe the eyes. I dunno.

reply to post by Zenagain



You're right. Their faces were different too. It seem like their eyes were more set back/sucked in their skull. Some of the girls eyes seem more slanted too. Some of their faces also seem a bit more masculine. I dunno, those were weird times.

Ah, I've noticed that a little as well, but as Zenegain said it's probably the recording equipment itslef.

I've noticed more that they LOOKED different. It's like thier facial bone structure is wrong or something. Or maybe the eyes. I dunno.

And they'd probably say the same about us. I think it's more of an 'ideal' look type thing, like how we barely show people in their natural form on television or in the media in current times. Maybe back then they didn't care who was filmed, or maybe the style just changed. Then again, people's looks change with the times just lok back through history at how people were depicted and it's plain to see that it's been ever-changing.

Originally posted by Ikkida

I've noticed more that they LOOKED different. It's like thier facial bone structure is wrong or something. Or maybe the eyes. I dunno.

And they'd probably say the same about us. I think it's more of an 'ideal' look type thing, like how we barely show people in their natural form on television or in the media in current times. Maybe back then they didn't care who was filmed, or maybe the style just changed. Then again, people's looks change with the times just lok back through history at how people were depicted and it's plain to see that it's been ever-changing.

No. They did look different. I seen my mom's 76 high school year book. And almost everyones face look totally different from people of 2day. I often wonder if they were smarter then too.

Originally posted by Ikkida
Ah, I've noticed that a little as well, but as Zenegain said it's probably the recording equipment itslef.

I've noticed more that they LOOKED different. It's like thier facial bone structure is wrong or something. Or maybe the eyes. I dunno.

And they'd probably say the same about us. I think it's more of an 'ideal' look type thing, like how we barely show people in their natural form on television or in the media in current times. Maybe back then they didn't care who was filmed, or maybe the style just changed. Then again, people's looks change with the times just lok back through history at how people were depicted and it's plain to see that it's been ever-changing.

Excellent point. I read a sci-fi book series way back in the day that involved a Polish?? guy who accidentally time traveled back to the days right before the Mongol invasion and the first thing he noticed was the number of people with goiters, harelips, and other imperfections that are just not accepted in modern society. He also invented machine guns and fishnet stockings but that's a whole other story.

Besides the obvious naturally occurring differences in voices

I'd have to chime in on the side of it coming down to the recording equipment itself.

If you'll recall, looking at a KEYSTONE COPS movie, they walked funny too, that is, until you adjusted the speed of the film

to real-time movement, then it looks normal, and not so funny anymore...

the "inter-continental" accent was quite popular in those days.

An upper-class attempt to blend american and british accents.

Listen to Madonna now, she's got that same accent

originally posted by Zenegain
Excellent point. I read a sci-fi book series way back in the day that involved a Polish?? guy who accidentally time traveled back to the days right before the Mongol invasion and the first thing he noticed was the number of people with goiters, harelips, and other imperfections that are just not accepted in modern society. He also invented machine guns and fishnet stockings but that's a whole other story.

Ah, what if the reason that we look at these flaws in modern society as bad, even though they used to be normal, simply because that we subconciously see them as underdeveloped or lack ofbeing evloved because they are not up to the current evolution level?

It sounds unnatural and artificial to my ear, but an older relative of mine is convinced that it wasn't just a film thing. He says that there was a kind of emulation of this style among regular people. It was a fast-talking, glib style that said "I know more about life than you." Which is funny, because the advent of film was one of those things that taught simple folk just how dull and unsophisticated they were. Maybe there is a connection.

Thank you for bringing this up.
I'm not saying there is a conspiracy attached to this but it IS very interesting.
I was just watching old sci-fi movies with my dad tonight and made the same observation. If you were able to bring a man from the 20's or 30's
to the present day they would stick out like a turd in a puchbowl.
Women too!
Everthing they said was sooo dramatic! And the men were trying overly
hard to appear macho.
Different times indeed.

Peoples eyes look like they had more soul in them too back then too. A tad bit retarded lookin' and wild but still more soul.

Ill have to agree on this one...people of that era were completely different!
Mabey, it has something to do with genetic experimentation...





By the looks of these guys....Im gald someone did something!

During those old days, people weren't eating themselves sick as the majority in the western world now are.

Excess body fat can change also facial structures a bit, even if there's not much overweight. Still we can clearly notice the difference, as we humans are specialized in recognizing faces and even subtle differences in them very well.

There is also a theory of exogenetics that the things your parents and your grandparents ate -- and even experienced -- will affect you in a subliminal, yet unexplained way. This means that we might inherit some properties from our ancestors via something that is not directly explained by our genes only!

If our grandparents starved or saw otherwise rough times (weak nutrition, war times, great depression, even different society structures), it would thus reflect to the way we look.

If this can sometimes be shown to be true, our kids and grandchildren will look different from us in some way. In what way different, it is impossible to say now. But in my opinion, young people today DO look a bit different from the teens of 70s, even if you see them dressed in 70s clothes and hairstyles...

Anyway, I believe there's much more to our inheritance than just our genes. Just like I believe there's much more to the human brain than just neurons and chemicals. I believe so even if these "heresies" haven't been proven and widely accepted in the scientific community -- yet!


[edit on 18.7.2008 by Doc Lithium]

Originally posted by 1nL1ghtened

By the looks of these guys....Im gald someone did something!

That is quite possibly one of the scariest things I have seen on ATS!

On a serious note, could we be picking up in subtle differences caused by evolution? I mean Darwin´s natural selection is quite redundant when it comes to humans as those of us with detrimental differences still have the chance to procreate...BUT...Could it be that the changing idea of what is attractive in a potential partner is causing a physical change in the human race by means of selective breeding?

0.02

PS: the image above reminds me of the Wodaabe tribesmen when they get dolled up to impress the ladies.

[edit on 18-7-2008 by Psychopump]

Part of the problem is viewing old films, such as the montage 1nL1ghtened put up. In the early days of film, makeup was still evolving for the screen. Because theatre and vaudville required a different lighting mixture, the dramatic shading around the eyes was needed, and this carried over into early movies.

Acting was also exaggerated, as it is on stage. With almost no use of special effects, the actor had to "project" to gain a response with an audience. Also, there is a certain exaggeration due to the difference between B&W and colour. B&W tends to cause a more stark appearance, even when that's not the intention. Just look at movies like the "Perils of Pauline", which is supposedly about an almost helpless female facing the world; yet she looks harsh by our standards.

Also, there was very little regionalism allowed in accents. Only bad guys or idiots, and an occasional "kindly immagrant", could speak in anyhing except a stylised "perfect" English. Voice and diction coaches were essential to an acting career in those days. The "B" westerns were the first to start using dialectualism as a character trait for "heros". Because these people took the idea of actors being role models very seriously, perfection was slow to change.

Add to this the now antiquated styles in both dress and hair, along with movements so chorographed that it was almost dance, and the people in old films seem like another species of human.

And because "talkies" were the rage, common people did their best to emulate the actions and styles, and sound, of those they saw on the silver screen.

Just my take on it.

"Gradually, by selective breeding, the congenital differences between rulers
and ruled will increase until they become almost different species. A revolt
of the plebs would become as unthinkable as an organized insurrection of
sheep against the practice of eating mutton."
*- Bertrand Russell, "The Impact of Science on Society", 1953, pg 49-50*


Just a thought and nothing more!!!!

reply to post by NGC2736


thank God for the voice of reason.


Kiddo's, i was alive in 76 (a year used by one of the posters). i look a lot like other people (i get confused with several people, because of a general youthful appearance). There hasn't been any evolution in the last 20-30 years. You should really read up on what things like evolution and genetic drift really are. It doesn't happen in lifetimes.

my granddad was alive through the 20's-30's. He was just like other folks alive now. Slightly different style and verbage, due to era. But that is not evolution, either. That is "vogue".

nnnnngggghhhhh....it makes my head hurt...i mean really...

[edit on 18-7-2008 by bigfatfurrytexan]

reply to post by NGC2736


I was going to answer old recording and pancake makeup, but you beat me to it! The people looked different in still pictures because they had to sit still for a very long time. Ever notice how no one smiles in the old pictures?

Air pollution and smog made them talk funny. We've got cleaner air. Notice how high pitched the Chinese talk when they are on TV, see the connection. Dirty air, higher pitched voices.

As to their looks, base that on makeup.