Alexander Payne's take on the '70s in "The Holdovers"

Is this the post-Octavia Spencer?

It may be a little late to mention it now, but if we are to talk about the award race, we must mention the rapid rise of Da'Vine Joy Randolph, who played Mary. She won a total of 58 acting awards for this performance, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In the film, while Hunnam and Angus have edgy exchanges, Mary, who approaches the relationship from a completely different angle, is brought to life not only by the cleverness of David Hemingson's script, but also by Randolph's unobtrusive acting. This character, who supports the protagonists who are discouraged and defeated, is also a reassuring ally who never disappoints the audience. It seems likely that Randolph will replace Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, who has held this position for the past few years.

"The Holdovers" by Seacia Pavao / (C) 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC.

Universal's logo is also a revival of the 1970s

Visually, the film is notable for its deliberate 1970s feel, as seen in the worn Universal Pictures logo that appears at the beginning of the film. This logo is the same as that used in 1963 for Charade (1963), starring Audrey and Cary Grant. This alone should be enough to get any movie buff excited, but what's more, the film was shot digitally on an ARRI Alexa Mini, and then in post-production, celluloid film characteristics such as halation, dirt, and film grain were added.

Gathering young staff to plan a screening event

Incidentally, Payne organized a screening of 1970s films for young cinematographers, art directors, costume designers, and especially Dominic Sessa, who were not familiar with 1970s Hollywood films. The films shown included many masterpieces that colored the era, such as " The Graduate " (1967), "Midnight in the Rainbow" (1970), " Harold & Maude " (1971), " Call Girl " (1971), " Paper Moon " (1973), " The Last Detail " (1973), and " All the President's Men " (1976).

It should also be noted that as a result of sharing the same visual goal, the film has managed to create a unique landscape that differs from the 1950s boarding school depicted in "Dead Poets Society" (1989), to which it is often compared in content.