When Does "Death Becomes Her" (1992) Take Place?
"Death Becomes Her" is a horror comedy film written by Martin Donovan with David Koepp and Robert Zemeckis that released July 31st, 1992. So when is "Death Becomes Her" set?
It takes place in the year:
We know this because a relative time setting title card that says "ANOTHER 7 YEARS LATER" appears at the beginning of the main action and the end of a scene that must take place in July of 1984 AD. So it's probably July of 1991 AD.
1991 AD
We know this because a relative time setting title card that says "ANOTHER 7 YEARS LATER" appears at the beginning of the main action and the end of a scene that must take place in July of 1984 AD. So it's probably July of 1991 AD.
7.1984 + 7 = 7.1991.
[HOWEVER, at a party during the main action of the story, a woman asks, "How old is she?" about Helen Sharp, whose medical file is visible reading "5-7-51" representing a 1951 AD date under "DATE OF BIRTH" during the multi-part prologue, and Madeline Ashton responds, "50." She is most likely lying because Hollywood types believe this age to be too old to be desirable. If true, this would make the current year 2001 AD.
1951 + 50 = 2001.]
Additionally, there's a multi-part prologue that begins the narrative at a Broadway performance of the fictional musical "Songbird!". These scenes end with a relative time setting title card that reads "7 YEARS LATER" leading into a scene that must be in January of 1984 AD. That makes it 1977 AD.
1984 - 7 = 1977.
[HOWEVER, the very first shot of the entire movie includes a time and place setting title card reading: "BROADWAY 1978". This can be considered a production mistake or it could just be early 1978 AD.]
After an unclear amount of time, a final scene of this part occurs at a wedding. It is probably still late 1977 AD or early 1978 AD. Though in a scene during (possibly July of) 1991 AD, Madeline says to Helen, "I don't believe it! Helen, darling, 12 years! 12 long years!" strongly implying 12 years have passed since they last saw one another. This could mean the "7 YEARS LATER" and "ANOTHER 7 YEARS LATER" title cards are incorrect (7+7=14, not 12) or that this final scene is 2 years later, in 1979 AD.
1991 - 12 = 1979.
In the next part of the prologue, we see Helen taken to a mental health facility. Immediately afterward in the next part, Helen's medical file folder is clearly visible labeled on the front with some basic information, among which is "JANUARY 14 1984" next to "ADMITTED" so we know it is currently January of 1984 AD. Furthermore, this is the segment that begins with the (aforementioned) relative time setting title card that reads "7 YEARS LATER".
1.1984 - 7 = 1977.
Also, on their "ADMISSION SHEET" the character's "AGE" is written as "34" and their "DATE OF BIRTH" is written as "5-7-51" representing either July 5th, 1951 AD or May 7th, 1951 AD.
5.1951 + 34 = 5.1985
or
7.1951 + 34 = 7.1985.
Just a few moments after the file is visible, a medical professional says, "6 months of therapy, you're not even one pound lighter"... so it must currently be July of 1984 AD.
1.1984 + 6 months = 7.1984.
Finally, there's an epilogue that begins with yet another title card saying "37 YEARS LATER" in white on black. Though this does not seem to be confirmable with context, that makes it 2028 AD at the end.
1991 + 37 = 2028.
