Word for something that showcases all the idiosyncrasies of its time

I can't remember a word which means something (a film or piece of art or anything) which showcases all the idiosyncrasies of that time. We watched a 1960's film about our company and everything in it (hair styles, clothes, computers, style of furniture, style of dialogue, style of music) were so representative of that time period, that it actually seemed unreal!

Solution 1:

I think you're thinking of 'Zeitgeist'. It typically refers to the general 'spirit' of an era - that is to say 'the culture' - but can include things like art, architecture and fashion that represent an era as they are so closely entwined with the dominant culture (see Wikipedia)

noun, German. 1. the spirit of the time; general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time.

Solution 2:

As long as you are specific about what you are referring to, emblematic may be used:

adj

Serving as a symbol of a particular quality or concept; symbolic

In the particular sense you are looking for, a common phrase would be that something is "emblematic of its time."

Example:

"This book is emblematic of Russian literature at the turn of the century."

Solution 3:

Possibly quintessential expresses what you want. It has no special links to a time period but it expresses an extremely high level of representation:

1. of the pure and essential essence of something: the quintessential Jewish delicatessen.
2. of or relating to the most perfect embodiment of something: the quintessential performance of the Brandenburg Concertos.