This is a great thread! I can't stomach watching those movies all the way through but I think it's entirely possible that they are trying to "normalize" their appearance - somewhat. Of course, they don't really know what "normal" would be.
In my area I would say the elder body is most middle class (left overs from those good economic years where you could actually make a living on one income) and those ones are old (75+).
There is one younger elder and two (or three?, not sure) MS that are younger, and they are poooooooor as church mice. The younger elder is in his 50s and pretty much never left home. (sad) A couple of other brothers who are trying to be MS are poor.
What pioneers we have are all poor, on assistance and just making by in old cars.
But poverty doesn't look very good in a movie, does it? I have had people tell me that all JWs are cleaners or window washers (and this was not in a positive way), so it makes sense that they would want to move away from that stereotype.