Five movies that had a strange effect on real-life events
It should come as no surprise that the stories we watch and share have a tangible impact on real life. Works of creativity don’t exist in a vacuum; they are shaped by and, in turn, shape real-world events and the collective experiences we all share.
We’ve seen documentaries over the years that have influenced the lives of real people, from The Thin Blue Line to Mr Bates vs the Post Office, all re-opening cases and inadvertently bringing justice through the medium of film. However, sometimes we are so touched by fictional stories that they inspire change in the real world, with people longing for connection to an imaginary character or replicating something they once saw on the big screen.
But sometimes, we are influenced in a more discreet way, or in a way that is often described as ‘the butterfly effect’, in which a build-up of small things has an effect on something much bigger. This implies that everything in the world is interconnected, and one thing will always affect the other.
Some films over the years have prompted a strange butterfly effect on the real world, with some harmless and some changing world history as we know it. So, without further ado, here are five movies that changed our waking lives, whether for better or for worse.
Five movies that had an effect on real-life events:
The butterfly effect of Spectre
We’re all grown-ups here, so we can acknowledge that Spectre was a slightly less celebrated part of the recent James Bond series. However, one scene towards the beginning of the film had a rather bizarre effect on the location of the shoot.
During the pre-title sequences, we see a thrilling high-stakes chase (one of the few from this film) as James Bond chases his latest enemy through the town square in Mexico City. As Bond is running through the streets, we see the Day of the Dead parade happening in the background, creating an atmospheric and rich backdrop to the intense action sequence, with director Sam Mendes saying that the celebrations added to the themes of the film and the idea of being “haunted by a person he thought was long dead”. Because there are so many people around the town square, it only adds to the pressure of the mission in the most Bond way, with the agent dodging people in the streets as he tracks down the assassin.
It would prove to be a great advertisement for Mexico City if it were true. Still, after the film was released, many tourists flocked to the city to witness the fabled festival for themselves but were shocked to discover that it didn’t exist. The parade in Spectre had been entirely fabricated and wasn’t based on a real tradition in Mexico City.
However, due to the demands of the new tourists, the city decided that the best thing to do would be to embrace the idea and begin hosting their own festival. And so in 2016, a new tradition was created and Mexico City hosted their first ‘Day of the Dead’ festival, based directly on the one that appeared in Spectre. Who knew that James Bond could be such a smooth talker?
The butterfly effect of Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver is one of the films that cemented Martin Scorsese’s reputation as one of the greatest directors of all time, though it was highly controversial upon release. The story follows a lonely and disillusioned taxi driver as he aimlessly navigates the city in search of purpose and connection, ultimately finding it in his mission to protect a child prostitute. However, the casting of Jodie Foster, who was only 12 years old at the time, sparked significant backlash, with many criticising the decision as inappropriate and exploitative.
One person who took no issue with Jodie Foster’s casting was a musician named John Hinckley Jr, who became infatuated with her after seeing Taxi Driver. Hinckley moved closer to where the young actor was studying and began bombarding her with love letters and poetry. Clearly not of sound mind, Hinckley concocted a deranged plan to win her attention: assassinating the president of the United States. Yes, you read that correctly.
And so, in 1981, Hinckley shot Ronald Reagan as he left the Hilton Hotel in Washington DC, wounding but not fatally injuring the president. And all for the attention of a child actor. It’s one of the more terrifying cases on this list, and made even more strange given that Hinckley is now a YouTuber and has recently uploaded a video entitled John Hinckley speaks about peace and harmony…. hello? Is the call coming from inside the house?
The butterfly effect of Twin Peaks
David Lynch is known for his incomparable filmmaking style, with surrealistic and dream-like worlds created in films like Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet. However, he became popular within mainstream media after the release of Twin Peaks, a show that forever changed the landscape of television. But, when making the show, Lynch had no idea that this would then inspire a whole new generation of reality television in the future.
The theme of delving into the secret lives and soap opera-esque dynamics of seemingly normal families captivated American producer Marc Cherry and served as the inspiration for his creation of the hit reality television show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
The show has been running for over 14 years, with the 14th season currently in production. The success of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has sparked a long fascination with voyeurism and our obsession with private/intimate relationships, blurring the line between our public and private selves and what we deem acceptable to share with the world. You could argue that this has inadvertently gone on to influence a new wave of hyper-realist shows such as Love Island, which has become an indicator of our addiction to being perceived and lack of boundaries with sharing our lives as a result of popularising voyeuristic reality TV shows. David Lynch is a master at creating dystopian worlds, and no one could predict that this would manifest in our real world, too.
The butterfly effect of Wallace and Gromit
Nobody loves crackers and cheese more than Wallace from the iconic stop-motion animation Wallace and Gromit. The man is often seen with his feet up on the sofa, engaging in rapturous love affair with the snack over all episodes and spin-off movies of the show, becoming synonymous for one type of cheese in particular.
Wensleydale cheese, produced in the small town of Hawes in North Yorkshire, derives its distinctive flavour from the lush pastures of the surrounding fields. However, by the 1990s, sales had plummeted to the point where the creamery was at risk of closure. Everything changed in 1995, when Wallace, the beloved character from Wallace and Gromit, declared Wensleydale to be his favourite cheese in A Close Shave. The cheese also made an appearance in the earlier film A Grand Day Out, where Wallace whimsically speculates whether the moon might be made of cheese.
The show’s animator, Nick Park, claimed he had only picked this particular brand because he liked the name, and he was not aware of their financial difficulties. But after the show’s release, their sales began to skyrocket, and they managed to avoid bankruptcy, owing this entirely to the show. The brand has collaborated with the show on many special releases of their cheese, and Wallace and Gromit still appear on their packaging and branding today.
The butterfly effect of Star Trek Voyager
In a strange turn of events, the career of a certain politician was partly influenced by Star Trek Voyager. Jeri Ryan was cast as Seven of Nine in the series, famous for the skin-tight costume that was practically painted onto her. She became known for being a sex symbol, with many prying eyes on her dating and romantic life after her appearance on the show, later on marrying Jack Ryan, an aspiring politician and businessman.
Jack Ryan became the Republican nominee for the Illinois senate race in 2004, with a strong chance that he would win, up against a young state senator called Barack Obama. However, his political career came to an end due to a messy and very public divorce with Jerry, with the details of their split and custody arrangements being leaked. The information shone a negative light on Jack Ryan, with it being revealed that she he had been pressuring her into performing various sex acts in public places.
After this was leaked, Ryan withdrew from the Senate race and was replaced by Alan Keyes. Obama won the seat by 43%, the largest margin of any Senate race in US history. Only four years after this colossal win, Obama went on to become president of the United States.
Without the public interest in Jeri Ryan’s personal and romantic life (which only existed as a result of her character in Star Trek Voyager), which became public after her marriage to Jack Ryan, this political scandal would not have happened, and who knew how this would have impacted Obama’s career? The former president didn’t want any details of the divorce being used in his campaign, but he has since admitted to being a ‘Trekkie’.
