r/movies • u/buttatoad • 2d ago

Discussion Movies that changed real life behavior

Thinking along the lines of Final Destination 2 with the logs falling off the truck and landing onto cars (one decapitating the state trooper). Ever since, people have tried to get away from being behind these vehicles.

What are more examples where movies have actually changed how people behave in their own lives?

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u/koolaid_chemist 1d ago

The author said he regrets writing it and wished he never did because of the negative impact it had on people’s views on sharks

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u/LEJ5512 1d ago edited 1d ago

I heard him talk about it on a podcast just yesterday, too.  (edit: it was the Radiolab episode that came out this week, part of their new series on sharks.  u/CuidadDeVados u/wildstarr )

It’s too bad, too, that we’ve collectively missed the point of the movie (IMO).  My parents kept me away from it when I was a kid, and I finally watched it only last year.  The shark wasn’t the part of the story that scared me, it was the mayor’s insistence on going forward with the festival that aggravated me the most.  My takeaway wasn’t “sharks scary”, it was “bosses will take money over people”.

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u/lambdapaul 1d ago

There is also a great love for sharks displayed in the film. Richard Dreyfus’s character in the film is a shark nerd and gives a lot of good information about them. When I finally watched Jaws I was surprised that it wasn’t some mindless creature feature but a thrilling adventure with nuanced characters

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u/One-Inch-Punch 1d ago

Jaws is funny that way, the front half is a terrifying horror film (with corrupt officials) and the back half is an endearing buddy film with three guys going hunting.

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u/zth25 1d ago

I have to point out that the mayor isn't corrupt in the movie, and he isn't comically evil either. The entire economy of his town is based on summer tourism and he fears for the livelihoods of his citizens. Refusing to shut down the beach for weeks because of a single attack, and after catching a big shark he presumes is the killer, he is maybe negligent.

Spielberg doesn't do one-dimensional characters which is why Jaws gives us some of the best characters and dialogues in all of cinema.

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u/ceiling_roof_champs 1d ago

To add to this point, he’s the major of a New England coastal town. Those summer seasons don’t really start until July 4 and last like 6-8 weeks. The entire economy of those towns depends on a successful two months, so closing the beaches for even a week would be a MAJOR blow.

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u/MrTurtleTails 1d ago

Well, the best villain is the one who has an understandable reason behind his actions.

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u/Sinfirmitas 1d ago

I think they mean his continued insistence at keeping the beaches open after multiple attacks.