Can the past change? The Mandela Effect has gone mainstream. Now that the internet is buzzing with wild theories and new examples every day, it's time to go over where the ideas originated, and consider in detail what exactly might be causing it.
- Ray Wu 0 Comments
Was there an exclamation mark?
MMDE: Yes: They Live!
Current: No: They Live
Seems someone's all out of bubblegum.
The iconic 1988 movie "They Live" either did or didn't have an exclamation mark after it's title, and it's freaking out those who are sure it's changed.
References today show it's not present, but the MMDE affecting many show it was.
Often described as the ultimate conspiracy theory movie, it's ironic that it became the subject of one itself. The hero is never named, which is an allusion to him representing every "normal" person in the real world. The story follows his journey as he realises completely disguised aliens are living directly amongst us.
- Tracy Cooper 0 Comments
The 1958 version: color or black and white?
MMDE: Black and white
Current: Color
First off, those experiencing this MMDE are well aware that TV's from the late 50's and 60's were black and white, so even though that's the knee-jerk explanation for this, it's not what they are saying. At that time, TV's themselves were still rare, so most would have seen the movie in the cinema anyway.
What they remember is the movie being in black and white, whereas today all references show it as always having been filmed in color.
There were posters and publicity shots which are in black and white, and are still easily searchable on the internet, which may have contributed to the idea it was not filmed in color.
- Ian Grogan 0 Comments
Pushed down the stairs
MMDE: Jane pushed Blanche down the stairs
Current: Jane did not push Blanche down the stairs
The 1962 psychological thriller "Whatever happened to Baby Jane?" contains some pretty disturbing scenes, where two faded Hollywood movie stars, who are sisters, live together in a large creepy mansion. Many people remember one of them tipping the other from her wheelchair down the stairs, and it's been referred to many times in pop culture since - for example, in The Simpsons.
The problem? This isn't in the movie, and those who remember it as being there are experiencing the Mandela Effect.
There is a part where Blanche falls off the bottom step whilst reaching for a phone, but there's no way this would be confused with the dramatic one many people swear was in the original.
- Ray Wu 0 Comments
Who feels lucky?
MMDE: Do you feel lucky, punk?
Current: Do I feel lucky?
Remember the famous scene in Clint Eastwood's 1972 movie "Dirty Harry", where he's just chased a robber down, points his gun at him and asks "Do you feel lucky, punk?". If so, you might be experiencing a Mandela Effect, because that's not what he said.
Movie misquotes are a special case when it comes to the ME. The idea that many of people misremember something which never happened is what defines it. The interesting part is that so many misremember it the exact same way, and some are certain it's not down to faulty memory and the original really was different to the way we see it today.
In the Dirty Harry case, the line is "You've got to ask yourself one question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?".
- Ray Wu 0 Comments
These are a few of my favorite things
MMDE: Brown paper packages tied up with STRING
Current: Brown paper packages tied up with STRINGS
One little "s".
It's the details which matter with the Mandela Effect, A world-famous song, deeply ingrained in everyone's memory due to it having been around for most of their lives, should have no room for error at all. So when this one started getting reported - about the change from singular to plural of the ending of the "packages" line, it started alarm bells ringing.
Some ME's are huge, lterally in some cases such as continents moving or even the Earth being transported 80,000 light years across the galaxy. However, if the effect is real it's entirely plusible it would manifest as small but noticable details such as this one.
- Tracy Cooper 0 Comments
Internet Meme
MMDE: Welcome to Earf
Current: Welcome to Earth
In the movie Independence Day, many people remember Will Smith saying "Welcome To Earf". It was a very badass oneliner. Now he just says "Welcome to Earth" unambiguously. Some articles suspect racism but they can't explain why so many people who aren't racist remember it that way.
It's a popular internet meme now and is so well known you see it on T-Shirts etc.
If he never said it, why do so many people have this false memory of him doing so?
- Joe Hutt 0 Comments
The bandanna pattern changed?
MMDE: Lower red rising sun
Current: Central black circle
Many people, who are unfamiliar with this Mandela Effect, when asked if they remember the pattern on the headband of the Karate Kid in the 1984 movie, describe a red rising sun on a white background, i.e. a half circle with "rays" coming from it. That's not how it appears today, where all references show it to be a black circle with black lines flowing out from it due to it being the zoomed in center part from a stylized lotus flower.
This isn't the first bandanna-related false memory - what Bruce Springsteen had in his back pocket on the cover of "Born in the USA" is another.
The most famous scene in the movie was the "crane kick", where Daniel delivered his winning blow to Johnny, whilst wearing his iconic headband. But what was the pattern on it?
