TheMandela Effecthas been confounding believers and annoying skeptics for years. This phenomenon is often likened to group misremembering. It’s the idea that so many people could have the same erroneous memory, which feels most unsettling. The original name of this effect is based on the vivid recollections that many have of Nelson Mandela dying in prison, long before he was released. Ask believers, and they will tell you these memory changes are related to the CERN particle collider ripping holes in reality and drifting us through timelines. Ask non-believers, and they’ll tell you that human memory is just whacked.
Some of the most common Mandela Effects can be tied to films. In many cases, it could simply be an issue of changing words to accommodate the quotability. Others, however, feel a bit more complex. For any fans of the following films, these real versus mistaken realities are enough to send anyone down a YouTube Rabbit Hole. Enjoy. These are the 15 most baffling movie Mandela Effects, explained.
15Humphry Bogart Never Says “Play it again, Sam” in Casablanca
The most famous line inCasablancais one that was never said. Despite being quoted for decades, the iconic “Play it again, Sam” was never uttered by Humphry Bogart — or anyone. The actual line doesn’t even come close to the misquote.
What Bogart really says in the film was a variation of the same idea, but nowhere near the wording that people think. What he said was, “Play it once, Sam. For old times' sake…Play it, Sam”. For such a legendary film, this is one surprising misquote from the film buffs who love it.
Related:Lost in Translation: What Did Bill Murray Whisper to Scarlett Johansson at the End?
14Darth Vader Doesn’t Say “Luke, I am your father” in The Empire Strikes Back
EveryonemisquotesStar Wars. Ask anyone, and they will say that the twist reveal inThe Empire Strikes Backis easy to remember. It was “Luke, I am your father.”
Except that it’s not “Luke, I am your father.” The line is actually, “No, I am your father.” While most will assume that the original quote is too vague to be used in day to day movie-quoting — thus it was changed by many to name “Luke” — there’s one small problem: even James Earl Jones, the voice behind the famous line,remembers it the wrong way.
13In Jaws, It Isn’t “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
Another iconic film line. Another misquote that was never said. Apologies to children of the 80s who have quoted thisJawsline while entering a dock with friends, but no one says, “We’re going to need a bigger boat” in the film.
Seriously? Yes, seriously. The actual line uttered by Roy Schnieder was “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” While close in wording, it makes a big difference. For some, it’s a simple error. For others, it’s a major issue as they swear the original line was “we’re” and not “you’re.”
12"Magic Mirror on the wall," Not “Mirror, Mirror” in Snow White
You’d be hard-pressed to find many people who don’t think that the evil witch inSnow White and the Seven Dwarfscalled her mirror “Mirror, Mirror.” The historic quote is actually “Magic Mirror on the wall.” How about them apples?
It sounds strange to say, and the countless misquotes through pop culture make it feel like a group error. From parodies to book titles, the stream of “residue” from “Mirror, Mirror” remains. While it might sound right to most people, those doing research and creating new pieces of art would most likely verify the wording. It’s a bizarre, and easily correctable, error that so many people seem to make.
11Golden C3PO Has One Silver Leg
Quick, what color is C3PO? Gold? Cool. What color is his leg? Nope. Silver. If that one doesn’t knock you for a bit of a loop, you might be an android.
This strange discovery has sent fanboys and fangirls into a tizzy, unearthing action figures from years gone by. See for yourself. Apparently C3PO, the belovedStar Warsrobot has always had one silver leg. Even the most die-hard of fans have been scratching their head over this reveal.
In the mid-90s, Sinbad released a film calledShazaam. This movie about a genie, discovered by children in their attic, had some memorable moments. In the trailer, as the kids unearth the comic from his magic lamp, he appears in a puff of smoke. As he announces that he is the genie of the lamp, the children scurry, with one of them screaming, “It’s a kidnapper!”
Ah. Good times. One small detail, though: none of that happened.Shazaam, the film project, never happened. Your memories of it are based in fiction. This is one of the biggest Mandela Effects regarding an unmade movie as so many people share the same memories of it. You can hear quotes and descriptions of the VHS box. The unshakable feeling that this picture existed has even led to people accusing Sinbad and the studio of some sort of bizarre cover-up.
Sinbad has a sense of humor about the film. He has released parodies and YouTube videos portraying the genie that so many seem to remember. As he toldIndieWire, “It came out of nowhere and nobody knows why.”
9Big’s Youthful Alternate Ending
The ending toBigis a strange tale of tragedy and deceit for a boy who has to explain to the police, family, and friends where he has been. The final moments, showing a playful Josh Baskin walking into the distance, never address the horror that his mother had been through.
For many viewers, the movie had either an “alternate” ending or a post-credits scene that took things on a different turn. Many remember Elizabeth Perkins’ character making the wish to be “young” on that same Zoltar game. To those who remember things differently, the final moments of the movie see Perkins, as a ten-year-old girl, meeting Baskin at his classroom and walking off together.
That scene never happened. In fact, there has been a great deal of research to find any scene that is remotely similar. There’s simply no explanation for this misremembered moment and why, especially after you hear about, you can totally remember seeing it yourself.
Related:7 Movie Mysteries We’ll Never Get Answers To
8Mickey Mouse Suspenders
Quick: what color are Mickey Mouse’s suspenders? White? Red with yellow dots? How about none? How about Mickey Mouse doesn’t wear suspenders?
You can find them on toys and third-party doodles, but look through your movie collection. The famous mouse wears high-waisted pants, but no suspenders. For any kid who has ever drawn Mickey during a particularly boring day in 5th-grade art class may beg to differ.
7There is No “Hello, Clarice” in Silence of The Lambs
When you meet someone named “Clarice,” do you say “Hello, Clarice” in a scary voice? Does it remind you of Anthony Hopkins inSilence of the Lambs? It shouldn’t because he never says it. The famous line that so many recall Hopkins saying to Jodie Foster during their initial meeting was not “Hello, Clarice.” Rather, he simply said “Good morning.” That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.
6Risky Business Dance Scene Wardrobe Issues
For decades, people have been dressing like Tom Cruise for Halloween. Emulating theRisky Businessdancing scene, they would sing into a brush as they donned a white button-down shirt, dark sunglasses, and underwear. It was meant to match the movie exactly and, amazingly, only got one item right.
A glance at the film today reveals no white shirt or sunglasses. Rather, Cruise is wearing a pink button-down shirt with no eyewear on his face. Making things creepier? He doesn’t sing into a hairbrush either. In the film, he lip-syncs into a trophy.
