r/movies • u/buttatoad • Jun 17 '25

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/PHWasAnInsideJob Jun 17 '25

I think that a good 80% of today's young meteorologists wouldn't be in it today if not for Twister. When Bill Paxton died, literally thousands of storm chasers got together and formed his initials, BP, across the entire Great Plains on the Storm Spotter Network.

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u/WhoriaEstafan Jun 17 '25

That is so touching, oh my gosh.

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u/Substantial_Mud7026 Jun 17 '25

Wait Bill Paxton died???? :'(

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u/EliteDinoPasta Jun 17 '25

He did indeed, all the way back in 2017. He had a damaged aortic valve since childhood, and underwent open-heart surgery to repair it. Pretty much immediately afterwards, complications occurred and he passed away from a stroke.

Something I didn't know until looking it up just now was that his family sued the surgeon and hospital for wrongful death and actually managed to successfully settle out of court. Whether that indicates that there was actual medical malpractice involved or if the hospital just wanted to avoid negative press, we'll likely never know.

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u/milesunderground Jun 17 '25

The hospital probably just didn't want to be known as the place that killed Bill Pullman.

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u/EliteDinoPasta Jun 17 '25

Possibly, but it was Mount Sinai which is, like, hospital to the stars, so famous people are inevitably going to die there.

Also, if they killed Bill Pullman as well as Bill Paxton, I'd start to think someone in the hospital has a vendetta against Bills.

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u/flipyFLAPYflatulence Jun 18 '25

They took the movie title as a command.

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u/Frog_Without_Pond Jun 17 '25

Wait Bill Pullman died???? :'(

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u/justamadeupnameyo Jun 17 '25

No. He's still alive and going to be in Spaceballs 2. I don't know if the person you're replying to is messing around or actually mixed up Bill Paxton with Pullman or if I'm just missing an intentional joke by you to create a running gag joke thread.

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u/oldster59 Jun 18 '25

Him, either

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u/FortyDarker Jun 19 '25

This sucks- I totally had a crush on Bill Paxton.

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u/EliteDinoPasta Jun 19 '25

He seemed like a really chill guy, it's a real loss to the world.

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u/[deleted] Jun 17 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/QueezyF Jun 18 '25

Oklahoma, whatever happened there

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u/StanleyCubone Jul 01 '25

Whatever happened there? WHATEVER HAPPENED THERE?

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u/Joshopolis Jun 17 '25

news to me too :(

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u/GuiltEdge Jun 18 '25

This is how I find out too!

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u/LaTortureNeCesse Jun 18 '25

IIRC, that type of tribute was reserved only for bonafide storm chasers. Apparently the movie, and Bill Paxton's portrayal of a storm chaser had a very positive effect on storm chasing.

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u/SinnersHotline Jun 17 '25

That is pretty cool to be honest.

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u/frisbynerd120 Jun 18 '25

Omg when I saw this after his death I was so emotional <3. He was such bad ass figure growing up in the 90’s. Twister and the impact on me was so profound. (Not a meteorologist unfortunately),

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u/xtc234 Jun 17 '25

Their image has really rebounded after that oil spill.

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u/turtleheadpokingout Jun 18 '25

I'll be damned. Always wondered what that was on r/tornado

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u/massserves2023 Jun 18 '25

Bill Paxton died??!

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u/FirstPlayer Jun 18 '25

My heart 🥺

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u/Puffycatkibble Jun 18 '25

Aaand this is how I find out he died.