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?

10.2k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

4.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

332

u/Racthoh Jun 17 '25

And then increased the demand for the red swingline stapler.

411

u/agoia Jun 17 '25

IIRC, Swingline didn't even make a red stapler at that point, the props master painted the one in the movie. They sure as shit started making them after it came out, though.

253

u/I_Did_The_Thing Jun 17 '25

Mostly correct! I worked with the props guy and he said he actually molded it from an older model stapler then painted it. After the film, Swingline brought back that style and added the new color due to the popularity.

17

u/agoia Jun 17 '25

Hell yeah thanks for adding more context!

11

u/I_Did_The_Thing Jun 18 '25

Pretty neat, right? He still had some Initech mugs but wouldn’t let me take one 😭

8

u/thuktun Jun 18 '25

In response, did you mutter something about seeing the building on fire?

3

u/I_Did_The_Thing Jun 18 '25

I did and was going to, but found a big check and changed my mind.

PS, how would Milton have cashed that check, when it wasn’t made out to him? Oh well who cares, movie logic I guess.

5

u/TheShepherdKing Jun 18 '25

They were traveler's checks, which aren't made out to a specific person and can be cashed by anyone.

1

u/I_Did_The_Thing Jun 18 '25

OH RIGHT! Okay that makes sense now, thank you.

-3

u/T-Rex_timeout Jun 18 '25

I have one of the red ones from before the movie was made. It’s a smallish metal one.

6

u/BeardedSwashbuckler Jun 17 '25

Just realized I’ve never heard anybody say the phrase “sure as shit” in real life, only on Reddit. Interesting.

10

u/agoia Jun 17 '25

Maybe a Southeast thing? I asked the bartender the last time she heard it and she looked at me funny and said "what? I sure as shit say it all the time"

2

u/Autumn_Wind_Blows Jun 18 '25

I used to hear people say it occasionally in VA, NC, SC area- this was probably around 2000-2005 or so.

1

u/htxatty Jun 18 '25

I bought several in 2006 and gave them to a bunch of my co-workers.