They’re a plot device almost as old as film and particularly common in movies with a “twist ending”. Examples (I’ll spoiler just in case even though they’re decade old movies):
Sixth Sense
When it’s revealed that Bruce Willis’s character is a seen dead person there’s a sequence of flashbacks in which you realize “hmmm, he wasn’t interacting with his wife or anyone other than the kid after all, it just seemed like it”.
Fight Club
When it’s revealed that Tyler Durden and the Narrator are the same person there’s a flashback showing him beating himself up and having sex with Helena Bonham Carter’s character
Thirty Rock has used the technique several times, including in last week’s hysterical episode when Liz realizes “Oooh, now some of the things Oprah said make more sense…” (“My boyfriend’s in 9th grade!” “I fly in first class free because my mom’s a flight attendant!” “Well, I did sip champagne at my cousin’s wedding…”.)
They’re flashbacks and they’re revisionism, but I’m sure there’s some kind of industry jargon for them other than revisionist flashbacks. Anyone know what the actual term is?