# What fiction films have had the greatest effects on the ‘real’ world? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 15, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081 "2016-03-15T16:20:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/1 "2016-03-15T16:20:56Z")
I was thinking of “Jaws” and what an effect it had – I know many people who seriously would not swim in the ocean after that movie came out. What other fiction movies have had effects in or on the ‘real’ world? ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/2 "2016-03-15T16:26:58Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > I was thinking of “Jaws” and what an effect it had – I know many people who seriously would not swim in the ocean after that movie came out. What other fiction movies have had effects in or on the ‘real’ world? I read somewhere that Hitchcock’s “Psycho” had a similar effect with respect to showers… ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/3 "2016-03-15T16:33:56Z")
_Birth of a Nation_. The KKK was pretty much defunct when the movie came out, but it caused renewed interest, and is responsible for the resurgence of the Klan that is still with us today. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/4 "2016-03-15T16:36:56Z")
Top Gun supposedly increased naval aviator recruiting by 500%. It certainly made flying for the Navy look fun. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/5 "2016-03-15T16:44:28Z")
“It Happened One Night.” Clark Gable killed the undershirt industry for years. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/6 "2016-03-15T16:51:55Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > Top Gun supposedly increased naval aviator recruiting by 500%. It certainly made flying for the Navy look fun. IIRC, it was also credited with a big uptick in Air Force recruiting. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/7 "2016-03-15T17:01:52Z")
The rescue of American astronauts by a Russian Cosmonaut in the 1969 film **Marooned** (based on the book by Martin Caidin, another of whose books inspired the TV series _The Six Million Dollar Man_) s said to have greased the skids for the Apollo-Soyuz linkup six years later. I know I’ve heard and read this many times before, and this website, for instance, takes it for granted ( [Turner Classic Movies](http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/23766/Marooned/articles.html) ), as does the Internet Movie Database ( [Marooned (1969) - Trivia - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064639/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv) ) The Wikipedia page on the film is oddly silent about this, except for this snippet in the “Talk” section: > [@](#): > > In a TV Guide article in the early summer of 1975, the interviewer quoted a Soviet as saying, “he thought all Americans had horns, until he read about Marooned”. Indeed, it is conceivable that this movie gave a bit of a nudge to a project that probably had its roots with Kennedy and Krushchev talking about Kennedy’s idea that they go to the moon together. It would be worth seeing what the state of talks between the countries were before and after this movie. “Deke” Slayton claimed in his memoir that this film helped convince the Russians to undertake Apollo-Soyuz. ([http://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/25/movies/visions-of-the-future-relics-of-the-past.html?pagewanted=all](http://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/25/movies/visions-of-the-future-relics-of-the-past.html?pagewanted=all) ) Edidently it influenced some Americans in the Space Program: > [@](#): > > Before he had an opportunity to talk with the Soviets, Handler saw a movie that influenced his thinking concerning manned space flight. > In the early spring of 1970, . . . I saw a special showing of the film Marooned in which . . . an American astronaut is marooned in orbit, unable to return to earth, and has a relatively limited oxygen supply remaining. While preparations are made on earth for rescue by NASA, a Soviet spacecraft is caused to change its course so as to closely approach the helpless American craft. A Soviet cosmonaut then undertakes a space walk and delivers some tanks of [10] oxygen to the marooned American permitting him to survive until the American rescue is possible.# > > About a week before Handler’s departure for the Soviet Union, he saw Tom Paine; Marooned was still in the back of his mind. During their conversation, Paine and Handler reviewed various possibilities for cooperation with the Soviets. Paine told him of his correspondence with Keldysh and urged Handler to press the discussion of this subject with the Soviets. Handler later reflected, "it was my clear intention to catalyze the process knowing full well that if I could secure agreement with the Soviet Academy to begin cooperative ventures seriously, from then on the negotiations would have to be directly with NASA."32 > > The two days that Handler spent in Moscow, 11-12 May 1970, were filled with talks on a broad range of topics relating to the whole realm of cooperation between the two scientific communities. At one point, Handler found an opportunity to discuss the question of space cooperation with President Keldysh, Dzhermen Mikhaylovich Gvishiani (Premier Kosygin’s son-in-law and Deputy Minister for Science and Technology), and a group of younger Soviet scientists. Handler’s approach was less tactful than that which had been pursued by NASA officials; “I confronted them with copies of a recent article in the New York Times and in Science magazine recounting the rather disgraceful history of their failure to react to the many initiatives offered by NASA.” Handler urged closer cooperation by describing the basic scenario of the film Marooned. The fact that “an American film should portray a Soviet cosmonaut as the hero who saves an American’s life came to them as a visible and distinct shock.” [http://www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/SP-4209/prolog.htm](http://www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/SP-4209/prolog.htm) ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/8 "2016-03-15T17:09:53Z")
The movie China Syndrome probably almost single handedly killed the US nuclear power industry. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/9 "2016-03-15T17:13:31Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > The movie China Syndrome probably almost single handedly killed the US nuclear power industry. Three Mile Island had more to do with it, though the movie came out at the same time. _The Jazz Singer_ changed how we thought about movies. _Star Wars_ also changed the way Hollywood looked at movies. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/10 "2016-03-15T17:16:29Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Three Mile Island had more to do with it, though the movie came out at the same time. > > _The Jazz Singer_ changed how we thought about movies. > > _Star Wars_ also changed the way Hollywood looked at movies. IMO one without the other wouldn’t have nearly had the same effect. Talk about bad timing 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/11 "2016-03-15T17:16:35Z")
_Star Wars_ certainly influenced Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/12 "2016-03-15T17:16:53Z")
**"101 Dalmations"**. After the film people began buying dalmatians for their families, not doing any research therefore not realizing that dalmatians are not good family pets. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/13 "2016-03-15T17:22:32Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > I read somewhere that Hitchcock’s “Psycho” had a similar effect with respect to showers… It also wasn’t that great for small privately-owned roadside motels. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/14 "2016-03-15T17:23:03Z")
The combined Disney films eventually transformed the economy of central Florida. ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/15 "2016-03-15T17:28:13Z")
Star Wars created a religion. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/16 "2016-03-15T17:30:22Z")
There are now intercollegiate Quidditch leagues. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/17 "2016-03-15T17:30:44Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > _Star Wars_ certainly influenced Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative. Reagan was also inspired by WarGames to sign the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act in 1984. Congressmen started hearings on computer fraud bills by showing the opening of the film. It’s basically a direct line from the film to legislation. > **[From 'WarGames' to Aaron Swartz: How U.S. anti-hacking law went astray](https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/from-wargames-to-aaron-swartz-how-u-s-anti-hacking-law-went-astray/)** > > The 1983 movie "WarGames" led to an anti-hacking law with felony penalties aimed at deterring intrusions into NORAD. Over time, it became broad and vague enough to ensnare the late Aaron Swartz. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/18 "2016-03-15T17:37:11Z")
> [@Uniqueorn](#): > > Star Wars created a religion. So did The Big Lebowski. Dudeism. [https://www.google.com/search?q=dudeism&biw=1745&bih=872&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5-r-oncPLAhXCZCYKHU5LB-gQsAQIOQ](https://www.google.com/search?q=dudeism&biw=1745&bih=872&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5-r-oncPLAhXCZCYKHU5LB-gQsAQIOQ) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/19 "2016-03-15T17:40:46Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > The movie China Syndrome probably almost single handedly killed the US nuclear power industry. I suspect that the Three Mile Island incident (which happened at the time of the film’s release) probably had a lot more to do with putting a brake on nuclear power. The film, especially with the eerie coincidence of the timing, didn’t help, though. But Real Life has a persuasive power that film lacks. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081/20 "2016-03-15T17:51:51Z")
What about _Philadelphia_? For some reason, I think of that film as being more recent than it is, but it came out in 1993, which was still the “Silence=Death” era, really. How much effect did the film have on the AIDS landscape? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fiction-films-have-had-the-greatest-effects-on-the-real-world/749081.md?page=2)