CELEBRITY SOUP

Famous Films That Inspired Real-life Events By Riesa Pascal

It’s well known that many movies are based on real-life events, but did you know that some films have actually been the cause of real-life events? Here are six films that changed the course of history in various ways, from overturning a life-long prison sentence to nearly putting one of the nation’s most beloved attractions out of business. If you’ve ever been in doubt of the power of movies, just keep on reading and you’ll be a believer in no time!

THE BIRTH OF A NATION, 1915 As you’ll quickly find out, not every movie on our list has led to a positive event or change. Before 1915’s The Birth of a Nation glorified the Ku Klux Klan, the American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group was entirely defunct. However, not long after the film’s release, the KKK was reborn with 16 members and by the mid-1920s, had grown to boast several million loyal followers. William J. Simmons was the man responsible for the revival and he became inspired to do so after drunkenly watching and rewatching The Birth of a Nation thanks to free admission granted by an Atlanta theater manager. In addition to reviving the Klan, The Birth of a Nation also created many of the group's signature traits such as pointed headwear, white robes, and cross burnings. These hallmarks of Klan members were not standardized by the original Klan, but were written into the source novel of the film and adopted by Simmons for his revival of the group.

TAXI DRIVER, 1976 Taxi Driver starring Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese and Jodi Foster tells the story of a mentally unstable veteran who works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action. Not only did the movie receive four Academy Award nominations, it also inspired an attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. On March 30, 1981, Reagan was shot by a man who wanted to impress Jodie Foster after becoming obsessed with her character in the film. John Hinckley Jr. watched Taxi Driver as many as 18 times, memorized the script, and began dressing, drinking, and acting like Robert De Niro's character Travis Bickle. This bizarre behavior resulted in him attempting to assassinate a politician just like Bickle does in the movie. Fortunately Reagan survived and Hinckley was hospitalized after being found not guilty by reason of insanity. THE THIN BLUE LINE, 1988 Sentenced to death in 1977 for the murder of a Texas police officer, Randall Dale Adams was eventually exonerated as a result of information uncovered by film-maker Errol Morris and presented in the acclaimed documentary, The Thin Blue Line. The film presents the case of Adams and questions why he was sentenced to death—later commuted to life in prison—for the killing in spite of key witnesses giving contradictory testimonies. The film centered around the "inconsistencies, incongruities and loose ends" of the case, and even obtained an admission of Adams' innocence by the original suspect of the case, David Harris. Videographic proof of witness perjury along with the film's popularity finally led to Adams' conviction being overturned though he received no compensation from the state of Texas for the 12 years he spent in prison.

TITANIC, 1997 In addition to sparking the age-old debate of if Jack could have also fit on the door, the film Titanic also sparked a revolution of sorts by teaching multiple North Koreans about the outside world and inspiring them to defect. Yeonmi Park got her “first small taste of freedom” by viewing an illicit copy of Titanic at her uncle's house with the windows covered. Due to constant power outages, it took months to finish the film which her family hid under a potted plant in between watches. As she recalled in her memoir, “When I was 7 or 8 years old, the film that changed my life was Titanic. It amazed me that it was a story that took place a hundred years ago. Those people living in 1912 had better technology than most North Koreans…The idea that people could choose their own destinies fascinated me.” After an arduous journey that sadly took her father's life, Park successfully defected and is now a U.S. citizen. Fellow North Korean Jeong Kwang-il also watched Titanic under similar circumstances as Park before escaping to South Korea. He now smuggles media into his former country to continue the cycle of North Korean deprogramming. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, 2006 Unless you live under a rock, you are well aware of the huge cultural phenomenon that was and still is High School Musical. Incredibly, the film is credited by 17-year-old Jordan Turpin as her motivation to escape lifelong confinement in her parents' house and free her siblings. Jordan was one of 13 children, ages 2 to 29, who had been held in captivity by their parents in California. They were allegedly beaten, choked, shackled, underfed, undereducated, rarely washed, and weren't allowed to go outside save for family trips. As such, they didn't know much about the world until they watched the Disney Channel. After seeing High School Musical and other pop culture content, Jordan realized what kind of life was out there for herself and her siblings. The brave teenager managed to eventually escape out a window and find help which led to the release of her 12 malnourished siblings and the life imprisonment of her parents.

BLACKFISH, 2013 The controversial documentary Blackfish questioned the ethics of orca captivity and sent waves through the marine park industry. SeaWorld suffered severe attendance drop-off as a result and major stock losses with even Southwest Airlines ending its SeaWorld partnership after facing backlash. The documentary spurred the passing of multiple legislative bills to prevent companies from using captive orcas, one of which was a whale-specific amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations Act. Another bill, the Orca Welfare and Safety Act, banned orca captivity for entertainment purposes in California. SeaWorld blamed the legislation for low attendance, but ultimately ended its orca breeding program and eventually phased out orcas altogether. They spoke of the changes saying, “Society is changing and we’re changing with it.”

CANT SLEEP?

HERE ARE SOME ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP YOU CATCH SOME Z’S

Ah, September.The kids are back in school, the weekends are packed with activities, and you’re running amuck trying to get everything done--even if it means sacrificing sleep. You know you’re supposed to get the recommended eight hours a night, but your life (and your brain) just aren’t allowing it. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.

Sure, the end of summer might make you a bit crankier than usual (who would want to stop going to the beach every day?), but your sour mood may be related to your lack of sleep. Those who get little sleep or suffer from insomnia typically have short fuses, terrible memory and an insatiable hunger.

Does that sound like you? If so, it’s time to start taking your health seriously. Lack of sleep can lead to weight gain, depression, and inflammation, which in turn can cause premature aging, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and arthritis. Staying on top of your schedule is important, but it’s not worth the health risks and mood changes that insomnia can cause. But don’t worry, these tips and tricks are sure to help you finally catch some z’s.

First (and we know you don’t want to hear this), you need to cut the caffeine. Stick to a cup of your favorite brew in the morning, but halt all coffee consumption after lunch. If you’re a regular Starbucks junkie, you may feel like your venti triple-shot latte only gave you enough energy for one hour. In actuality, your first cup of caffeine is more than enough to get you through the day, whether or not you want to admit it. On average, one cup of coffee should stay in your system for around seven to eight hours--enough to get you out of bed and through your workday. Same rules apply to you, soda and energy drinkers: One and done.

So you’ve cut the caffeine, but an afterhours drink at your favorite pub won’t cause any harm, right? Wrong. Ladies, this one’s especially for you: Cut out the bedtime booze. While men can toss back a beer before bed and sleep like a baby, studies show that women who do the same have a harder time sleeping. If you simply must have a substitute, try a room temperature glass of water or a cup of warm milk.

Chances are, your workday isn’t quite over when you leave the office. Between picking up the kids from school, going to your dentist appointment and making dinner, you hardly have time to think. As difficult as it may be, take some time for yourself when you get home--even it’s just for a few minutes. Put a hold on all distractions to read a chapter of your favorite book or hop on the treadmill for thirty minutes. In addition to helping you destress, this personal time is perfect for winding down before you climb into bed.

Before your head hits the pillow at night, make sure your bedroom is your sanctuary. Turn off your phone completely before getting under the covers--your emails and Instagram will have to wait. If your phone is your wake-up call, that could be part of the problem. Switch off your favorite digital device in exchange for an actual alarm clock. Sleeping is sure to be easier when you aren’t waiting for the next text or Facebook like. But don’t just stop at your phone: Turn off your iPod, laptop and tablet, too. While you would think that straining your eyes would make them more tired, keeping your laptop open means you’ll spend more time on Netflix instead of in dreamland.

Unfortunately, shutting off the phone doesn’t necessarily mean that your brain turns off as well. If you toss and turn half the night while thinking about everything you have to do the next day, you may need a fresh scent to help you unwind. Worried about starting a new job or the state of your finances? Sniff some valerian root. Convinced that car repair will totally empty your savings? Try some lavender oil. These aromas will relax your mind so that you can finally get some sleep.

Aromas aren’t only used for helping you sleep at night. If you’re still struggling to hold up your eyelids at work the next morning, some natural scents will give you a little pick-me-up (no, it’s not the coffee bean--keep dreaming). Pop a peppermint in your mouth or squeeze a few drops of lemon into your ice water at lunch for an energy burst. This is the healthy way to keep you moving forward, especially if you’re sure you won’t last another 30 minutes without a Red Bull. And yeah, you might not need that triple-shot latte after all!