Watching old films brings back memories of a simpler time; when the world wasn’t clamoring the latest i-Thing or clutching a cellphone to its collective breast, sunk in a glowing stupor.
But just how different would these movies be if today’s innovations infiltrated their plot? Here are just a few timeless classics, reframed with the addition of contemporary “smart” technology.
Now put down your phone and pay attention.
An Affair to Remember (1957)
An Affair to Remember is quite a love story. It stars Cary Grant, as Nicki, and Deborah Kerr, as Terry. The two meet and fall in love on a cruise ship, even though they’re promised to other people. Despite that, though, they plan to leave their old lives and promise to meet in six months to be married.
Along the way, Terry is in an accident and becomes paralyzed. She refuses to tell Nicki that that’s the reason she never met him that day. A quick Google search of Terry’s name would have pulled up local news reports about her accident. Or, through Facebook, he would have seen all her friends posting, “get well soon” on her wall.
It could have saved him the heartache of thinking he had been stood up.
Psycho (1960)
In the Alfred Hitchcock movie, Psycho, Norman Bates, played by Anthony Perkins, is a murderous psychopath with an unhealthy obsession with his mother. If only Marion (Janet Leigh) had known what she was getting herself into.
Something as simple as a Yelp review could have told her to keep on driving. Reviews for The Bates Motel probably would’ve read something like:
“Creepy manager. Obsessed with taxidermy. I felt like I was constantly being watched. And the worst part: no wifi.”
Home Alone (1990)
Macaulay Culkin plays the young Kevin McCallister, a boy who is accidentally left home alone when his family goes to Paris for Christmas. While Kevin enjoys his solitude, his family desperately tries to get home to make sure he’s alright. Of course, the best part of the movie is all the ingenious traps he sets for the persistent burglars, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern).
However, it could have all been avoided if Kevin’s parents only had smartphones, Skype and a good security system. Nowadays, you can monitor almost anything from your phone, even when you’re away.
His parents could have seen what Kevin was up to and called the police when needed, if they would have even forgotten him in the first place.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
In the The Sixth Sense, Cole (Haley Joel Osmont) confesses he can see dead people. Dr. Crowe, played by Bruce Willis, suggests he try to assist them with their unfinished business. Extremely reluctant at first, Cole agrees and the two go on to help a little dead girl share the truth about her death. Meanwhile, Crowe’s wife is extremely distant.
Perhaps if young Cole had an iPhone, like so many his age do now, he could have snapped a selfie with Crowe, enabling him to learn the truth sooner. Cole’s mother might also have believed his gift with a few pictures as well.
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is a simple, straight forward, movie. Two high guys, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) just want to eat hamburgers at White Castle. A simple goal made impossible by countless things: restaurant relocation, a rabid raccoon, and various other random things, poor directions included.
All they needed to reach their goal was a GPS – heck Siri could have easily given them simple directions and a picture to follow to get to their ultimate destination.
These are just a few classic films that could have turned out a lot differently had the characters been able to utilize the latest in modern technology. If there’s anything these movies teach us, its patience. Because with or without the latest handy tech devices, there’s no way to predict how the future will turn out.