A movie theater chain is planning to hypnotize 30 people in an attempt to make them forget their favorite films, allowing them to experience them for the first time all over again.
Almost everyone has a movie they wish they could watch again without knowing what happens. Whether it’s Darth Vader being Luke Skywalker’s father or the shocking twist in The Sixth Sense, some moments don’t have the same impact the second time around.
Now, Dutch cinema chain Pathé is carrying out an experiment called REWIND, which will see moviegoers undergo hypnosis before watching a film they’ve already seen. If it works, they could get to experience some of cinema’s biggest surprises as though they were completely new.
Movie theater plans hypnosis experiment to make fans forget films
According to Pathé’s official announcement, the experiment will take place on November 9 at its Buitenhof theater in The Hague, Netherlands.
The company is recruiting 30 participants, who will undergo hypnosis sessions with Victor Kraemer, a hypnotherapist with more than 30 years of experience. Each participant will first have a private online session, before being hypnotized again immediately before the screening.
New Line CinemaThey’ll then sit down to watch one of four movies: The Matrix, Se7en, La La Land, or Interstellar, depending on which is selected by the fans.
The hope is that hypnosis will temporarily affect their memory of the movie, potentially allowing them to experience its biggest moments without anticipating what’s coming.
“Who wouldn’t want to see their favorite film again for the very first time?” said Imke van Schaaijk, Manager Brand, PR & Communications at Pathé.
However, Pathé hasn’t established whether hypnosis can actually make someone forget a film, and the experiment is designed to explore whether the viewing experience can be changed.
Applications for REWIND closed on October 29, with participation free for those selected.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
