Cinema to hypnotise fans into forgetting Interstellar so they can watch for the first time again

A small group of lucky film lovers are going to get to experience their favourite movie for the first time again – and it’s all thanks to hypnosis.

We’ve all wished we could Neuralyze our brains to relive the best TV shows and movies over the years. But is it possible in real life?

Well, entertainment company Pathé is set to put that to the test with Pathé REWIND – a new social experiment in which hypnotist Victor Kraemer will attempt to mind wipe film fans’ memories of four select films. 

Then, they’ll watch said movie at the Pathé Buitenhof cinema in The Hague, Netherlands. If the hypnosis works, it’ll be like they’re experiencing it for the first time again. 

Only 30 film lovers will get to take part, and they have the choice of a lineup of four classic movies: The Matrix, Se7en, La La Land and Interstellar.

Once the participants are selected, they’ll be invited for a personal online session with Kraemer. The screening will take place on November 9, and just before they enter, they’ll be put under hypnosis once more. 

Obviously, we won’t know if it works or not until the event takes place. But it’s certainly an intriguing concept. 

And it’s an interesting selection too, as each film offers something very different. For The Matrix, there’s the moment Neo discovers the true nature of his reality. It’s one of cinema’s most famous twists, but imagine watching it without already knowing what the Matrix actually is.

Then there’s David Fincher’s Se7en, with its notoriously disturbing final revelation that has haunted audiences for more than 30 years. Of all four films, this might be the one where forgetting the ending would make the biggest difference.

La La Land is a slightly different proposition. It’s not really a film built around a shocking twist, but its bittersweet ending hits differently once you know where Sebastian and Mia’s relationship is heading.

And last but definitely not least there’s Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. That twist at the end could have participants sobbing all over again. 

You never know, some might be harder to erase than others depending on how many times people have rewatched it. 

As one netizen wrote in response to the news, “Me watching Interstellar for the 531st time.” Another joked, “Me pretending to be hypnotized so I can watch Interstellar for the 178th time.”

A third added, “Letting someone hypnotize you and then immediately watching The Matrix is an incredible way to develop trust issues.”

Can’t wait for the results now – we’ll be checking back in on November 9. 

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Featured image credit: Paramount Pictures/Warner Bros.