3 | MANDELA MONDAY | 3

Once again, included in the first Mandela Effect Quiz featured on The Cryton Chronicles, we have a famous movie line that has supposedly been misquoted throughout the years. This one delivered by Tom Hanks, in his role as the simple, lovable character, Forrest Gump:

What is the famous quote about Life, delivered by Tom Hanks, in Forrest Gump?

Did you remember the line correctly? Or was it changed ever so slightly?

Obviously, as you can tell in the clip above, Forrest Gump states that "life was like a box of chocolates", so where is the discrepancy? Many remember "life is like a box of chocolates" instead. Again, a small, seemingly minute change of a single word within a title or quote. However, this alternative quote is what myself and many others remember. Including the individual who posted that video on YouTube back in 2011. I guess they should have taken a moment to watch the short clip to make sure they got the quote right...

One of the most pushed explanations for this misremembrance comes in the form of an additional scene from the movie featuring Sally Field playing Forrest's mother.

This scene appears later in the movie and it is believed that people are taking and mixing the two together, but remembering "is" from Sally Field's character. However, many affected by The Mandela Effect argue that if he was quoting his mother he would say "is" not "was", and that if using "was", the rest of the quote doesn't make sense grammatically. Now, Forrest Gump is a simple character, but I honestly never paid attention to how inaccurate his grammar throughout the movie is. Perhaps some of you have?

Either way, as much as I agree with the tense not making sense (a semi-common issue with purported changes caused by the phenomenon), I would also have to point out that Sally Field never says "like" either. Or maybe she did in another "verse", if believing in the multiple timelines/universes merging or "uploads" taking place. So Forrest was all sorts of confused.

As a side note, I just have to say I enjoy seeing people arguing against the Mandela Effect, citing Sally Field as Sally Fields, another claimed change, and an individual involved in a handful of cited examples. Not to mention a coincidental connection to someone associated with CERN. We will get to that another day...

Besides this movie scene, many claim that the misquote comes from David Letterman butchering the line during the 1995 Oscars.

Like the previous examples, there are many other references to the line, as above in The Family Guy. Even the notorious The Simpsons! Though, I couldn't find the clip by itself. But no worries, it's included in a montage towards the end of this entry.

But like James Earl Jones' memory, how does the man, the myth, the legend Tom Hanks remember the line? Below is a clip from The Late Late Show with James Corden where guests participate in a skit highlighting memorable scenes from their acting career. I left the full version below the snippet in case you wanted to see it in its entirety.

So once again the actor playing the role, reciting the line, remembers it the same as those affect by the Mandela Effect. I always thought that in these modern times of social media that people would call out moments like this (some actually have in other instances — to interesting results), but I'd imagine people approached would just say they forgot or misremembered. An honest mistake.

I've wondered if this could be in part do to the fact that sometimes scenes of movies are shot multiple times, and while I'd imagine most are told to stay on script, there are likely variances between some takes. I can't say how common that is outside of being allowed to ad-lib, but it makes me curious.

One of the strongest pieces of residual evidence provided is in the form of a documentary and/or behind the scenes clip in which the actual line many remember is actually spoken. Not only that, but the layout of the scene is as many remember (in particular, the close up of Tom Hanks eating the piece of chocolate).

Some may say that this is where the misquote originates, but I highly doubt that many people have seen this footage. But obviously I can only speak for myself. Have you? Was this footage used in a trailer? Doesn't appear to be in the current trailers for the film.

Or was this one of the many examples of residual evidence left behind after a change occurred?

Below is a montage by YouTube content creator Light of Life Productions that I highly suggest checking out! Like MoneyBags73, they've been researching the phenomenon and putting together great videos with a lot of information. More than I could ever provide, especially with my limited video making skills.

That's a lot of residual evidence! And I like it provided the clip from The Simpsons, since it's associated with many of these changes.

One example of residual evidence in that video that those affected by the Mandela Effect talk a lot about is the back cover of the VHS/DVD, which features the movie quote with "is". Some try to say that they are quoting Sally Field, but again, she doesn't say "like". And would they really place a quote by her character over one spoken by the main character of the film?

I've always felt that this was one of the biggest Mandel Effects, but more are being discovered almost daily, and everyone is triggered by different cited changes. Whatever resonates with them the most and what subject matter they fully trust their own memory with.

We wrap up with two more videos. The first being an SNL parody skit where Jeff Sessions is depicted as Forrest Gump. The final being a video I just stumbled across while writing this post. The individual highlights some of the difference between the English and Spanish dubbed versions of Forrest Gump, and even references the first video I shared. So, you know, full circle and all!

And remember, memory is as memory does...

Did you get the movie quote right? Did you remember "was" or "is"? What do you feel could have caused the misquote? Sally Field's scene? David Letterman reciting the movie line incorrectly? What do you think about the residual evidence provided? Why would Tom Hanks recite the line wrong? What are your thoughts on that documentary/behind the scenes clip?

Have you found any different residual evidence associated with the subject matter above?