There's no way of knowing what the future holds. No one in the last century could have predicted what sort of technological advancements would be made today. Otherwise, they would have taken that into account when drafting the plots of classic movies.
So many iconic stories could be easily solved with modern, everyday items. In fact, ten movies come to mind that only could have worked in a time before smartphones.
10 Home Alone Could Have Ended With A Phone Call & Kevin Wouldn't Need To Defend His House
To the credit of the writers of Home Alone, they try to make it believable that a family like the McCallisters would forget to bring Kevin on their trip to Paris. The family overslept and had to rush to the airport while keeping track of over ten family members.
Kevin was asleep in the attic, the neighbors were away, he wouldn't trust strangers even if they were police, his passport was thrown out accidentally, and the phone lines were down. That last issue wouldn't be a problem though if the McCallisters had smartphones and could call or text Kevin. At least then he would listen to them and go to the police or a family friend.
9 Assault on Precinct 13 Could Have Radioed Backup
The harrowing story of Assault on Precinct 13 revolves around Ethan Bishop and the other unlucky police officers and criminals at a soon-to-be decommissioned police station. They must ward off the attacks of gangsters who seek revenge against the cops who killed their gang members.
The station isn't fully staffed, the telephone lines were sabotaged, the gangs use silencers, and hide any evidence of the attack from patrolling cop cars. While backup eventually arrives, they could have arrived sooner if someone had a mobile phone. Then they could easily call for help to ward off the invasion.
8 The Wicker Man Could Have Exposed the Pagans With Tourists
While Nicholas Cage fans are familiar with the 2006 version of The Wicker Man, the 1973 original version couldn't have worked in the modern day. There are differences between the two but both follow a policeman, in this case, Neil Howie, investigating the disappearance of a little girl on a remote island inhabited by pagans.
The pagans sabotage his investigation and prevent him from leaving the island or contacting the mainland. Howie could have used a smartphone to call for backup or at least keep his precinct informed of his investigation. Also, tourists would definitely check the island out and upload compromising posts online that would blow the lid off the pagans' operation.
7 The Truman Show Could Be Exposed With A Google Search
The Truman Show is a remarkably relevant story about a man named Truman unaware that he is the subject of a reality show that's filmed him his whole life. He's lived his entire life in a dome, the townspeople are all actors, and any attempts to expose the truth to Truman are quelled immediately.
Of course, this was when cell phones and the internet were still in a larval state. If he had access to Youtube or Twitter or a basic internet forum, he would have discovered his show eventually or seen someone parody it just like any other reality show. Even a simple Google search of his name would have revealed everything.
6 The Witches of Eastwick Could Sign Up For Tinder
Times have changed since The Witches of Eastwick was released. In it, three single women unaware that they possess magical powers accidentally summon a charming demon to their town while complaining about their unsatisfied love lives.
Keep in mind, this was before dating apps like Tinder were around. If these girls had accounts set up, there's no question that they would find someone to love.
5 Misery Could Have Been Avoided By Checking the Weather App
The classic Stephen King story Misery centers on the renowned author, Paul Sheldon, who crashes his car during a snowstorm and gets rescued by an avid fan, Annie Wilkes, only to become her prisoner and forced to rewrite his final novel until it meets her standards.
The most obvious modern solution would be for Sheldon to use his smartphone to call for help or have someone track his phone to his current location. He could have avoided the whole ordeal by checking the weather app and not driving out during a snowstorm. Annie also could have found a healthy outlet through online fandoms instead of becoming a killer.
4 Night of the Living Dead Would Have Ended Differently If They Called the Posses
There are a number of reasons why the plot of Night of the Living Dead wouldn't hold up in the modern era. This horror classic follows a group of survivors that barricade themselves in a farmhouse while undead ghouls attempt to break in and kill them. Smartphones alone aren't enough to kill the cannibalistic hordes, but Ben and the others could have used them for other uses.
Phoning for help or informing the roaming posses of their whereabouts could have been possible with spartphones. That way they could stay inside until help arrived, stay informed about the crisis, and alert the posse not to shoot them on sight.
3 Rear Window Would Never Happen If They Had Streaming Services & Social Media
Alfred Hitchcock may be one of cinema's greatest filmmakers, but his stories don't always hold up in a modern setting. Such as his classic Rear Window, about house-bound photographer, L.B. Jefferies, who broke his leg and passes the time by peering into the open windows of his neighbor's apartments.
He becomes obsessed with proving one of his neighbors murdered his wife but Jefferies wouldn't have noticed in today's setting. He would have gotten hooked on any number of streaming services or surfing the web. Jefferies might even have better luck convicting his neighbor by investigating his social media for suspicious activity.
2 National Lampoon's Vacation Would Be Different If They Checked The Park's Hours Online
Say what you will about Clark Griswold but he only wants what is best for his family. It shows in National Lampoon's Vacation when he drives cross-country to take his family to Walley World. Despite multiple setbacks and numerous hijinks, they arrive only to discover that the park is closed for repairs.
Given how detail-oriented Griswold is, he likely would have done his research and found online that the park would be closed or updated on the way there. Maybe then, he wouldn't have flipped his lid and taken drastic measures.
1 Citizen Kane & His Private Life Wouldn't Have Been A Mystery
Citizen Kane is a one-of-a-kind classic film that only could have been done at the time it was made. After the death of the infamous Charles Foster Kane, a reporter tries to find the meaning behind his dying words, "Rosebud," by gathering his life story from those closest to Kane.
Getting insight into the private lives of celebrities was much harder back then whereas now it's plastered over magazine covers and social feeds. Even better, all it would take is one Google search and there would undoubtedly be a whole Wikipedia article on the Rosebud line of sleds. Thus ruining the mystery behind the grand life that Kane lived.
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