Zach Swope of Harrisburg, Penn., saw 777 movies inside theaters over the past year in an attempt to raise awareness for autism and suicide prevention, setting a Guinness World Record. The 32-year-old self-proclaimed “lover of films” began his movie journey on July 5, 2022, when he went to watch Steve Carrell’s hit film Minions: The Rise of Gru. Swope, who has Asperger’s syndrome, watched approximately 3 movies during the week after his full-time job, but weekends were all-day endeavors. He prioritized short-length movies, which allowed him to watch even more movies. He utilized his Regal Unlimited membership, which gives him access to every film for just $22 a month. Swope targeted 16-17 movies per week, depending on whether he took a day off to “mentally recharge.” Throughout his record attempt, he adhered to a set of strict rules: each film had to be watched in its entirety and it had to be independent of any other activity, meaning he couldn’t fall asleep or check his phone while the movie was playing. He also wasn’t allowed to eat or drink during the viewing and was monitored at all times by theater employees to ensure that he didn’t break any of the rules. Swope’s most-watched film over the calendar year was Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which he viewed 47 times. His least favorite movie was The Devil Conspiracy, a sci-fi horror film which he only saw once.
