A Pennsylvania man has taken being a movie buff to a whole new level.
Zach Swope broke the Guinness World Record by watching 777 movies in theaters in one year. Swope did it to raise awareness for suicide prevention and autism. The self-proclaimed movie fanatic started his journey in July 2022 with “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” reports Guinness Book of World Records.
“I am a suicide survivor and have lost people I care about to suicide,” Swope told the outlet. “This was an amazing journey to which I dedicated a year of my life, and it was all for a good cause.”
In order to break the record, Swope had to follow a few rules, which included not falling asleep in the theater. To make sure he stayed within the Guinness World Records regulations, he was monitored by cinema employees during the times of his screenings.
“In order to achieve this record, all films must be watched in their entirety, and each one must be watched independently of any other activity, meaning that Zach could not take naps or look at his phone while in the cinema,” explained the Guinness World Records.
To meet his goal, he watched movies after his full-time job, focusing on films for under two hours, watching “16-17″ films a week. Movie tickets aren’t cheap; Swope took advantage of the Regal Cinema’s $17-per-month unlimited Membership.
“Who knows, maybe I’ll go back and try to break my own record?” Swope said.
