Tumblr is attempting to create a Mandela effect, as users try to convince the internet Martin Scorsese once made a mafia movie called Goncharov.
The Mandela effect is a collective false memory. It is named after the widespread false memory that Nelson Mandela, the late South African activist and president, died in prison in the 1980s. We’ve seen instances of the Mandela effect pop up time and again, earlier this year surrounding a rumor that Chick-fil-A changed its name.
Now, Tumblr users are attempting to conjure up such an effect over the fake movie, Goncharov.
So, where did this start? And just how far are internet users going to make the fake Scorsese movie sound real? Here’s what you need to know.
The internet calls Goncharov ‘the greatest mafia movie ever made’
It’s no surprise that interest in Goncharov has surged considering Tumblr and Twitter users are popularizing it as “the greatest mafia movie ever made.”
This tagline comes from the original post about Goncharov, which shows the name and tagline appear on a pair of boots.
Given that Martin Scorsese is behind some of the greatest mafia movies ever made – Goodfellas, The Departed, and Casino – it comes as no surprise that he could be responsible for another classic. The details surrounding Goncharov get even more specific with the internet alleging the film is produced by Domenico Procacci, with sets and costumes designed by Roy Walker and Michael Kaplan respectively.
Cybill Shepherd is also fancast as Katya Goncharova with gangster movie legend Al Pacino is a leading role.
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No, Scorsese did not make a movie called Goncharov
Unfortunately, for those believing Martin Scorsese had another gangster gem under his belt, the director has never made a movie called Goncharov. It is purely fiction, with the rumor originating on Tumblr.
The rumor started over a pair of boots. These boots feature details about the nonexistent movie Goncharov on the tongue instead of a brand label. The label on the boot tongue reads: “Martin Scorsese presents Goncharov.” Also included on the label is the “greatest mafia movie ever made” tagline along with some details that it is a Domenico Procacci production and “about the Naples mafia.”
A Tumblr user posted this image to the microblogging platform. It was then picked up by other users. The original joke seemingly started when another user commented on the Goncharov boots post: “This idiot hasn’t seen Goncharov.”
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Goncharov does have a real meaning in Russian
While the Scorsese film may be fake, Goncharov does have a real meaning. In Russian, Goncharov is a surname which is equivalent to ‘Potter’ in English.
As is found in Russian masculine and feminine names, Cybill Shepherd takes the surname Goncharova. Her character’s husband goes by the name Goncharov.
A number of famous Russian cultural figures and celebrities have this surname. Mathematician Alexander Goncharov is an example, who named the Goncharov conjecture after himself. There is also the 19th century Russian novelist, Ivan Alexandrovich Goncharov, as well as the composer Pyotr Grigorievich Goncharov.
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The internet shapes plot of fake Scorsese movie
While memes have dominated the discourse surrounding fake mafia movie Goncharov, there are also a handful of Tumblr users who are writing Goncharov fan fiction. It’s quickly shaping up to be a legitimate-sounding film… Scorsese, interested?
The central plot being developed is a love triangle between Goncharov, his wife Katya, and Andrey. There are even some users ‘shipping’ Gonchrey – a portmanteau of Goncharov and Andrey’s names.
