Wolf Gnards

If films of the 1980's have taught us anything it's that there are several different methods to swap bodies with some one. Also, don't feed gremlins after midnight, and it's completely possible to build a woman with a computer, but the biggest thing is you can switch places with your dad for good clean fun at its wackiest. Whether it's ancient magic or modern science, the mind/body transfer has a soul swapping alternative for you. However, whatever method of transmogrification you choose the most important thing is to want to swap. A body transfer just isn't a body transfer without that moment of simultaneous desire.

“I wish I was young again!”

“I wish I had old wrinkly balls!”

SWAP

It's the simultaneousness of it that matters. Whatever hokey magical mumbo jumbo or ancient ancient artifact you use, it's the likewise thought that's important. If you want to be your dad, but at that moment your dad wants to be a longshoreman or a biker or a hamburger... it's just not going to work. Though a boy-to-hamburger movie would be pretty good, and a tad more original than another father-son flick.

Transferring minds was most popular in the 80's, but anytime is really a good time. I'm guessing at some Hollywood party in the mid-80's someone said, “We should really do a father/son switcheroo movie,” and several people overheard him. This is what they came up with...

Popular Ways to Swap Bodies

Just Want It (Freaky Friday 1976, 2003) – Like I said, the most important thing to any mind/body swap is to just want it. Being on Friday the 13th or ingesting ancient Chinese fortune cookie magic may be involved but not necessarily. Just want it whole-heartedly and you too can swap. Changing back can only occur after an important lesson has been learned.

Native American Potion (Like Father, Like Son, 1987) – Grown somewhere out in the dessert and kept secret by Native American Shamans, there is a plant that can switch a person's mind with another's. Potion plus eye contact and consider yourself switched. Great for surgery or hijacks. You must have a wacky best friend with connections to an even more wacky brain weed expert (in Like Father, Like Son's case an eccentric uncle). No swapping desire really needed for this transfer, the mystical Indian juice does all the work, though it does help with the story arc. Transferring back requires more magic potion, but the longer you've been switched the longer it takes to switch back.

Hold Hands (18 Again!, 1988) – As we all know the Beatles' song I Want to Hold your Hand really meant I Want to Swap your Body. Hand holding works to transfer minds, but a couple of key occurrences are required: some sort of crash must happen and it must be on someone's birthday. It also helps if the ages of the swapees are the inverse of each other, so 18 and 81 are good. 19 and 80 though, just horrible swap material.

Mystic Oriental Skull (Vice Versa, 1988) – Like Native Americans, the Chinese and Indians also possess ancient secrets to mind switching. The Western world cannot possibly understand such mystical things as a skull glued to a cup. Transfer works again by wanting to switch but in this case in the presence of the skull and the skull does the rest.

Tai Chi & Meditation (Dream a Little Dream, 1989) – If someone is entering a waking dream state where anything is possible, don't mess with them. It's like sleepwalkers, leave them alone or they will go ape shit. If you crash into a meditator (another crashing scenario, leading me to believe souls can be jarred out of place rather easily) not only can you switch bodies with them, but you can be entirely sucked into their bodies as well. Side effects of transfer include acting like Michael Jackson.

Follow up:

Brain Transfer vs. Transmogrification

Ian Springer at Waverly Films has a nice explanation on the fine differences of mind/body transfers.

Bonus Transfer

Advanced Plastic Surgery (Face/Off, 1997) – While not a mind transfer or a magical body transformation, another method is advanced plastic surgery. Yes, cutting off your face, and sewing on a new face, not only makes your face (with its vastly different bone structure) look exactly like the other person, but your body transforms as well. Major height and weight differences are no problem for some good old fashion plastic surgery.