tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post282352716942721969..comments2024-03-28T06:14:54.076-04:00Comments on And So It Begins...: Can the Words “Based on a True Story” Ruin a Film?Alex Withrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-1975442478384138472013-11-15T19:53:39.379-05:002013-11-15T19:53:39.379-05:00Thanks man. I was the same way with the film, luke...Thanks man. I was the same way with the film, lukewarm at first, now I just dismiss it. A shame, because I really value Lee Daniels as an artist. But oh well.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-88817027852428610912013-11-15T10:31:26.940-05:002013-11-15T10:31:26.940-05:00Excellent post! I've always accepted that &quo...Excellent post! I've always accepted that "based on a true story" doesn't guarantee 100% accuracy. A BOATS film is <i>adapted</i> from a true story. That said, those changes to The Butler are outrageous. I was lukewarm on the film anyway, but those inaccuracies just don't sit well at all.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-58935217285098272452013-11-12T22:58:21.029-05:002013-11-12T22:58:21.029-05:00Ruuu-dy. Ruuu-dy. Ruuu-dy. Ruuu-dy.Ruuu-dy. Ruuu-dy. Ruuu-dy. Ruuu-dy.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-70183872662256389882013-11-12T05:51:46.604-05:002013-11-12T05:51:46.604-05:00dont even bring rudy into this that worthless pile...dont even bring rudy into this that worthless pile of shit.....julienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-35749192440432748012013-11-07T14:58:00.080-05:002013-11-07T14:58:00.080-05:00That Forbes article is insulting. Catherine's ...That Forbes article is insulting. Catherine's comment was spot on. I'm literally at a loss for words that Forbes would print such a malicious piece. If Kyle Smith is able to call himself a "journalist," then the meaning of that word is cheapened.<br /><br />Anyway. "If I can say 'So what?' at the changes made for the adaption to screen than the film holds." I think that is very well put. A great rule of thumb to go by. <br /><br />I agree that much of JFK is fabricated yet ceaselessly thrilling. But, despite Stone's convictions, I don't recall that film being marketed as Based on a True Story. More like, "The story you've never heard..." or the like. Either way, that's semantics. Like you say: if you can say So What, then that should be enough.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-44828120878030505402013-11-06T22:45:38.888-05:002013-11-06T22:45:38.888-05:00Hmm, very interesting question and implications he...Hmm, very interesting question and implications here. On one hand film is as you said supposed to be manipulative in some way, trying to register an emotional response. But on the other hand if it goes over the line in it's coaxing, then you are reminded that you are watching a made-up fabricated piece you know you are being fooled. I think though the simplest way to boil it down is this: if I can say "So what?" at the changes made for the adaption to screen than the film holds. If it doesn't change the heart of the story told than who cares? For those that say it dilutes and distorts 'history', well 'history' isn't etched in stone either, nothing is. <br />Recently, an egregious example is "Fruitvale Station" being criticized by some in this Frobes article as playing fast and loose with the facts in order to elicit outrage. (By the way, scroll down the comments section to a Catherine Handley's response, it is one of the best reasoned opposing views I've read anywhere) <br /><br />http://www.forbes.com/sites/kylesmith/2013/07/25/fruitvale-station-is-loose-with-the-facts-in-an-effort-to-elicit-sympathy-for-oscar-grant/ <br /><br />I found myself perplexed at Mr. Smith's taking offense at the certain scenes made up for the film; the dog scene, dancing in the subway, and that it omitted the fact that Grant was in jail for illegal gun possession, to which I can only say "So what"? Does that change the story of a life cut far too short? Does it change the fact that an unarmed 22-year-old kid is gunned down by people sworn to protect him, just because he was taunting them? Yeah, those added scenes probably showed that Oscar had much more caring and charisma than the real guy, the filmmakers needed to make sure the audience understood, in under two hours, what everyone in Grant's life potentially saw in him, to be a better man. <br />The best example I always think of when this question comes up is with Schindler's List, with Schindler's last scene with the people he saved from slaughter, ok fine that never happened in real life? Is it manipulative? Yes. Does it matter? No. The people that criticized Spielberg for portraying the people that lived rather than honoring the dead must've missed that scene, because it's Spielberg acknowledging that Schindler statistically speaking didn't accomplish much. 1,100 vs 6 million isn't even close. It should be a moment of triumph for him a pat on the back and all, but all he can do is weep because he finally understands in that moment the true horror of what his own country and people had done and, in his eyes, he didn't do enough. He is playing as an audience surrogate as well, because for the length of the story's running time it's true we have seen only the survivors, the ones that made it out. But in the end, just like Schindler, we know the extent of the holocaust. Unlike him, though we know that he did more than most any other man, country and army. "He who saves one life, saves the world entire" he did it over thousand times over.<br />Nothing in Stone's 'JFK' really happened like it is presented in the film, does it change that it one of the most thrilling FICTIONAL dramas ever constructed? The tarmac chase in Argo was made up, does it change the fact that they succeeded? So I guess long story shortened, if the touch-up and manipulations fundamentally alter the story and the message being told, people have a right to gripe. Otherwise try to understand WHY the filmmakers are making these changes. <br /><br /> Jeffhttp://cityuponahillmedia.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-57561734220808745722013-11-06T14:51:04.829-05:002013-11-06T14:51:04.829-05:00It's all good. I was just a bit confused.It's all good. I was just a bit confused.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-81029246443106989282013-11-06T14:50:20.040-05:002013-11-06T14:50:20.040-05:00Oh Walk the Line... yeah, talk about creating a &q...Oh Walk the Line... yeah, talk about creating a "villain" purely for the sake of creating a villain. Music biopics are notorious offenders of botching real life as well. Like sports movies, I guess I kind of got used to the "realness" of those as well.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-75704698393847947482013-11-06T12:31:46.375-05:002013-11-06T12:31:46.375-05:00I've been there! I have a hard time digesting ...I've been there! I have a hard time digesting Johnny Cash & June biopics because most of what is made is told from the point of view of their son who always serves as a producer. Walk The Line is extraordinarily popular and it makes me cringe. It really misrepresented Vivian Cash and his dad, and a whole slew of other moments that were fabricated.<br /><br />Some journalists are afraid to step on people's toes, especially when it comes to history. If you ask the wrong question today, everyone goes up in arms.Katyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00287429151542133314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-48046478100967066752013-11-06T10:32:28.837-05:002013-11-06T10:32:28.837-05:00Sorry 'bout that. Totally misread a previous s...Sorry 'bout that. Totally misread a previous statement you made about Moneyball.Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-44658066915857328252013-11-06T01:34:15.747-05:002013-11-06T01:34:15.747-05:00You always leave such insightful comments, my frie...You always leave such insightful comments, my friend. I love what Thomson said about the subject. For me personally, I know part of my issue with The Butler isn't that it made stuff up, because as I mentioned, most all BOATS movies do that. But it's that it made up such drastic stuff, like the death of a child. They made shit up to cause viewers to have a profound emotional connection with the movie, so that they will tell their friends, who will pay money to see it. It just feels very cheap to me, but I also fully understand that much of the movie business is morally cheap and shady anyway.<br /><br />I don't think I'll ever fully settle on it either. A tricky subject.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-24515001386226940042013-11-06T01:31:05.852-05:002013-11-06T01:31:05.852-05:00I agree, you basically have to sacrifice any belie...I agree, you basically have to sacrifice any belief that what you're seeing is "real" despite the fact that it is "based" on a true story. I didn't even touch on the horror genre, because they have abused the "Based on a True Story" bit to death. It's all bullshit with horror.<br /><br />I'm confused by your last paragraph. I'm not a fan of baseball at all, but I knew much of Moneyball was fiction.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-10530279368109948262013-11-05T19:31:12.019-05:002013-11-05T19:31:12.019-05:00I don't know how familiar you are with David T...I don't know how familiar you are with David Thomson's writing on film but I read his book "The Big Screen" earlier this year and he had a line that absolutely blew me away. It was about documentaries, but I think it could apply to all film. It was this: “’Victory of the Faith’ was a rehearsal, as well as a lesson that ‘documentary’ was a myth. The screen could not tell fact from fiction, and it was hell-bent (or heaven-bent, if you prefer) on ending the distinction.”<br /> <br />That line has really made me think. It’s kind of in line with what Maria is saying above, that once it’s on the screen, it ceases to be beholden to the facts of real life. Like, Thomson's ongoing thesis, book to book, article to article, is that the movies should be treated primarily as fantasy, regardless of being based on facts or not.<br /> <br />Not that I’m saying your view on this wrong. Not at all. In a lot of ways I agree with you. I’ve long felt that if the filmmaker has to alter crucial facts in order to properly convey his/her intended theme, it’s crossing the line.<br /> <br />But, Thomson makes me wonder... Frankly, I don't know if I'll ever settle this in my mind.Nick Priggehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17895803287589438170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-56624094022381939152013-11-05T18:39:01.260-05:002013-11-05T18:39:01.260-05:00A very bothersome one, for sure!A very bothersome one, for sure!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00334582256697355966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-67730734583218716762013-11-05T17:34:48.304-05:002013-11-05T17:34:48.304-05:00I fully understand everyone's comments on &quo...I fully understand everyone's comments on "based on" vs. "inspired by" a true story. In principle, I agree with most everyone here on the difference between the two. However, especially over the last few years, the two have become interchangeable terms. Movies using both take so many liberties with the actual truth that I can no longer take either one seriously. Just going through sports movies you'll come across films people love, but have sizable portions that were made up just for the screen: Rudy, Remember the Titans, Friday Night Lights, etc. Don't even get me started on what happens in the horror genre (The Amityville Horror, anyone?). Basically, I go into these movies with the mindset that it is an artistic interpretation of a true story and try to judge these films as standalones and ignore its adherence, or lack thereof, to the facts. I'll admit it's often easier said than done, particularly if I have a decent amount of knowledge on the subject, but it usually keeps me from getting too bent out of shape because this part of the story or that, or even the whole thing is inaccurate. That is what works for me.<br /><br />Oh, and I have to give you a hard time for this: you can't be much of a baseball fan if you didn't know that Moneyball was "based" on a true story, lol.Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-90683063276200727662013-11-05T14:29:57.722-05:002013-11-05T14:29:57.722-05:00Oh wow, so I taught you something about The Butler...Oh wow, so I taught you something about The Butler, and you taught me something about An American Crime. I had no idea the real events of that story were much more disturbing than they are in the movie. That's fucked up. I agree, a tad insulting.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-16817790276971259762013-11-05T14:26:24.287-05:002013-11-05T14:26:24.287-05:00I've seen and heard The Butler used Inspired B...I've seen and heard The Butler used Inspired By and Based On interchangeably. I also feel like a story based on fact is nominated for an Original Screenplay Oscar nearly every year. Zero Dark Thirty, The Fighter, The King's Speech, Milk, The Queen, Good Night and Good Luck and on and on. But either way, it's funny how much the argument changes if a film only uses Inspired By.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-22677520224919206652013-11-05T14:24:02.981-05:002013-11-05T14:24:02.981-05:00All very good points. To the best of my knowledge,...All very good points. To the best of my knowledge, Moneyball didn't tout itself as "Based on a True Story." I could be wrong there, but I don't believe that was part of their marketing. Whereas with The Butler, they banked on the fact that people would go to the movie, solely because it was Based on a True Story.<br /><br />Still though, I'm not out to pick on The Butler. The first sentence of your comment is spot on.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-46245580009990504782013-11-05T14:21:53.371-05:002013-11-05T14:21:53.371-05:00Yeah, very good point. Like I said, I never had a ...Yeah, very good point. Like I said, I never had a problem with "Based On" or "Inspired By" until The Butler. That one just irked me.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-87142678622613091932013-11-05T12:14:10.134-05:002013-11-05T12:14:10.134-05:00Very interesting post. I had no idea so much of Th...Very interesting post. I had no idea so much of The Butler was made up. That kind of changes my opinion on this too. I wish they'd use "inspired" by a true story more than "based" it gives the audience that wiggle room for interpretation. Because like another person pointed out, sometimes you don't have the time or passion to look something up, and you just take the movie for what it's worth. <br /><br />The first film that came to mind when I read this was An American Crime. For someone that doesn't know Sylvia Likens' story, that would've been a very well made, dramatic movie. However for those of us that know the facts, not only did they lighten everything up but they made certain characters more sympathetic when the real person showed no sympathy to poor Sylvia. It's actually kind of insulting.Brittani Burnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975067259283007280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-17598118434650553602013-11-05T10:56:38.408-05:002013-11-05T10:56:38.408-05:00Interesting post. In terms of 'The Butler'...Interesting post. In terms of 'The Butler', I don't have too many problems with those manipulations because they've been using the term "inspired by" rather than "based on", so I give them a pass. Even for the Oscars, the film has been accepted as an original screenplay.Shane Slaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04527212913193906828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-43505143960837865632013-11-04T19:44:49.904-05:002013-11-04T19:44:49.904-05:00Personally, I think the affect that based on a tru...Personally, I think the affect that based on a true story or even inspired by a true story is entirely affected by the person viewing. Maybe i'm coming at it from the perspective of a person who has written both fiction and non-fiction stories and aspires to eventually write memoir and novel alike. To me by saying based on a true story, as opposed to making it a documentary it gives whatever creative license to the creators and in a way allows them a general blanket to an extent. Additionally a biopic, is the halfway point between the two. <br /><br />I think the best way to explain my thoughts would be a comparison of 61* and Moneyball. 61* is a biopic that has been dramatized to where much of the truth remains there and there is a larger emphasis to be truer to the story, where with Moneyball, while many of the facts are the same, the creative license gives a leniency to the creators and does not promise anything to the audience other than that, this is our retelling in a way that we think it'll captivate you.The Bluest Lighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14369498850483959175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-82023484282726155282013-11-04T14:06:23.184-05:002013-11-04T14:06:23.184-05:00I agree with a lot of the comments above regarding...I agree with a lot of the comments above regarding "Based On" as opposed to "Inspired by". I guess I always looked at it from more of a legal 'covering their asses' standpoint than as a teaser for the movie itself. Though the phrase "willing suspension of disbelief" was coined in 1817, well before movies, and meant in regard to works of fiction, it seems appropriate for movies in general. Even in the verbal retelling of a story we embellish, we edit, we alter. That is generally for the entertainment of a very small audience, probably just the people within the sound of our voice. How much more must be done to entertain millions and justify a budget of multimillions? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00334582256697355966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-20270478497437838462013-11-04T13:39:38.846-05:002013-11-04T13:39:38.846-05:00Very interesting take here. My frustration with Th...<i>Very</i> interesting take here. My frustration with The Butler is that I really felt for the two main characters involved. I've known people who have lost children, and I've seen it ruin lives. And that is exactly the intention of the filmmakers: to provoke emotion because, you know, this "really" happened. Which, of course, it did not.<br /><br />I've been devastated by countless movies in which parents lose their children, that are in no way based in fact. The Butler's impact wouldn't have been lessened for me if they NEVER said the movie was based in fact. But they were going for the cheap and easy way to pull at heart strings, and that is shameful. <br /><br />Just my opinion though! I agree, filmmakers lying about the truth is in no way as bad as when journalists and other news outlets do. Which, regrettably, happens all the time.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-13573676675812030472013-11-04T13:12:18.206-05:002013-11-04T13:12:18.206-05:00"With this film, the real Captain Phillips..."With this film, the real Captain Phillips' stock probably rises but I doubt anyone will take Tom Hanks' representation of him as anything other than an adaptation underpinned by creative license."<br /><br />Yep, I agree fully with that. Very well put. (Everything you said was well put, but that line in particular stood out to me.)<br /><br />"Based on a True Story" means little to me as well. I'm far more annoyed by the fact that those five words drive so many people to a movie (like The Butler), even though those words are blatantly false. It's just a marketing tactic, I suppose. Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.com