Based on a True Story

[carpaltonnel]

Originally Posted by joenostalgia23

Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Psycho
Silence of the Lambs

all three based loosely on the life of Ed Gein.


and for some reason, my friend argues to me that there really was a man who called himself Leatherface. And I tell him about Ed Gein.
And he says Ed Gein is a movie based on Leatherface.

Interesting stuff here, Ed Gein huh...I guess in a way any movie could be "loosely" based on fact/true life. I mean people get inspired from real life right?

But I guess to say it based on a true story it probably has to have a "good portion" of truth and actually fact in it. What do you guys think?

[Riff Magnum]

Yeah, i think based on a true story means really sticking to the facts and being very historically accurate.
I love JFK, and it's obviously based on an event that actually did happen, but i don't think it quite qualifies in this case. Too much speculation. Same thing with Patton. He never shot at a plane that was attacking his headquarters.
So far the ones that are most apt IMO are: Zodiac, Changeling, and maybe Band of Brothers. Doesn't hurt that they're really good to boot.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

By far though, one film based on true events that I can not shake from my memory is:

An American Crime

- Ellen Page plays Sylvia Likens, one half of a pair of sisters entrusted to Gertrude Baniszewski (Catherine Keener) while her parents work the carnival circuit. What Gertrude did to Sylvia was beyond abuse and torture. But what makes the story more sickening is the fact that Gertrude's children and eventually Sylvia's classmates join in on the nightmarish abuse.

The actual events occured in 1965 and the movie is primarily made from the original court transcripts.

That was an insane movie with insane performances.

[SquidPuppet]

Papillion
Midnight Express
Into the Wild

[movielib]

Originally Posted by bajor27

Fire in the Sky.

Well, it's not really my favorite, but it freaks me out that it's based on a true story.

It's true that it's based on a story Travis Walton and his pals made up.

http://www.debunker.com/texts/walton.html

[nothing.sound]

Originally Posted by joenostalgia23

Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Psycho
Silence of the Lambs

all three based loosely on the life of Ed Gein.


and for some reason, my friend argues to me that there really was a man who called himself Leatherface. And I tell him about Ed Gein.
And he says Ed Gein is a movie based on Leatherface.

crap I was gonna take TCM
oh well you beat me to it, lol!

[toef]

I might be in the minority, but I'd rather see the "based on a true" story thing at the end, just before the credits start, or not see it at all.

Thanks to movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, whenever I see "based on a true story" I assume it means a tiny bit of truth as in "the main character is a guy, just like in real life". So then for the rest of the movie, sometimes I get distracted by thinking about whether certain parts really happened or not.

So at least if I see it at the end, I can start thinking about it after the movie, and not be distracted during the movie.

Obviously there are movies like Public Enemies which you can't help but know are based on true stories going into them, so they can always be a problem.

[UFAlien]

The original The Amityville Horror.

Ridiulously innacurate for the most part, but damn was it creepy.

[MyBlu-rayBrotherEd]

The Strangers.

[uziel5000]

Schindler's List
Black Hawk Down
Alive

JFK is my favorite True Story that is not really true.

[Lord_Stewie]

Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
The Strangers.

Based weren't great flicks to own but are based on true stories.

[Lord_Stewie]

Road to Perdition. Awesome flick.

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by CMM

+1

This has a lot of true scenes, like sleeping in the public bathroom and the red Ferrari scene.

Although the movie is a little more dramatic than what actually happened.

Yeah, I know... the first time I saw that bathroom scene, I had this urge for tears...

[koontz1973]

Mississippi Burning
Glory
Delta Force
Hindinberg
The Longest Day
Dam Busters
The Eagle has Landed


Saving Private Ryan is not based on a true story, only the beach landings at the beginning are true events.

[Anthony P]

I might be in the minority, but I'd rather see the "based on a true" story thing at the end, just before the credits start, or not see it at all.

I am with you on the not at all. Every time I see "based on a true story" I think, OK it is a whole bunch of made up stuff trying to make itself more relevant and interesting. If it is a true story (and I care about it) then show us what really happened. But if 10%, 20% or 99% is made up (and usually it is at the high end of made up) then why should I care if the rest of it came from the headline in a news paper especially if I don’t know what did.

[Steve46]

Zodiac
Pursuit of Happyness
Fargo
Seabiscuit
The Straight Story

[ScarredLungs]

Saints and Soldiers
Black Hawk Down
Cinderella Man
Catch me if you Can
World Trade Center

[lobo81865]

Originally Posted by shadblz

Road to Perdition. Awesome flick.

Great movie, but it was adapted from a graphic novel by Max Allan Collins. I would love to see it Blu.

[Lacit170]

Originally Posted by joenostalgia23

Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Psycho
Silence of the Lambs

all three based loosely on the life of Ed Gein.


and for some reason, my friend argues to me that there really was a man who called himself Leatherface. And I tell him about Ed Gein.
And he says Ed Gein is a movie based on Leatherface.

yea, your friend is a dummy... they are all based on the life of Ed Gein as you previously mentioned....

[Lacit170]

Originally Posted by shadblz

Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
The Strangers.

Based weren't great flicks to own but are based on true stories.

as Texas Chain Saw is very loosely based on Ed Geins... Strangers is so far from what reallly happened. Honestly, idk why they didnt stick to the real story more as it would have been a much better movie, entertainment wise.