Posted on 11/07/2014 5:43:15 PM PST by PJ-Comix
I remember reading about an interview with journalist Lowell Thomas. He was asked what he thought about the movie "Lawrence of Arabia" since he knew T.E. Lawrence and one of the characters in the film was loosely based on him. Thomas replied that he began to take notes when the movie came on the screen but quickly put his notes aside because the Lawrence he knew personally and the one he saw on the screen bore no factual resemblance to each other.
In fact most movies supposedly based on fact in reality are quite inaccurate so it would be easy to ask for your list on factually inaccurate movies. Instead, I am asking for your list of factually accurate movies. That is movies based on real events to come closest to factual accuracy.
Okay, I'll lead off. Because I read the book before seeing the movie, I would say "The Right Stuff." Some liberties with truth were taken but in general the facts of the space program were pretty accurate. Also "Nicholas and Alexandra" for the same reason as before, I read the book and the movie was mostly truthful except perhaps it did not show what a vacuous idiot Nicholas II was.
I liked how “Life of Bryan” covered all the philosophical bases. “Yep. she’s a virgin alll right....”
I read the book years ago. Was disappointed when they didn't tell the complete story of the horrors that those guys went through trying to get to the next LZ. (Wasn't there a third LZ too?) I forget the reasoning they marched on rather than just flying out of LZ Xray.
There was also the story of a guy that had got separated from his group as they marched out and got ambushed. He circled around and up a hill, and could hear the NVA shooting our wounded. The guy walked out days or weeks later on his own iirc.
I really enjoyed “Tombstone”....watched it several months ago and was surprised how engaging it was.
“He was killed on his Harley. I think he hit some garbage cans.”
I’m certainly sorry for this fellow’s untimely demise, but I think your post is a good lesson in the fact/fiction debate.
Hitting some garbage cans just don’t make it - as a story.
Here’s a link to one of the greatest songs of all time: (The Leader of the Pack).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM_99DtI0tE
Total bonus - I found a funny one, with the Shangri-Las on an old game show with Robert Goulet playing the role of the Leader of the Pack.
Kudos to the lead singer for keeping a straight face!
If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend “The Westerner” with Walter Brennan and Gary Cooper. Walter Brennan played Judge Roy Beam. Great old movie.
My brother enjoyed Dr. Zhivago but I still don’t get all the hype about it. Perhaps it was the actors or how it was scripted? Oh well....
Loud Mime you should like Mel Brooks’ “Silent Movie” - the only line spoken is by a Mime!
One of my favorite movies was Jeremiah Johnson. I’m guessing it had some basic facts in it - but probably not very accurate on the whole.
My Money is on Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. . . must be accurate. It’s in the movies.
Yes, a very good movie. I liked the part where Johnson (Redford) and the Indian held up their hands as a gesture of peace. They were tired of fighting. LOL
I thought “Dr. Zhivago” was one of the best movies I ever saw.
Also “Lara’s Theme” was one of the best movie soundtracks ever.
1. The Battle of Midway (John Ford - 1942). Ford was there and got a Purple Heart from bomb shrapnel.
2. The Fighting Lady (William Wyler - 1944). A documentary buily around the carrier USS YORKTOWN (CV-10) in the Pacific War.
3. Memphis Belle (William Wyler -1944). A documentary about the first B-17F to survive 25 missions over Europe in 1942-1943.
4. Thunderbolt (William Wyler - 1947. A documentary about a P-47 squadron flying from Sardinia against Italian targets in the Mediterranean Theater.
5. Battle of San Pietro (John Houston - 1945). A documentary about the fight to take the Italian town of San Pietro. There was some criticism that some scenes were recreated after the battle was won, but a very good film.
6. George Stevens WW2 Footage (George Stevens - 1945). Raw film footage shot by Steven's Signal Corps film unit that includes liberation of the concentration camp of Dachau.
7. George Stevens: D-Day to Berlin (George Stevens - 1994). A TV movie documentary about George Steven's WW2 combat camera unit with various members narrating parts they lived.
Woodstock.
Doc Holliday really made Tombstone. Without him it would have been mediocre. His girlfriend, “Big nose Cate” interestingly did not have a big nose. So them making her attractive may have been correct.
Not sure why they called her that unless maybe she was nosy.
Definitely worth the watch!...”Son of the Morning Star” For any who haven't seen it...here it is on you tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ai56CThj8o
He was, absolutely. When he came into the squadbay for the first time I could close my eyes and picture clearly my primary DI coming into our Quonset huts at MCRD. Even his dialog was damned close to what I remember. Most of the boot camp scenes mirrored my experience at that time.
I know a lot of people liked it...I just never got into it at all. I even tried to! LOL
Prove it isn't true.
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