Did Rose and Jack really meet on the Titanic? Was there really an invisible pig-ghost in Amityville? Was William Wallace really that short?
These are the questions a lot of people have after seeing biopics or movies "based on true stories." ONly, outside of looking up equally suspect information on the Internet, how is one to know which facts or real and which are fictionalized?
Here's an easy way: BASED ON A TRUE STORY: FACT AND FANTASY IN 100 FAVORITE MOVIES, a fun new book by Jonathan Vankin and John Whalen.
Here are the specifics about the book:
Based on a True Story*: Fact and Fantasy in 100
Favorite Movies *but with more car crashes (Chicago Review
Press, February 2004) by award-winning journalists and pop
culture experts Jonathan Vankin and John Whalen removes the blindfold from the public
eye to reveal the twisted truths in 100 favorite non-fiction films, presenting hard facts that
most producers in Hollywood would rather not tell moviegoers.
From war classics to mob movies, Based on a True Story amusingly dissects
some of the most popular films of all time. Enticing secrets like the horrible temper of
Maria Von Trapp (The Sound of Music), the violent impulses of William Wallace
(Braveheart) or the controversially close ties of Muhammad Ali and the Nation of Islam
(Ali) suddenly emerge, smashing the idyllic depictions of these characters in the movies.
Arranged by genre such as period epics, sports spectacles and biopics, Based on a True Story provides entertaining commentary and little-known facts to the beloved big screen
hits, creating the perfect reality guide for both film buffs and curious moviegoers alike.
Vankin and Whalen hilariously demolish Hollywood’s fabricated portrayal of
history, and then set the story straight. John Whalen notes, “This is our attempt to
illuminate, explore and, whenever necessary, rip the living crap out of Hollywood’s
ardent, often uncomfortable, relationship with the true stories it converts to fantasy.”
Based on a True Story closely examines Oscar contenders such as Shakespeare in
Love, A Beautiful Mind and Monster, as well as screenplays noted for their close
connections to the journalists and authors who originally documented the story, such as
The Perfect Storm and Seabiscuit. With substantial research and documentation, Based
on a True Story also explores the films that came as close to the truth as possible, such as
Goodfellas and Black Hawk Down.
Filled with movie stills and photos of the actual people characterized, Based on a
True Story offers an extensive and witty comparison of fact and fiction, revealing the
true stories butchered to create Hollywood hits.
Jonathan Vankin and John Whalen are award-winning journalists whose
writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Salon and the New Yorker. They
are also the authors of The 80 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time. Jonathan Vankin lives
in New York City and John Whalen lives in Los Angeles.
THE PRIZE
FIVE Winners will receive a copy of BASED ON A TRUE STORY: FACT AND FANTASY IN 100 FAVORITE MOVIES by Jonathan Vankin and John Whalen
Book Details:
Publisher: Chicago Review Press, Distributed by Independent Publishers Group
Publication: February 2005, $18.95 (CAN $28.95), Type, 1556525591
Film, 512 pages, 6 x 9, photos
TO ENTER
Send an e-mail to me with the subject "TRUE STORY" and in the body of the e-mail, answer this question:
WHICH ONE OF THESE STORY POINTS FROM THE MOVIE "BRAVEHEART" IS ACTUALLY TRUE?
A. The British really did invoke the policy of Prima Nocte, giving them authority to rape Scottish brides on their wedding day
B. The French-born Isabella, Princess of Wales, really did enter into a torrid affair with William Wallace
C. William Wallace was really disembowled and beheaded in front of cheering crowds
In the body of the e-mail, just give me the letter answer. Winners will then be entered into a random drawing for the five copies of the book. And if you don't know the answer? Well, that's just one more reason to check out this book.
THE PARTICULARS
The contest is open to anyone in the continental United States.
TIMING
The contest will run from Monday, March 28 through Monday, April 4. Winners will be notified the week of April 4. Losers will have to watch the original AMITYVILLE HORROR, and all its sequels. Good luck!
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