Based on a "true" story

[Vermin Boy]

Just curious, but exactly how many films have included a completely facetious "Based on a True Story" crawl at the beginning? They had them in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Fargo, and Serial Mom. It's an interesting device; I know people who are utterly convinced that Serial Mom was real, and of course there's the woman who froze to death searching for the buried treasure in Fargo.

[AndyC]

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was based on the true story of Ed Gein. That doesn't mean it's "The Ed Gein Story" or anything, just that he was the inspiration. There's a big difference between a true story and one "based on a true story." I think some of the filmmakers like to mislead people a little bit in that respect.

On the other hand, there is Plan 9 from Outer Space, based on "sworn testimony." Still, I don't recall any claim that it actually happened, just a challenge to prove that it didn't.

A similar and even better idea was used for It! The Terror from Beyond Space. There was actually a reward for anybody who could prove that It! wasn't really living on Mars.

[Flangepart]

Or that Marshall Thompson was an actor. ;)

[Vermin Boy]

Yeah, but keep in mind both Fargo and Serial Mom start out by saying something to the effect of "The following story is true. All names were changed, but otherwise the events are told as they occurred," despite the "persons living or dead..." disclaimer at the end. SM even had a title at the end saying, "This film was made without the cooperation of Beverly Sutphin."

[Squishy]

Return of The Living Dead

[Mofo Rising]

The beginning of EVIL TOONS has a message from the director where he states that he "truly believes" that all events depicted in the movie really happened.

Considering the movie, that never fails to crack me up.

[Andrew]

I've always had a harsh spot in my heart for "Evil Toons."  There is one "toon" and he actually appears for about one minute before transforming into the evil female character.  Plus, the movie is lifeless.  Watching the animation person paint each cell required for the toon's appearance might have been more exciting.

"I'm not boring, I'm just drawn that way."

Andrew

[J.R.]

Believe it or not, there are STILL people who believe The Blair Witch Project is actual recovered footage. But really, how unbelievable is it that a bunch of morons went into the woods and dropped their camera? That's pretty much all that happened. I think the "True Story" angle can help make a story scarier. Have you ever seen In Search Of or similar shows? Knowing these things are true adds a certain creepiness to everything. The "Prove It Didn't Happen" angle is something I've used for years whenever I make an asinine comment. Prove Arafat and Ringo Starr aren't the same person. Prove Marilyn Manson and David Bowie aren't huskies.

[jmc]

Don't forget CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST..."For the sake of authenticity some events have been retained in their entirety."  

I need to watch TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE SHOCKING TRUTH again, but I think that the movie wasn't really inspired by Gein, that's just something Hooper said after the fact to sell the "true story" angle.

[J.R.]

Hooper says in the DVD commentary that when he was a child he would visit relatives in Wisconsin and his cousins would scare him with stories about the crazy guy that lived down the road, killing people and turning their flesh into furniture. As and adult he came up with the idea for TCM, using some of the things his cousins told him. After the movie came out he found that this person was Ed Gein. By the way, Gein is probably the most successful murderer   , entertainment-wise, as the TCM family, Norman Bates and Hannibal Lector were all based on him.

[Squishy]

Speaking of which: has anyone actually seen "Ed Gein?" It seems to be practically unheard of.

[Mofo Rising]

Squishy wrote:
>
> Speaking of which: has anyone actually seen "Ed Gein?"
> It seems to be practically unheard of.

I've seen it.  Pretty unremarkable.  It's pretty much a simple retelling of the facts of the case (even though they change some of the facts).  There's no real insight into why Ed Gein was who he was.

[J.R.]

Yeah, it's nowhere near as good as the fiction the story inspired. It's movie-of-the-week stuff. It does have one redeeming quality: Ed's mom finds him wacking off in the tub and calls him a "Booby-lovin' snake,".

[jmc]

I thought it was okay.  I think I like DERANGED better.