Films that ventured too close to reality. by JEWELSTAITEFAN

CINEMA

Films that ventured too close to reality.

POSTED BY: JEWELSTAITEFAN
UPDATED: Monday, May 18, 2015 18:52
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Sunday, May 3, 2015 4:33 PM

I am referring to films, and books, that have helped expand the awareness of the viewers. Not cut-and dried stuff like American Sniper or Braveheart. Not fake-umentaries by the likes of Michael Moore. Not lame attempts to cash in on the genre, such as Deja Vu.

I am interested in other examples that you might have seen.

In no particular order:
1. Entity. (Barbara Hershey)
2. Suspect Zero. On the DVD, be sure to see the demonstration in Special Features, after watching the flik.
3. Phenomenon. Based upon one or more of the autobiographies of Whitley Streiber. Many other films based upon his autobiographies, such as Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind.
4. Fargo. I know everybody involved with this claims it was not based on real events, but I remember all the news broadcasts of these events (it took a while for authorities to find all the bodies, and not in the order they were disposed of). It was late 1987 or early 88, I had just returned to the region after 5 year hiatus, and wondered what had happened to the midwest I had grown up in.
5. Psycho, Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, Friday 13th, other slasher fliks, and Hannibal Lector. All based on/derived from Ed Gein.
6. Signs. Lots of exploration of the crop circle phenomenon.
7. 2012. Ignore the action, observe the Arcs and the planet deluged in water.
8. Davinci Code. If the storyline doesn't satisfy, the historical facts of the Christian Church still interest.
9. National Treasure. Aside fro the storyline, many historical facts abound.
10. Casino. May believe this was how Vegas was run, but many still deny that it was run by the Balistreri Mafia family in that Mecca of Socialism, Milwaukee.
11. Philadelphia Experiment. Based upon real events of Navy's Philadelphia Project, USS Eldridge.
12. Capricorn One. A favorite of Moon Landing deniers. Reportedly once a banned book.
13. Harrison Bergeron. Dystopian libtardism at its best.

Books.
1. Dark Rivers of the Heart, Dean Koontz. The evil characters are over the top, but their tactics and ploys are all too real, and scary. Early entry into the "militarized police state" expose.
2. Run, Bambi, Run. More corruption from the Mecca of Socialism, Milwaukee. Shouldn't all murderers be allowed to be lead investigator into their own crimes, and be able to frame their ex-wife?
3. Fatal Justice. After everybody knows he is innocent, why is Jeffery MacDonald still behind bars?
4. The Myth of Heterosexual AIDS. Once an effectively banned books in America (by the extremist activist libtards). Hard to overlook all the facts and information provided.
5. Inventing the AIDS Virus. Dr. Peter Duesberg.
6. Deadly Deception, Dr. David Willner.
7. 1984. Some still deny that PC is just Newspeak for Newspeak.

I have heard that Amityville was based on real events, but I did not list here because I am not familiar with the details.

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Monday, May 4, 2015 2:46 AM

SHINYGOODGUY

I nominate Full Metal Jacket, It's A Wonderful Life, Diary of Anne Frank, They Shoot Horses Don't They, Bonnie and Clyde, Two Women.

SGG

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Monday, May 4, 2015 4:50 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
I nominate Full Metal Jacket, It's A Wonderful Life, Diary of Anne Frank, They Shoot Horses Don't They, Bonnie and Clyde, Two Women.

SGG

What part of FMJ do you refer to? You were never in the military, were you?
Wonderful Life, why? Because you have been visited by the Ghosts of past and future?
I have not studied the Anne Frank to know how faithful the film was, but the book is certainly in this realm - good call.
What facet of Bonnie & Clyde? The evil G-Men?
Why Horses?
Not familiar with Two Women - why include here?

But your post does remind me of Platoon, some parts of it, and also some parts of Saving Private Ryan.

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Monday, May 4, 2015 6:54 PM

JONGSSTRAW

For me, some are ...

Cadillac Man

I Love You, Alice B. Toklas

Gimme Shelter

Vision Quest

Carnal Knowledge

Local Hero

Summer Of Sam

Parenthood

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Tuesday, May 5, 2015 9:35 AM

MUTT999

Would The China Syndrome fit into this category? A bit dated now, but also a bit relevant. And my favorite Jack Lemmon movie.

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Tuesday, May 5, 2015 8:25 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by MUTT999:
Would The China Syndrome fit into this category? A bit dated now, but also a bit relevant. And my favorite Jack Lemmon movie.

It might.
I had also thought of Silkwood, but forgot to post it. Silkwood was real. Was China Syndrome a real event, or just scifi hypothetical caricature?

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Wednesday, May 6, 2015 11:05 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

The China Syndrome was fictional, but the Three Mile Island meltdown occurred just twelve days after the movie was released. Seems to me that is the quintessential definition of "too close to reality."

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Wednesday, May 6, 2015 7:00 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by Jongsstraw:
For me, some are ...

Cadillac Man

I Love You, Alice B. Toklas

Gimme Shelter

Vision Quest

Carnal Knowledge

Local Hero

Summer Of Sam

Parenthood

I'm not sure if you are serious. Vision Quest because it was Madonna's first film?

Why the rest?

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Thursday, May 7, 2015 7:33 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Regarding my Phenomenon mention.

From Wiki:
In the TV series Babylon 5, there is an alien race that is similar to the Greys in Communion. This race is named the Streib after Whitley Strieber.

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Friday, May 8, 2015 5:55 AM

SHINYGOODGUY

FMJ: I would say the whole movie, the whole entire message it depicts about war in modern times, but I know that might not be a satisfactory answer for you. So, I'll say the first half, because that's about as real as it gets. No, I've never been in the armed forces, but I've had friends and family who were. Yes, that first half, during Boot Camp.

It's A Wonderful Life: More often than not during the Holidays people get depressed. Some even want to end it. I know it's a dark thing to think of, but it's nonetheless there, and it takes family and true friends, sometimes, to snap you out of it. I've often counted my blessings in regards to my family, this movie is a gentle reminder.

Bonnie & Clyde: The movie itself was a stylized version of their rough and tumble existence, but you got it right on the nose - The G-Men and their pursuit, and eventual slaughter of the two gangsters. I've seen file footage of the bullet-riddled car. Definite overkill, but in those days................

Shoot/Horses: What people would do when they're desperate - for food, clothes, a place to live - and what they would do to survive. Literally step on and over someone to get ahead. 'Horses' was set during the depression era when dance marathons were all the rage. Excellent movie that dealt with the lengths people would go to survive. Yowsa! Yowsa! Yowsa!

Two Women: Set during WWII in Italy. And what 2 women, a mother and daughter must endure escaping the violence and atrocities of war. Sophia Loren stars (in english). Powerful and realistic, and quite relevant today. Sophia won the Oscar for Best Actress for this movie, 1961.

SGG

Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
I nominate Full Metal Jacket, It's A Wonderful Life, Diary of Anne Frank, They Shoot Horses Don't They, Bonnie and Clyde, Two Women.

SGG

What part of FMJ do you refer to? You were never in the military, were you?
Wonderful Life, why? Because you have been visited by the Ghosts of past and future?
I have not studied the Anne Frank to know how faithful the film was, but the book is certainly in this realm - good call.
What facet of Bonnie & Clyde? The evil G-Men?
Why Horses?
Not familiar with Two Women - why include here?

But your post does remind me of Platoon, some parts of it, and also some parts of Saving Private Ryan.

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Friday, May 8, 2015 4:34 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

I also recall that in Little Man Tate, the depictions of mathematical visualizations in his head were really good, they took me back to that age doing those things.
As well as Amadeus, Hulce's depictions of a genius felt like I was in the presence of many of the other geniuses I was familiar with - most films trying to display genius fail miserably, dumbing things down for the masses.

Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
FMJ: I would say the whole movie, the whole entire message it depicts about war in modern times, but I know that might not be a satisfactory answer for you. So, I'll say the first half, because that's about as real as it gets. No, I've never been in the armed forces, but I've had friends and family who were. Yes, that first half, during Boot Camp.

The Boot Camp portion of that was hard for me to get through, it was so unrealistic, and nothing like Marine Corps Boot Camp. I wondered if the whole movie was going to be that bad, and if I should just walk out.

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Saturday, May 9, 2015 4:19 AM

SHINYGOODGUY

Well, I'm going to go with your take, because, apparently, you served. Bravo!

But my guess is that Kubrick's "realism" is quite the contrary and could be deemed poetic license in lieu of reality. Consider his track record as a film maker and resident mad scientist of filmdom reputation. I'm sorry that I confused his take as realism, and I should know better because of the aforementioned track record. 2001, The Shining, Barry Lyndon, A Clockwork Orange.........strange and unusual, a challenge to the natural senses. Imagine him tackling Apocalypse Now, or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

So, perhaps you have a point. Far too surreal and off kilter to be real.

SGG

Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
I also recall that in Little Man Tate, the depictions of mathematical visualizations in his head were really good, they took me back to that age doing those things.
As well as Amadeus, Hulce's depictions of a genius felt like I was in the presence of many of the other geniuses I was familiar with - most films trying to display genius fail miserably, dumbing things down for the masses.

Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
FMJ: I would say the whole movie, the whole entire message it depicts about war in modern times, but I know that might not be a satisfactory answer for you. So, I'll say the first half, because that's about as real as it gets. No, I've never been in the armed forces, but I've had friends and family who were. Yes, that first half, during Boot Camp.

The Boot Camp portion of that was hard for me to get through, it was so unrealistic, and nothing like Marine Corps Boot Camp. I wondered if the whole movie was going to be that bad, and if I should just walk out.

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Saturday, May 9, 2015 4:23 AM

SHINYGOODGUY

China Syndrome, Silkwood.............very scary, because it could be deemed a close call.

SGG

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
The China Syndrome was fictional, but the Three Mile Island meltdown occurred just twelve days after the movie was released. Seems to me that is the quintessential definition of "too close to reality."

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Saturday, May 9, 2015 1:21 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Just realized I should include Lorenzo's Oil. Although a true story, it is so close on many other fronts, and involves current paralysis problems with artificial sweeteners, so many people should likely not see it or their heads will explode.

Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
FMJ: I would say the whole movie, the whole entire message it depicts about war in modern times, but I know that might not be a satisfactory answer for you. So, I'll say the first half, because that's about as real as it gets. No, I've never been in the armed forces, but I've had friends and family who were. Yes, that first half, during Boot Camp.

The Boot Camp portion of that was hard for me to get through, it was so unrealistic, and nothing like Marine Corps Boot Camp. I wondered if the whole movie was going to be that bad, and if I should just walk out.

But my guess is that Kubrick's "realism" is quite the contrary and could be deemed poetic license in lieu of reality. Consider his track record as a film maker and resident mad scientist of filmdom reputation. I'm sorry that I confused his take as realism, and I should know better because of the aforementioned track record. 2001, The Shining, Barry Lyndon, A Clockwork Orange.........strange and unusual, a challenge to the natural senses. Imagine him tackling Apocalypse Now, or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

So, perhaps you have a point. Far too surreal and off kilter to be real.

SGG

Imagine Kubrick's American Sniper. Or Lorenzo's Oil, Saving Private Ryan, Phenomenon.

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Sunday, May 10, 2015 4:05 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

I should add the book Mindhunter by John E. Douglas.
All the entertainment surrounding profilers, serial killer investigations, Behavioral Science Unit, and the FBI's biggest mistake of shutting down that unit, essentially based on Douglas' work.
Including Thomas Harris works.

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Friday, May 15, 2015 5:24 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:

2. Run, Bambi, Run. More corruption from the Mecca of Socialism, Milwaukee. Shouldn't all murderers be allowed to be lead investigator into their own crimes, and be able to frame their ex-wife?

A corollary might be when George StepOnAllOfUs is exposed as the heavily biased "reporter" or "analyst" of the Clinton Crime Family who makes bribe or kick-back payments to the same Clinton Crime Family, and then ABC Entertainment Division assigns him as the "reporter" or "interviewer" of the author who exposed him.
Normally I would not suggest that a factual book like Clinton Cash be included here, but the allegory is striking.

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Monday, May 18, 2015 6:52 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:

2. Suspect Zero. On the DVD, be sure to see the demonstration in Special Features, after watching the flik.

Not a book or film, but one of the instances I was thinking of for this category.
TV show on primetime, like news magazine or something, with Technical Remote Viewing. This was in the mid-nineties on a big 3 network, I couldn't figure out how they were going to get away with showing it, how were they going to falsely "disprove" the practice?
The Remove Viewer they used was one I was familiar with, so even though I was just walking by the broadcast, I had to sit down and watch to see how they could shoot it down.
The Remote Viewer drew the scene that the volunteer was looking at. The pier, with the couple at the end, and the floppy hat the woman was wearing, the kid riding bike in the foreground, the boat with the few people on the bow, silhouettes the same, and THE NAME OF THE BOAT (Maid of the Mist), and other details. But the stated goal was for the Remote Viewer to name the site or landmark, which he did not do. This particular Remote Viewer had a known restriction of not being able to "see" water in a viewing, and the huge blank part of the drawing he produced showed that it was in fact Niagara Falls. I think this was also one where the Remote Viewer was drawing 2 days prior to the volunteer actually going to the site, and of course all of those tourist people were also not there at the time of the Viewing, but at the time of the Volunteer's presence.
I never figured out how they were able to get away with that episode without the "public" going bat crazy. I think it was a Hugh Downs show.

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