{"id":4933,"date":"2015-10-09T11:52:55","date_gmt":"2015-10-09T11:52:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/192.168.3.178\/?p=4933"},"modified":"2021-09-17T13:23:32","modified_gmt":"2021-09-17T12:23:32","slug":"7-movies-you-didnt-know-were-based-on-true-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/2015\/10\/09\/7-movies-you-didnt-know-were-based-on-true-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"7 movies you didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know were based on true stories"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When a movie claims to be based on a true story, it generally means it\u2019s taken a real life event that was kind of interesting and then embellished with exciting stuff like car chases, explosions and fighting.<\/p>\n<p>Whereas most \u201d\u02dcbased on a true story\u2019 movies wear their real life inspirations on their sleeve, quite a few movies are a little more subtle about their unlikely-but-real influences&#8230;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/M8TKelktHgA\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>A Nightmare on Elm Street<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Surely a film about a burnt man who kills teenagers in their dreams can&#8217;t be true? Well, it is!<\/p>\n<p>The late, great Wes Craven <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vulture.com\/2014\/10\/nightmare-on-elm-street-oral-history.html#\">explained in an interview<\/a> that the film was inspired by a series of South East Asian immigrants living in Los Angeles who died in the middle a nightmare.<\/p>\n<p>Intrigued, Craven dug in some more and stumbled upon a case of a young Cambodian who refused to sleep because he was convinced he was going to die in a nightmare.<\/p>\n<p>He eventually fell asleep after 6 or 7 days, when he starting screaming in the middle of the night and promptly died from unexplained causes.<\/p>\n<p><b>What\u2019s different?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Well, we\u2019re pretty certain that the poor chap having nightmares wasn\u2019t murdered by a vengeful miscreant with claws for hands, although who knows? Sweet dreams!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/95C1wxkwMeA\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Hills Have Eyes<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Heeeere&#8217;s Wes again! 7 years before he was scaring the living daylights out of everyone with Mr. Nightmare McStabbyhands, Craven released <i>The Hills Have Eyes<\/i>&#8230; based on a true story about a family of cannibals! And, to make matters worse, it happened in Scotland!<\/p>\n<p><b>What\u2019s different? <\/b><\/p>\n<p>While <i>The Hills Have Eyes <\/i>is set in the Nevada desert in the 70s, the actual events took place in the 15th or 16th century &#8211; and are arguably much, much worse (so skip the next bit if you\u2019re squeamish).<\/p>\n<p>Sawney Bean was an unscrupulous type who lived in a cave with his wife and 14 children. For food, they killed passers-by and ate them.By the time they were caught, the family had grown to 48 people, most of whom were the product of incest. They were executed for the murder of over 1,000 people. Blimey&#8230;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U1fu_sA7XhE\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>Jaws<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>A big shark terrorises a peaceful American town, and it doesn\u2019t even need a tornado to help it. The film was so effective that many people still won\u2019t enter open water for fear of being eaten by a hungry Great White.<\/p>\n<p>Galeophobics, look away now: <i>Jaws <\/i>is based on a novel by Peter Benchley, which in turn was inspired by <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jersey_Shore_shark_attacks_of_1916\">a series of shark attacks in New Jersey in 1916<\/a>. 4 people were killed, sparking a national panic &#8211; much like the film it inspired!<\/p>\n<p><b>What\u2019s different? <\/b><\/p>\n<p>The species of shark involved in the New Jersey attacks has never been confirmed, although the Great White is a prime suspect. One alternative theory suggests that an angry sea turtle was responsible, which would have made <i>Jaws <\/i>a very different movie!<\/p>\n<p>However, it\u2019s important to remember that shark attacks are very, very rare, so don\u2019t let it put you off going for a paddle in the sea!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qAfbp3YX9F0\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>Top Gun<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Inspired by the article <i>Top Guns<\/i> by Ehud Yonay, which told the story of TOPGUN pilots at the Miramar flight school<\/p>\n<p>There are also numerous real life pilots that people claim Maverick is based on. One is Colonel John Boyd, a hotshot pilot and instructor who had frequent clashes with his superiors. He often described himself as a \u201d\u02dcmaverick\u2019, and he also invented a maneuver that sounds awfully similar to Maverick\u2019s \u201d\u02dchit the brakes\u2019, which you can read about here. Sounds convincing to us\u201d\u00a6<\/p>\n<p>&#8230;but not so convincing to Randy \u201d\u02dcDuke\u2019 Cunningham, a TOPGUN instructor who claims the character was based off his exploits. Again, Cunningham was an ace pilot who also pulled off the \u201d\u02dchit the brakes\u2019 trick. His distinguished record in Vietnam brought him to public attention and presumably helped inspire the character of Maverick.<\/p>\n<p><b>What\u2019s different? <\/b><\/p>\n<p>More power ballads, and more topless games of volleyball. Also, Cunningham became a politician and ended up going to jail for a few years (which would have made for a very interesting sequel, to be honest).<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7RYpJAUMo2M\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>Rocky<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>A washed-up Philadelphia slugger gets an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take on the World Heavyweight Champion, which just happens to coincide with his romancing of a shy pet shop worker with a name that\u2019s best shouted in a barely comprehensible garble.<\/p>\n<p>Amazingly, the story of Rocky Balboa was pretty much based on real events. In 1975, a journeyman boxer named <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chuck_Wepner\">Chuck Wepner<\/a> took on Muhammad Ali (the obvious inspiration for Apollo Creed) and <i>almost <\/i>won. He was knocked out late in the 15th round, but still managed to floor Ali in the 9th. Stallone, then a struggling actor, saw the fight and penned <i>Rocky <\/i>shortly afterwards.<\/p>\n<p>The similarities don\u2019t end there, though. Like Rocky, Wepner also fought a wrestler, although he took on Andre The Giant rather than Hulk Hogan. Presumably miffed by the fact his screen counterpart was making Stallone millions of dollars, Wepner filed a lawsuit against Stallone in 2006 before reaching an undisclosed settlement.<\/p>\n<p><b>What\u2019s different? <\/b><\/p>\n<p>Unlike Balboa, Wepner didn\u2019t win a rematch against Ali, end the Cold War or fight Mr. T. Instead, he had a few more fights and retired in 1978.<\/p>\n<p>He also got in a spot of legal bother for selling counterfeit Muhammad Ali merchandise in 2002, whereas Rocky ended up opening his own restaurant.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wptRqr6Ma_E\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>Nacho Libre<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>The story of a priest who wrestles to make money to feed orphans is almost entirely true!<\/p>\n<p>By day, Sergio Gutierrez Benitez was a priest in 1970s Mexico. By night, he was <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.vice.com\/en_us\/article\/fray-tormenta-nacho-libre-true-story\">a luchador named Fray Tormenta<\/a>. Benitez used the proceeds from his wrestling careers to feed orphans, although he didn\u2019t claim any credit for it. In fact, no-one knew who the man behind the mask was for years.<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, Fray Tormenta\u2019s real identity came out. In an interview, Benitez claimed he kept his identity secret because he thought no-one would take him seriously.<\/p>\n<p><b>What\u2019s different? <\/b><\/p>\n<p>Benitez was an alcoholic and a drug addict before becoming a priest, whereas Nacho is an orphan himself and is raised in a monastery. We\u2019re guessing the addict stuff was a bit too heavy for a kids film&#8230;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YDGw1MTEe9k\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Exorcist<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Oh crikey, why&#8217;s it always the horror films that are real?<\/p>\n<p><i>The Exorcist <\/i>is based off a novel of the same name, which in turn was based on &#8211; you guessed it &#8211; real events. Roland Doe (a pseudonym) was a 13 year old boy who allegedly tried to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/movies\/bp\/exorcist-real-life-story-behind-40-old-horror-225110306.html?nf=1\">contact his deceased aunt using a Ouija board she gave him<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after, weird stuff starting happening: furniture began moving, objects starting levitating and jars of holy water smashed for no reason. When a priest tried to perform an exorcism, Doe apparently attacked him and started speaking in a gutteral voice. In a later exorcism, the words \u201d\u02dchell\u2019 and \u201d\u02dcevil\u2019 appeared on his body. Remarkably, Doe went on to live a normal life afterwards.<\/p>\n<p>The account of the incident was signed by 9 priests and 49 other witnesses, although some skeptics claim that Doe was merely a spoilt child with a short temper and a good imagination.<\/p>\n<p><b>What\u2019s different? <\/b><\/p>\n<p>Well, Doe was a boy rather than a girl for one. We presume his language was a bit less salty too. There\u2019s no mention of pea soup-coloured vomit either&#8230;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>musicMagpie is the surprisingly easy way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/entertainment\/sell-dvds\/\">sell DVDs<\/a> &#8211; and we pay on the same day we receive your stuff too! Just click below to start selling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When a movie claims to be based on a true story, it generally means it\u2019s taken a real life event that was kind of interesting and then embellished with exciting stuff like car chases, explosions and fighting. Whereas most \u201d\u02dcbased on a true story\u2019 movies wear their real life inspirations &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":4934,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[1628,1634,1574,1633],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4933"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4933"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4933\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13054,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4933\/revisions\/13054"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}