Based on a true story!

[ElPandaRoyal]

...as the Coens illustrated when they misdirected audiences around the world (and in doing so caused the death of one woman, if I rememebr correctly) when they labeled Fargo a true story.

Really? How'd she die?

Yeah. I'd never heard of it.

[cine]

Piano wire.

[Ghostboy]

As I remember it...a Japanese woman went looking for the money buried along the fence post and froze to death. I also remember hearing that there was a documentary about this. And I think I did, in fact, hear about this on this site, so perhaps a search is in order...

[Myxo]

It comes down to the definition of the word "true".

No it doesn't.

You're still ignoring how the prepository 'based on' which, as MacGuffin already pointed out, implies something very different than the simple definition of the word true.

You're right about it being a marketing technique, but the reason it is a marketing technique in the first place is because it generally changes how you view a movie; it puts a film in a slightly different context. So it can also be a creative technique, as the Coens illustrated when they misdirected audiences around the world (and in doing so caused the death of one woman, if I rememebr correctly) when they labeled Fargo a true story.

What about, "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves". Can't we call that a true story too? Afterall, there was a man who lived named Robin Hood. We can't exactly confirm or deny much of his life but the man existed.

How about King Arthur? They based that film on a true story as well. Where do we draw the line? Seriously. I understand stuff like Erin Brokovich. Fine. I have no problem with films like that one but I firmly believe calling King Arthur a true story is a load of shit which, when combined with the number of films claiming the same, put a cloud over films which are honest and actually have a right to that "label" if you will.

..and I'm sure Oliver Stone's "Alexander" is based on a true story as well..

LOL..

[RegularKarate]

This is kind of a ridiculous thing to bitch about though, you know?

They're not lying any more than any other film is "lying"... of course it's marketing, but have you been tricked a lot or something? Is that why this bothers you so much?  Have you gone around telling people that the Texas Chainsaw Massacre really happened and then got embarrased when the people you told found out you were wrong or something?

The key word is clearly "Based" here... you always have to take that with a grain of salt.

[Myxo]

Naw. It doesn't bother me so much as it seems silly I guess.

[wilberfan]

99% of Frank Abignale's story ("Catch Me If You Can") was bullshit.

https://whyy.org/segments/the-greatest-hoax-on-earth/

But though the movie claims to be based on a true story, creating the myth of Frank W. Abagnale Jr. might be the best con that Abagnale actually pulled. A new book contends that the story of the charming teen running from the FBI and pulling off all those impersonations without getting caught is mostly made up.

[Reel]

Of course! I always found that movie overrated

[Alethia]

I love Catch Me If You Can.