Real Life on the Silver Screen

ATTENTION DISINTERESTED READERS: Just skip to the asterisk (*) if you don't care about my ridiculously long (and quite unecessary) intro.

Movies, obviously, are often based on true stories. It is been said that art imitates life, and what better example than your common "Based on a True Story" movie? Directors and writers have often drawn inspiration from real life in creating movies for the general public. These movies, usually glamorized, have the power to force different perspectives on subjects, change people's minds about these subjects, and, at times, pick up the torch for specific messages, and beliefs.

That being said, true story movies generally come in two flavors, your directly or inderectly related movies. Movies can ususally be related to a person or and event either by chronicling exactly what happens, or by drawning from that person or event and use it to create a plot of a similar nature. A perfect example of the latter would be the now-infamous "Plainsfield Butcher", Ed Gein. Inspiration for Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (as well as a slew of other, lesser-known B-Movies), and arguably the most important serial killer in movie history.

*If you don't feel like reading all that, I don't blame you, I'll just cut to the chase. What is/are your favorite movie(s) based on a true stories, and what stories is/are it/they based on?

My personal favorite is JFK (1991), based on (guess what) the JFK assassination and the only following trial, this movie is just plain awesome. Terrific plot, excellent script, but a little heavy-handed, though. If there is any movie out there to convince you that JFK's assassination was a conspiracy, this would be it.

So, give me some of your favorites, what movies based on true stories did you like?

My favorite movie based on an actual situation is Ray. It was basicly about the life of singer and piano player, Ray Charles. Seemingly, any movie based on the life of an old music star seems to appeal to me like, 'Great Balls of Fire!' based off the signer Jerry Lee Lewis.

Edward Scisor Hands, woops sorry, there was this movie called Elvis, I think it was called that, but it was really good, good insight to Elvis's life!

Remember the Titans is easily my favourite Based On A True Story movie. Damned inspiring, it is.

Radio, even though it isn't too realistic..