School Library Journal Review
Adult/High School-Vankin and Whalen present 100 reviews of movies that have been designated by Hollywood production studios as "based on fact." Grouped into genres such as "True Crime" or "Out of the Past," the reviews provide background into the fictionalization and the facts behind each of the selected films. Few of the movies, the authors point out, bear resemblance to actual events, people, or actions upon which they were supposedly based. Brotherhood of the Wolf (Le Pacte de Loups), for example, seems to contain more legend and theorizing behind its "facts" for the simple reason that little is known of the true events that took place between 1764 and 1767 in a rural province of France. The movie, the authors suggest, becomes somewhat of a mix of genres-science fiction, horror, mystery. The bottom line, it is pointed out, is that movies are made for entertainment. As such, they are, more often than not, creatively altered. The entries are chock-full of interesting details, historical backgrounds, production stories, and other bits and pieces. While certain to appeal to movie fans and those interested in theater, the information-packed reviews offer enticing reading for just about everyone.-Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Films that purportedly document real-life events have a special allure for moviegoers, posit journalists Vankin and Whalen, which is why the phrase "based on a true story" is so prevalent in movie promos. But the term is loose and poorly defined, and in this highly entertaining dissection, the authors examine 100 films, detailing what about them is really true and what's simply a story. Wittily working their way through most of the well-known "true" films of the last four decades-Adaptation, Catch Me If You Can, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The Amityville Horror, etc.-Vankin and Whalen categorize movies by type (e.g., crime thrillers, war movies, sports films). Sometimes, what's on the screen diverges wildly from known history, as in the case of Braveheart, and Vankin and Whalen may be overwhelmed by the differences between truth and fiction. Less often, a film really does provide a mirror, like Coal Miner's Daughter, which left only more subtle details of Loretta Lynn's life for the authors to explore. Most of the movies, though, fall between the extremes, including enough fact to warrant the "based on a true story" tag, but not accurate enough to be completely true. Not surprisingly, readers who've actually seen these films stand to get the most out of Vankin and Whalen's often picky but always jaunty analyses. 110 b&w photos. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Library Journal Review
When films are "based on a true story" or "inspired by real events," they are given added weight, and the viewer makes connections that may not actually exist. Award-winning journalists Vankin and Whalen (The 80 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time) briefly analyze 100 films that claim to be rooted in truth, comparing the facts against celluloid fiction. The French Connection, for example, was billed as "the true story of the largest heroin bust in American history," but the famous chase scene was made up. Maria Von Trapp as played by Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music was sweet and patient, but the authors reveal that the actual Maria had "a terrible temper." Each analysis is followed by helpful lists of sources and further reading. This fun, fact-filled pop culture book is sure to raise (and answer) a lot of questions and is recommended for all libraries.-Barbara Kundanis, Batavia P.L., IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
