Films somehow become more compelling to watch when they claim to be based on real events. Especially when a horror or crime-thriller is advertised as a true story, it automatically draws more viewers than usual. But not all that glitters is gold. Hollywood is quite aware of this technique, and has therefore quite tactfully used it to their advantage.
From full-blown fiction to twisted truths, there are some superhit and even classic films that blur the lines between reality and fiction. They made us believe in tales that never happened or distorted real-life events to make them more interesting. But we’re here to bring you the truth and expose these films, no matter how great they are. So dig in to find out the top 8 films that were advertised to be based on true events but are just a piece of fiction.
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‘Cannibal Holocaust’ (1980)
The gruesome 1980 film is often hailed as a pioneer of the found footage genre. It even managed to cause a stir with its faux-documentary style and grisly scenes when it was released. Moreover, the film’s crew went a step ahead and made its actors sign contracts stating that they would disappear from public and promotional events for one year after the movie’s release. The tactic worked and the movie turned out so convincing that people started believing a rumor suggesting that director Ruggero Deodato actually committed murders for the film. He also faced legal charges for the same. However, he was able to prove the footage was staged, but not before the actors came out of hiding and clarified that they were still alive.
‘The Blair Witch Project’ (1999)
This groundbreaking film which is also set for a remake, propelled the found footage genre into the mainstream. The film brought to screens a spine-chilling tale of three filmmakers who get lost in the woods, but its marketing campaign is what stole the spotlight. The website of the film featured fake police reports, missing persons flyers, and a mockumentary detailing the legend of the Blair Witch as real evidence on the website. Viewers were left questioning the veracity of the footage, but many chose to believe it to be real. The film also claimed to be based on real events. However, it was later clarified that the website was a part of the marketing campaign and ‘The Blair Witch Project ’ is a work of fiction.
‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (1974)
This spine-chilling horror classic was also largely sold as a true story. Featuring cannibalistic horror, the film managed to send shockwaves through audiences upon its release. Because of its documentary-style approach and claims of being based on real events, the film managed to instill deep fear in viewers. However, the film is only inspired by the real-life exploits of notorious murderer Ed Gein, while its narrative, characters, and events are entirely fictionalized for maximum shock value.
‘Nanook of the North’ (1922)
This film is hailed as one of the earliest documentaries in cinema history, which also managed to run shivers down the spine of its viewers. Directed by Robert J. Flaherty, the film claimed to depict the lives of the Inuit people in Quebec’s Ungava Peninsula. However, many of the glimpses that the film offered into the Inuit way of life were staged for the camera. Several aspects including the fabricated igloos to contrived scenes of hunting and fishing make the film a work of fiction, scrapping off its label of a documentary. The filmmakers took considerable artistic liberty in shaping the narrative, right from the name of the main character of the film.
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‘Hostel’ (2005)
This film told the twisted tale of torture and mayhem that left many viewers disturbed. Interestingly, the film’s director Eli Roth has claimed that he was inspired to make the film after he stumbled upon a website offering murder-for-hire services. Run by psychotic thrill-seekers, the website allegedly offered $10,000 to torture and kill someone. However, the veracity of these claims remains dubious at best.
‘Wolf Creek’ (2005)
The Aussie horror flick was also advertised as being based on a true story. However, it is actually a mash-up of two separate real-life events – the backpacker murders committed by Ivan Milat and the murder of Peter Falconio by Bradley Murdoch. Even though the pivotal character of Mick Taylor is inspired by Milat, the movie has taken a lot of creative liberties while showing the gruesome events on screen.
‘The Haunting in Connecticut’ (2009)
The spooky film released in 2009 claimed to be based on a real-life haunting of the Snedeker family. But the devil, quite literally, is in the details. Though it is true that the film took inspiration from a few true events, many things shown in the film did not actually happen. Author Ray Garton, who wrote the book that inspired the film, admitted that he was tempted to fabricate the terrifying tale a bit. Ed Warren, the popular paranormal investigator who has tackled many real-life paranormal cases, also thought that the fabrication of facts would work in the film’s favor.
‘Fargo’ (1996)
This masterpiece by the Coen brothers brought dark comedy and a gripping narrative to the screens. Though it claimed to be based on a true story, the crime thriller is an entirely fabricated film, as was confessed by co-director Joel Coen. The story of ‘Fargo’ is loosely based on several real-life sources, including real-life events in Minnesota. However, its characters and plot are the product of the Coen brothers’ imagination.
And there you have it, the top eight films that were superhits and managed to knock the daylight out their viewers. Even though they blurred the lines between fact and fiction, they were but a piece of excellent art that deceived its viewers quite tactfully.
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