Films/TV based on true events that actually stick to the real story

[XelaM]

Can anyone recommend any films or TV shows based on true events where the screenplay doesn't actually embellish or completely change the real story to the point of it becoming unrecognisable?

I am so fed up of "historical" dramas that have absolutely zero to do with actual historical events. I don't actually understand why film makers deliberately decide to completely butcher historical events (that are usually far more interesting than the fiction shown on screen) and just completely make up an alternative story (I'm thinking of "Reign" for example ).

The only historical drama I have seen recently that was actually historically accurate is the "Last Czars" on Netflix about Russia's last Tsar. It's actually very well-made and I can highly recommend it.

Is there anything else based on true events on Netflix or Prime where the film actually remains true to the events?

Outlaw King is on Netflix. When it came out many commented on how historically accurate it was compared to Braveheart.

How do we know, if it does or doesn’t?

@DustyMaiden What do you mean? Of course we know if events are accurate or not. They are recorded in history books.

By the way, I am not just talking about historical dramas. I generally enjoy any films based on real events.

Apollo 13

@SilverRingahBells Have seen Appolo 13. It's really good.

@BlueBellsArePretty Haven't seen Outlaw King. Will check it out.

Even history books are often inaccurate, and all have a point of view. Film and TV treatments of real life stories have to factor in many elements including format, running time, distribution requirements, budgets, shooting schedules etc and all of these elements will impact the production. Fictionalisation in general is a departure from the 'truth'. You'll often see truncated events, composite character which are there in order to make the piece work. As Hitchcock said film is life ... with the dull bits cut out. Quite often that means bending the story to keep the plot workable. It's not up to the filmmakers to stick to the 'truth' but to make a good film.

@tinselvestsparklepants Err... ok... so I don't know if you have seen TV series like "Reign" or similar shows about the Tutors. There are well-recorded facts about that time. Names, dates when and how those historical figures died etc. The true events of that time were extremely interesting and wayyyy more interesting than the complete and utter nonsense the film-makers made up. History is usually a lot more interesting than the film-makers (often bizarre) "point of view"

There’s a difference between costume dramas (like Reign and the Tudors) and historical dramas (Wolf Hall might fall into this category). Costume dramas feature characters who could be around today wearing historical outfits (or not in the case of Reign!) It’s just a different genre.

I think even historical dramas that stick rigidly to what is “known” about historical events are very rare. Blatant historical inaccuracies irritate the hell out of me too OP, so I tend to stick to areas of history I know nothing about and take it all with a pinch of salt.

I watched Suffragette recently. That was good.

Hi, the film The Devils Double is, I don't like to use the word good, interesting.

It's about Saddam Hussein's son and Dominic Cooper stars who is excellent in it.

Not completely sure how accurate it is, it's a disturbing watch though.

Sully: Miracle on the Hudson, about the guy who landed a plane without engines on the Hudson River, is pretty accurate to RL so far as I know. It's sort of lightweight I guess, but decently entertaining IMO!

The problem with reality is it rarely makes for entertaining plotlines. Real life is much too complicated and ambiguous and messy and confusing and almost inevitably gets changed when it's dramatised or else no one would watch it.

@ZoeTheThornyDevil

Sully: Miracle on the Hudson, about the guy who landed a plane without engines on the Hudson River, is pretty accurate to RL so far as I know. It's sort of lightweight I guess, but decently entertaining IMO!

The problem with reality is it rarely makes for entertaining plotlines. Real life is much too complicated and ambiguous and messy and confusing and almost inevitably gets changed when it's dramatised or else no one would watch it.

"Sully" actually got massive flak at the time (including from the real protagonist) for the way in which it's making air safety investigators the bad guys in the film. Trouble is of course that without the antagonism introduced in this way there wouldn't have been enough of a storyline to carry an entire film.

Flight 93 was supposed to be as accurate as it could be without all the information. Some people play themselves in it.

I've thought of one! I watched Tea With Mussolini last week with DS1. It's about Franco Zeffirelli's childhood in Italy. DS1 complained about all the random things that happened and when I told him it was a true story he didn't believe me. I thought it was more true to life because it was like snippets of memory. Anyway even then he would have had to embellish the parts where he wasn't there at the time they happened.

More recent events, Chernobyl and Dopesick, both excellent.

I watched The Mauritanian (with Jodie Foster as a lawyer) on Prime this weekend which is based on a book called Guantanamo Diary about a man who was in GB post 9/11 for 14 years before being released without charges.
Thought it was fascinating and reading up about him afterwards, seems pretty true to real life. Not an easy watch though, but really interesting.

"Sully" actually got massive flak at the time (including from the real protagonist) for the way in which it's making air safety investigators the bad guys in the film. Trouble is of course that without the antagonism introduced in this way there wouldn't have been enough of a storyline to carry an entire film.

Exactly my point what sane person would watch an accurate dramatisation of a properly conducted air safety incident review? Or watch a film about a guy who was just sorta heroic on one occasion, end of? But at least the factual details of the incident match up, AFAIK.

I really enjoyed 6 Days about the Iranian Embassy siege - think it's still on Netflix. Stars Jamie Bell and Mark Strong.

@suckingonchillidogs

I really enjoyed 6 Days about the Iranian Embassy siege - think it's still on Netflix. Stars Jamie Bell and Mark Strong.

Oh yes I liked that too