Hollywood's distortion of truth
Fabrication is more powerful truth, at least in the eyes of Hollywood
When it comes to film’s interpretation of history and reality, such as the recent film’s “Argo” and “Zero Dark Thirty”, Hollywood has long had a habit of altering facts, creating illusions and fabrications, and even distorting final outcomes. Hollywood is an industry, and for a long time now, has understandably aimed at creating the best possible plot line with regard to its films. In some ways, it could be considered a “dream factory,” with regard to how removed from reality many of the Hollywood plot lines are. After all, Hollywood film makers are motivated by an economic imperative and as such their bottom line is profit, and aim to satisfy their target audience as greatly as possible. However, in too many films supposedly based on fact, reality and truth has been sacrificed all together, in the pursuit of pure, generic entertainment. The phrase, “don’t let truth get in the way of a good story” is worryingly, far too applicable to modern Hollywood.
With regard to films that claim to be based on a TRUE story, there is a line that should be drawn when Hollywood creates its version of history. To put it simply, how untrue, is just true enough?
It seems at present, the answer is somewhat flexible. On February 23rd this year, “Argo” a significantly dramatized, exaggerated and almost ahistorical interpretation of true story, took out the Academy award for “Best Picture”, the most prestigious of the Oscars.
“Argo”, directed, produced by and starring Ben Affleck, portrays six helpless, and importantly, innocent Americans thrilling escape, notably orchestrated by the CIA, from the hostile and draconian revolutionary Iran, which is depicted to have been overrun by hoards of bearded savages. The story concludes with celebration, surrounding American, heroism, courage and innovation, leaving the Iranians with frustration in their defeat.
Now this approach to film making is not unusual, take
When it comes to film’s interpretation of history and reality, such as the recent film’s “Argo” and “Zero Dark Thirty”, Hollywood has long had a habit of altering facts, creating illusions and fabrications, and even distorting final outcomes. Hollywood is an industry, and for a long time now, has understandably aimed at creating the best possible plot line with regard to its films. In some ways, it could be considered a “dream factory,” with regard to how removed from reality many of the Hollywood plot lines are. After all, Hollywood film makers are motivated by an economic imperative and as such their bottom line is profit, and aim to satisfy their target audience as greatly as possible. However, in too many films supposedly based on fact, reality and truth has been sacrificed all together, in the pursuit of pure, generic entertainment. The phrase, “don’t let truth get in the way of a good story” is worryingly, far too applicable to modern Hollywood.
With regard to films that claim to be based on a TRUE story, there is a line that should be drawn when Hollywood creates its version of history. To put it simply, how untrue, is just true enough?
It seems at present, the answer is somewhat flexible. On February 23rd this year, “Argo” a significantly dramatized, exaggerated and almost ahistorical interpretation of true story, took out the Academy award for “Best Picture”, the most prestigious of the Oscars.
“Argo”, directed, produced by and starring Ben Affleck, portrays six helpless, and importantly, innocent Americans thrilling escape, notably orchestrated by the CIA, from the hostile and draconian revolutionary Iran, which is depicted to have been overrun by hoards of bearded savages. The story concludes with celebration, surrounding American, heroism, courage and innovation, leaving the Iranians with frustration in their defeat.
Now this approach to film making is not unusual, take