I'm a big movie guy. If you know me, you know that I can rattle off statistics for quite alot of movies, along with quotes. I guess this is because of constant need for knowledge in certain areas of films or just plain curiousity or that I'm a geek.
Well, I have been reading about this American Gangster film with Denzel Washington and Russell "Telephone Throw" Crowe regarding its' validity. Reports and lawsuits are being filled out by the DEA regarding the statements set forth by Frank Lucas, the druglord aka Denzel's character, that some of the facts in the movie are completely false. The head prosecutor in the case even stated "the film is 1% reality and 99% Hollywood." - Judge Sterling Johnson, AP.
Upon reading this article, the movie is seriously false. Mind you I have not seen the film and refuse to after these claims, but over 3/4 of the DEA in NYC were convicted as corrupt individuals. The DEA has proven records and those agents supposedly convicted are out free right now and said charges were never EVER brought to their attention.
Anyway, these dudes filed a suit through a prosecutor on the actual case in 1975, Dominic Amorosa. One of the agents even said that Frank Lucas was an informant for years for him and he never mentioned one crooked cop and DEA agent.
My only problem with this is the people are still alive. The lived during a very dramatic time in our lives and had a great story to tell that has been altered to make some money for a greedy Hollywood exec (SUITS SUCK - Billy Walsh). If they actually just stuck to the story and told the truth, no problems would be made from this film.
Now, the defense for the movie business will be that this was "based on a true story." Based being the keyword in the sentence. The definition of the term "based" is being dervied from.
Basically in in a nutshell, as long as this term is used you can rewrite the Passion of the Christ and have Jesus turn into Rambo at the end of the movie!
This is also the cause for "The Great Debaters." Now if you stick with fiction for a movie then awesome, but if you are going to twist the story dont. You have to remember that you are doing a film because the person/story you are writing about has done something incredible. For example, that Autistic kid dropping 3's like Reggie Miller in the first actual game he ever played.
That's supposed to be getting made as a film. Just be honest to it and do these people some justice.
Alright, I know they are just movies and they are made to entertain. But, it seems more of slandering and defamtion of character.
Below are the links. Check'em out if you're bored.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/22/film.american.gangster.ap/index.html
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01042008/gossip/pagesix/a_great_bunch_of_bloopers_838891.htm
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