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I've never researched a "historical" film or "biopic" and not found out that much of the conflict was added in to create drama in the story. Even many so-called
by daodedickinson 9y ago
I've never researched a "historical" film or "biopic" and not found out that much of the conflict was added in to create drama in the story. Even many so-called "documentaries" do the same thing, such as King of Kong. This duplicity is taught in Hollywood as standard operating procedure. It is an industry wide norm that they care about entertainment above all else.
- mikeash 9y agoI’d say the industry norm is that they care about money above all else. It’s the moviegoers who care about entertainment above all else. In any case, the result is the same in the end....
- thaumasiotes 9y ago> I’d say the industry norm is that they care about money above all else. It’s the moviegoers who care about entertainment above all else. I'd say the moviegoers have been like that for long enough that the industry norm really is "entertainment above all", not "whatever the audience wants, and it might or might not be entertainment". If audiences suddenly shifted to wanting historical accuracy, I think a lot of people currently in the industry would fall out of it and get replaced by people with "historical accuracy" values. I don't think current moviemakers would just seamlessly switch values.
- mikeash 9y agoInteresting hypothetical. You may well be right.
- daodedickinson 9y agoSome care about ideology / politics more, some care about money, some care about sex or some other social capital; I think if one wants to relate facts, books are much more efficient. My favorite documentary maker is probably Werner Herzog and he opens his Aguirre with a complete lie that it was based on something written by missionaries. On the commentary track he doesn't really have a justification other than it looked nice.