How BOATS is it? Dissecting movies based on a true story.

Rob Bergsma
  • 5.0 (7)
  • AFTER SHOWS

Not about boats. Dissecting movies Based on a true story. If you're like me, every time you watch a movie that's Based On A True Story (B.O.A.T.S.) you forever wonder just how closely the adaptation followed the original story. Well, let's find out! I'll do the reading and have my smart and funny friends on to discuss these films and see how true to life the Hollywood versions are. Come on in!

Episodes

  1. 11/13/2020

    08 - How BOATS is Seabiscuit (2003)? With Ashley Chaney

    How Based On A True Story is Seabiscuit (2003)? VO Artist and Podcast Host Ashley Chaney is on the show talking about the 2003 horse racing movie Seabiscuit! Was Red Pollard abandoned by his family? Did someone else ride Seabiscuit while Red was hurt? What about Charles Howard... was he truly a built from nothing businessman with tragedy in his family? Come hang out and learn about the horse that gave Depression era America hope. Seabiscuit is directed by Gary Ross and stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, and Gary Stevens. Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/seabiscuit Read the book: https://bookshop.org/a/4479/9780449005613

    1h 6m

  2. 09/11/2020

    07 - How BOATS is Fighting with My Family (2019)? With David Sokoll

    How Based On A True Story is Fighting With My Family (2019)? Film buff and fun guy David Sokoll joins Rob to break down how well the movie lines up with the true story of WWE Superstar Paige. From the family run wrestling business in England to quality time with Dwayne The Rock Johnson, how close did this rags to riches story stay to reality? The movie is written and directed by Stephen Merchant and stars  Florence Pugh, Nick Frost, Dwayne Johnson, Lena Headey, Vince Vaughn and Jack Lowden. Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/fighting-with-my-family The documentary the movie is based on: https://vimeo.com/205508370 Good writeup on fact vs fiction: https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/fighting-with-my-family/ Another article with lots of info: https://screenrant.com/fighting-family-movie-true-story-wwe-paige-changes/

    42 min

  3. 08/14/2020

    06 - How BOATS is HIDDEN FIGURES (2016)? With Alaina Karschnick Weddon

    How Based On A True Story is Hidden Figures (2016)? Rob is joined by Alaina Karschnick Weddon to take a look at the story of the black women behind so much of the math that put Americans into space and on the moon. They launch into the facts of the true story behind the movie starring  Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner and Jim Parsons. Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/hidden-figures The book the movie is based on: https://bookshop.org/a/4479/9780062363602 Good writeup on fact vs fiction: https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/hidden-figures/

    46 min

  4. 07/31/2020

    05 - How BOATS is BAD EDUCATION (2019)? With Randi Bergsma

    How Based On A True Story is Bad Education (2019)? Rob is joined by a very special guest, his wife Randi! They delve into the facts of the true story behind the movie starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney. Were Frank and Pam as bold as they seem with their scheme? How did they get caught? Let's talk about it! Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/bad-education-2019 The article the movie is based on: https://nymag.com/nymetro/urban/features/9908/ Link to lots of followup articles from all different sources: https://bookshlf.com/user/robboblobbo/shelf/stbrzd

    57 min

  5. 07/17/2020

    04 - How BOATS is TAG (2018)? With Mark Hampton

    How Based On A True Story is Tag? Rob and Mark get into TAG (2018) to see how true to life the movie is. How many of the outrageous tags and chases in the movie actually happened? Are the characters based on specific people? Was someone REALLY (mild spoiler alert) tagged at a funeral? Jump in and let's find out! Where to watch Tag: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/tag-2018 Further Reading / Watching: Original Wall Street Journal Article- "It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being 'It'" https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323375204578269991660836834?ns=prod/accounts-wsj ESPN 2013 Video: https://youtu.be/d8C-VFbP-JQ CBS 2013 Video: https://youtu.be/TYuEoBwE0lo Megyn Kelly Today Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2GGPNvaH0U Movie EPK Video with Real Tag guys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5b8COCfFBA National Catholic Register Article: https://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/the-real-tag-brothers-story-is-better-than-the-movie The Guardian Article: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/apr/20/played-tag-23-years-experience Nerdist Article: https://archive.nerdist.com/the-bizarre-true-story-behind-jeremy-renner-jon-hamm-and-hannibal-buress-new-comedy-tag/ Great research resource HollywoodvHistory: https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/tag/ Tag Participation Agreement / Legal Document: https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/tag-participation-agreement/

    49 min

  6. 07/03/2020

    03 - How BOATS is THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)? With Ryan Lucchesi

    How Based On A True Story is The Social Network (2010)? Rob and Ryan click like or add friend or expand their network or something like that to take a look at the true story behind The Social Network starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, Max Minghella, and Rooney Mara. Is Mark Zuckerberg like how he's portrayed? Is that really how the business started? Did he steal the idea? Let's get into it! Where to watch The Social Network: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-social-network Books read for this epsiode: The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich (2010) https://bookshop.org/a/4479/9780307740984 The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting the World by David Kirkpatrick (2011) https://bookshop.org/a/4479/9781439102121 Facebook: The Inside Story by Steven Levy (2020) https://bookshop.org/a/4479/9780735213159

    1h 2m

  7. 05/21/2020

    02 - How BOATS is THE IMITATION GAME (2014)? With Tim Bergsma

    How Based On A True Story is The Imitation Game? Rob and his little brother Tim break the code or some other such pun on The Imitation Game! How true to life is the story of Alan Turing and his time at Bletchley Park breaking the Nazi enigma code and saving the world? Where to watch The Imitation Game: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-imitation-game Alan Turing: The Enigma: The Book That Inspired the Film the Imitation Game - Updated Edition (Revised) by Andrew Hodges: https://bookshop.org/a/4479/9780691164724 The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography by Simon Singh: https://bookshop.org/a/4479/9780385495325 Further Reading / Watching: Two part video explaining how Enigma worked: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2_Q9FoD-oQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4V2bpZlqx8 More about Enigma and Turing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2NWPG2gB_A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj_7Jc1mS9k Info about Welchman and traffic analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXZNayEPFKc A lot of similar info from the videos above but at 3:20 there's a good shot of the Enigma rotors taken out of the machine: https://youtu.be/ASfAPOiq_eQ?t=201 Good recap of how BOATS: https://slate.com/culture/2014/12/the-imitation-game-fact-vs-fiction-how-true-the-new-movie-is-to-alan-turings-real-life-story.html 5 min video explaining the basics of Turing Machines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNRDvLACg5Q Videos on Colossus, the computer Tommy Flowers designed that broke the harder Lorenz cipher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HH-asvLAj4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cDeG3hyraA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knXWMjIA59c

    1h 14m

  8. 04/10/2020

    01 - How BOATS is LION (2016)? With Katie Elsaesser

    How Based On A True Story is Lion? Rob and Katie look into the film LION (2016) and how it lines up with the true story it's based on. Based on the book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley, Lion tells the incredible true story of Saroo's life as a 5 year old boy lost and alone on the streets of India and his 25 year journey trying to find his home. Where to watch Lion: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/lion A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley: https://bookshop.org/a/4479/9780425276198 Further Reading / Listening: No Filter Podcast Interview with Sue Brierley: https://overcast.fm/+EoUJ-qdQA https://www.mamamia.com.au/mantosh-brierley-lion/ Interview with Sue Brierley during press for the movie release: https://www.thedailybeast.com/behind-lion-saroo-and-sue-brierley-on-bringing-their-unbelievable-true-story-to-the-screen

    1h 10m
  • 8 Episodes

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7 Ratings

About

Not about boats. Dissecting movies Based on a true story. If you're like me, every time you watch a movie that's Based On A True Story (B.O.A.T.S.) you forever wonder just how closely the adaptation followed the original story. Well, let's find out! I'll do the reading and have my smart and funny friends on to discuss these films and see how true to life the Hollywood versions are. Come on in!

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