Incredible Movie Plots That Are Based On Real Life The true stories that are weirder than the movies
The release of The Men Who Stare At Goats this week has got us thinking about the true stories that are stranger than anything Hollywood could come up with on its own. After all, psychic spies and attempts by US soldiers to walk through walls is one thing, but some of these tales are just as weird and wonderful... WORDS HELEN O'HARA
Incredible Movie Plots That Are Based On Real Life The Exorcism Of Emily Rose
The Movie
A priest (Tom Wilkinson) attempts to exorcise demons from an apparently possessed young woman (Jennifer Carpenter), but his treatments result in her death. A court case convenes to decide if he killed her by his actions.
The real life exorcism of Anneliese Michel
The Amazing True Story!
In late 1960s Bavaria, a deeply religious young student called Anneliese Michel started to experience terrifying fits that left her body shaking and left her unable to call for help. As her condition worsened, she got worse and started to hear what she described as "demonic voices". She was, understandably, wigged-the-frak-out. The best efforts of medical science seemed totally ineffective, and so Anneliese and her family turned to their local priests, convinced that an exorcism might help.
At first, the priests they spoke to pointed out that this was the 20th century and exorcisms, like heroin, are so passé. Also, Anneliese had yet to meet the criteria that the Catholic Church deemed evidence of demonic possession - like speaking in tongues, aversion to religious objects and supernatural powers. As time went on, however, she started to attack crucifixes around her house, rip up rosary beads, eat insects and drink her own urine. The priests then decided that they'd give the old exorcism a go after all.
From September 1975 until July 1976, sixty-seven exorcisms were performed on Anneliese Michel, which you'd think would get rid of any demonic spirit short of Nick Griffin himself. In between sessions, she fasted and prayed so much that her knees literally gave out. On July 1st, 1976, she died of malnutrition and dehydration. Her parents and priests were put on trial for negligent homicide, and convicted in 1978. The judge handed out harsher penalties than the prosecutor had asked for, with jail terms and probation for the Michel parents and priests. In the meantime, Anneliese's grave became a place of pilgrimage for those who believe that she fought against the devil, and the Catholic Church changed its exorcism rites in 1999 to, one hopes, something a bit less demented.
The Differences
Lots of them, including the details of the possession (the movie makes full use of star Jennifer Carpenter's double-jointedness to grotesque, spine-twisting effect) and the time-scale, which was radically shortened. The setting was also changed to the US, and the story focused on the lawyer defending Emily Rose's priest rather than the exorcism itself. For a more accurate look, try the German film Requiem (2006), a much lower key adaptation of Anneliese's story.
Have Your Say
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Your Comments
1
Aye.
Posted on Saturday December 5, 2009, 02:06 by captainamazing
It's about time someone mentioned it was the Spartans who were reknowned boy-lovers, not the Persians. And fighting in your keks? What's that about?? Read More
2
ahem!
Posted on Monday November 9, 2009, 18:13 by mdogg81
L: Kefka of Clubs
While there are hundreds more inaccurate things you could say about 300, something always ignored about the Battle of Thermopylae is the arguably more important naval battle going on at the same time at Artemisium at the same time, led by the Athenian general Themistocles. While it wasn't a victory, exactly, it did damage the Persian fleet enough that Salamis (where the war was really won) was a much easier victory for the Greek armies. Also, as Herodotus claims there were 2,500,000 soldiers, cutting off their supply train (their navy) was a much more important tactic than killing a few soldiers or holding them up for a bit.
Sorry for the rant, but I really feel Sparta gets far too much credit for winning the Persian Wars. Remember when you guys were too busy to fight at Marathon, eh? Who had to do the heavy lifting there?!
sp;
That're very interesting, however it would make for a godawful, dull piece of entertainment journalism, which is why Read More
4
RE: AYE!
Posted on Monday November 9, 2009, 10:21 by Helen OHara
NZ, I didn't forget it, but I was looking for incidences where the real story was more interesting than the movie, and in that one I felt they were about on a par.
Kefka, there's no doubt that Artemisium was important, or Salamis, but neither has quite as great a cool factor as Thermopylae.
Read More
5
AYE!
Posted on Saturday November 7, 2009, 09:39 by nz_louise
you forgot heavenly creatures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Read More
6
300
Posted on Friday November 6, 2009, 15:16 by Kefka of Clubs
While there are hundreds more inaccurate things you could say about 300, something always ignored about the Battle of Thermopylae is the arguably more important naval battle going on at the same time at Artemisium at the same time, led by the Athenian general Themistocles. While it wasn't a victory, exactly, it did damage the Persian fleet enough that Salamis (where the war was really won) was a much easier victory for the Greek armies. Also, as Herodotus claims there were 2,500,000 soldiers, cutting off their supply train (their navy) was a much more important tactic than killing a few soldiers or holding them up for a bit.
Sorry for the rant, but I really feel Sparta gets far too much credit for winning the Persian Wars. Remember when you guys were too busy to fight at Marathon, eh? Who had to do the heavy lifting there?! Read More
7
Dead Ringers
Posted on Friday November 6, 2009, 12:21 by sonofjor-el
Where's Dead Ringers?! I don't think any writer could have come up with identical twin Gynaecologists, manipulating their patients. Class. Read More
