Truth and Lives on Film: The Legal Problems of Depicting Real Persons and Events in a Fictional Medium

by John T. Aquino

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As early as the Silent Era, movie studios were sued over depictions of real people and events. Filmmakers have always altered the details of true stories and actual persons, living or dead, to make narratives more workable and characters more compelling. When truth and fantasy become inextricably mixed, the effect on people's lives can be significant, even devastating. In its expanded second edition, this examination of fact-based films and the law presents an updated history of legal issues surrounding the on-screen embellishment of reality, with a focus on important court decisions and the use of disclaimers. Seventeen courtroom dramas are given fact-versus-fiction analyses-The Perfect Storm (1991) is covered in extensive detail. A concluding chapter is devoted to actors who became so identified with fictionalized characters that they sought exclusive rights to those personas.
  • ISBN10 1476688230
  • ISBN13 9781476688237
  • Publish Date 1 April 2022
  • Publish Status Forthcoming
  • Publish Country US
  • Imprint McFarland & Co Inc
  • Edition 2nd Revised edition
  • Format Paperback (US Trade)
  • Pages 277
  • Language English