"Changeling" Latest News - SPOILERS

[Dan Dassow]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0824747/board/nest/140943794?d=147098192#147098192

Re: Glaring Omission of the 'True Story'- Sarah Louise Northcott
by jstang411 11 hours ago (Wed Sep 9 2009 06:42:16)

... Thanks so much for giving some light to some of us unwashed masses. You are the first major player in a top-end film that I have seen do that on IMDb (at least openly...I've had some strong and almost verifiable suspicions a few times).

You must be a stand-up guy.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0824747/board/nest/140943794?d=147135521#147135521

by straczynski 1 hour ago (Wed Sep 9 2009 17:15:59)

Yeah, but then I just fall down again, so really, in the end, what's to be gained by verticality?

[Dan Dassow]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0824747/board/nest/140943794?d=147316973#147316973

Re: Glaring Omission of the 'True Story'- Sarah Louise Northcott
by dan_dassow Sat Sep 12 2009 11:49:00

The original article is

http://www.laweekly.com/2007-12-20/film-tv/clint-eastwood-the-set-whisperer/

Clint Eastwood: The Set Whisperer
Shooting quietly on the Changeling set
LA Weekly
Scott Foundas
Published on December 20, 2007

... The story is true. None of the names have been changed by screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski. They include a wellspring of fascinating but largely forgotten figures from the cityÆs past, including the firebrand Presbyterian evangelist Gustav Briegleb, who helped rally the public behind Collins, and the flamboyant defense attorney Sammy "S.S." Hahn, whose client roster included celebrated hoaxer Aimee Semple McPherson and convicted murderess Louise Peete, and who in 1957 tied two concrete bricks around his neck and drowned himself in the deep end of a Tick Canyon swimming pool. ...

Then Eastwood's in-house producer, Robert Lorenz (who began working with Eastwood as a second assistant director on The Bridges of Madison County), interrupts to get "the boss'?' approval on a long-lead Changeling press release about to be issued by the studio. Eastwood looks it over and asks that the words "based on a true story" be removed from the film's synopsis. "The important thing," he says, "is whether itÆs a good story, and if itÆs well told." ...

Please note when this article was orginally published, December 20, 2007. This was well before the decision to include "A True Story" at the beginning of the film.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changeling_(film)#Reception

Straczynski claimed that Changeling's loss [at the Cannes Film Festival] by two votes was due to the judges' not believing the story was based on fact. He said they did not believe the police would treat someone as they had Collins. The loss led to Universal's request that Straczynski annotate the script with sources. [Source: Jason Davis (SeptemberûOctober 2008). "How Changeling Changed J. Michael Straczynski". Creative Screenwriting Magazine (Creative Screenwriters Group) 15 (5): 18û21. ISSN 1084-8665]

At Cannes "Based on a True Story" was at the beginning of the film. No one other than Mr. Eastwood, Mr. Straczynski or the other people directly involved with the production of Changeling knows for certain how the decision came about to include "A True Story" at the beginning of the film after the Cannes Film Festival. Mr. Straczynski made his case. I have seen nothing in the press since Cannes from Mr. Eastwood or others involved in the production to contradict what Mr. Straczynski stated.

If you look at the production notes (http://www.universalpicturesawards.c...ling_Notes.doc) and the official Changeling website (http://www.changelingmovie.net/), Universal heavily promoted the film as a true story

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0824747/board/nest/140943794?d=147581184#147581184

by straczynski Tue Sep 15 2009 23:56:46
UPDATED Wed Sep 16 2009 00:06:14

Dan: your information is correct. Clint asked that "Based on a true story" be removed and replaced with "A True Story." The problem with "based on" is that you have no idea the degree to which it's true...is it based on one small single incident, and everything else is made up? Is it 50/50? Because of this, a few of the the Cannes judges assumed that the part about the police was just made up...they couldn't believe that professional police would treat someone in this fashion...and voted against it. Which is how it lost the award. It's much, much more difficult to go through the ropes to get "a true story," and as a result it carries more weight.

The allegation was that Clint had asked for "a true story" to be removed because it wasn't a true story. That allegation stands as false now as before.

And to certain individuals looking on, who have bandied about the term slander: you can't slander someone whose identity is not known, which is why certain cowardly individuals hide behind pseudonyms, to hide their names from retribution. It also removes any claim of damage when no one knows who they are.

However, because email addressses have to be registered as part of IMDB's terms of service, that pseudonym does not protect the pseunonymous from legal action when name and reputation of the person being libeled IS known.

A word to the not-so-wise.