The Great Escape (Steve McQueen) - fiction - GoFuckYourself.com

SilentKnight · 09-03-2015, 08:18 PM

No Americans took part in the famous Great Escape (as depicted in the movie).

Ted Barris guesses he has done about 250 speaking engagements for his 2013 book The Great Escape: A Canadian Story. And they all start the same way: Hollywood duped us.

Steve McQueen on a motorcycle and all that American chest-thumping played well in theatres back in 1963, but history told a different story. For one thing, says Barris, there were no Americans involved in The Great Escape. This astounding act of stealth was undertaken by British and Commonwealth airmen, including many Canadians, being held as prisoners of war at the Stalag Luft III camp.

"I begin my talk by kicking Hollywood," says Barris, who speaks at a meeting of the Lundy's Lane Historical Society Thursday at the Victoria Avenue library.

"They got it wrong! But the small print is, were it not for Steve McQueen, John Sturges, who made the film, and all the cast of Hollywood greats?I wouldn't have nearly the attention drawn to my book as I do."

Despite being a fascinating story on its own, Barris says Hollywood's embellishments brought the great escape to the world, and in many cases prompted people to seek out the real chain of events.
"Hollywood tends to focus us, even if the story's wrong, on the great events of human history," he says.

Full story

JFK · 09-04-2015, 02:14 AM

Go Canuks

Deej · 09-04-2015, 02:27 AM

wait wait wait.... so there was a guy that really ate 50 boiled eggs?

Magnetron · 09-04-2015, 04:58 AM

My childhood was a lie.

rogueteens · 09-04-2015, 05:11 AM

no surprise, many historical hollywood films add americans for added draw for the home audience. it was one of the major jokes of the film "Churchill - the Hollywood years"

bronco67 · 09-04-2015, 08:18 AM

still a good movie.

robwod · 09-04-2015, 09:21 AM

To be fair, anyone that uses Hollywood movies for history lessons is not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Hollywood movies are not historical documentaries. They are created for one thing, and one thing only: to make money for their investors and the studios. Writers take an idea, and construct scenarios around carefully crafted plotlines and character development to attract people to spend money. Some are better than others.

If this same movie were created in Japan, they'd probably have a Japanese focused hero. Or in Britain, or in Canada, etc. When in Rome, cater to the demographic where you can turn the greatest profit.

SilentKnight · 09-04-2015, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robwod

To be fair, anyone that uses Hollywood movies for history lessons is not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.

That's very true - but the world is populated with a LOT of dull knives that are easily confused and propagandized.

I'd imagine if you polled a hundred people - the majority would think quite a lot (if not all) of the movie was somewhat historically accurate.

Vendzilla · 09-04-2015, 04:14 PM

Great Movie and will watch is again next time I see it playing

Far-L · 09-04-2015, 04:52 PM

Does it make it more real though knowing Steve McQueen did his own motorcycle stunts in the film?

I think it should.

We are talking McQueen here. He invented cool and pretty much set a standard by which all others must stand judged and not quite worthy.

ruff · 09-04-2015, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilentKnight

No Americans took part in the famous Great Escape (as depicted in the movie).

Ted Barris guesses he has done about 250 speaking engagements for his 2013 book The Great Escape: A Canadian Story. And they all start the same way: Hollywood duped us.

Steve McQueen on a motorcycle and all that American chest-thumping played well in theatres back in 1963, but history told a different story. For one thing, says Barris, there were no Americans involved in The Great Escape. This astounding act of stealth was undertaken by British and Commonwealth airmen, including many Canadians, being held as prisoners of war at the Stalag Luft III camp.

"I begin my talk by kicking Hollywood," says Barris, who speaks at a meeting of the Lundy's Lane Historical Society Thursday at the Victoria Avenue library.

"They got it wrong! But the small print is, were it not for Steve McQueen, John Sturges, who made the film, and all the cast of Hollywood greats?I wouldn't have nearly the attention drawn to my book as I do."

Despite being a fascinating story on its own, Barris says Hollywood's embellishments brought the great escape to the world, and in many cases prompted people to seek out the real chain of events.
"Hollywood tends to focus us, even if the story's wrong, on the great events of human history," he says.

Full story

There are not and never have been any Canadians as cool as Steve McQueen.

SilentKnight · 09-04-2015, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruff

There are not and never have been any Canadians as cool as Steve McQueen.

PaperstreetWinston · 09-04-2015, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bronco67

still a good movie.

yep, doesnt change that fact

09-03-2015, 08:18 PM	#1
SilentKnight Megan Fox's fluffer Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: shooting pool in Elysium Posts: 24,818	The Great Escape (Steve McQueen) - fiction No Americans took part in the famous Great Escape (as depicted in the movie). Ted Barris guesses he has done about 250 speaking engagements for his 2013 book The Great Escape: A Canadian Story. And they all start the same way: Hollywood duped us. Steve McQueen on a motorcycle and all that American chest-thumping played well in theatres back in 1963, but history told a different story. For one thing, says Barris, there were no Americans involved in The Great Escape. This astounding act of stealth was undertaken by British and Commonwealth airmen, including many Canadians, being held as prisoners of war at the Stalag Luft III camp. "I begin my talk by kicking Hollywood," says Barris, who speaks at a meeting of the Lundy's Lane Historical Society Thursday at the Victoria Avenue library. "They got it wrong! But the small print is, were it not for Steve McQueen, John Sturges, who made the film, and all the cast of Hollywood greats?I wouldn't have nearly the attention drawn to my book as I do." Despite being a fascinating story on its own, Barris says Hollywood's embellishments brought the great escape to the world, and in many cases prompted people to seek out the real chain of events. "Hollywood tends to focus us, even if the story's wrong, on the great events of human history," he says. Full story

09-04-2015, 02:14 AM	#2
JFK FUBAR the ORIGINATOR Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: FUBARLAND Posts: 67,382	Go Canuks __________________ FUBAR Webmasters - The FUBAR Times - FUBAR Webmasters Mobile - FUBARTV.XXX For promo opps contact jfk at fubarwebmasters dot com

09-04-2015, 02:27 AM	#3
Deej I make pixels work Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: I live here... Posts: 24,386	wait wait wait.... so there was a guy that really ate 50 boiled eggs? __________________ Deej's Designs n' What Not Hit me up for Design, CSS & Photo Retouching Icq#30096880

09-04-2015, 05:11 AM	#5
rogueteens So fucking bland Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: England Posts: 8,005	no surprise, many historical hollywood films add americans for added draw for the home audience. it was one of the major jokes of the film "Churchill - the Hollywood years" __________________ Free traffic and backlinks from one of the fastest growing adult pinsites on the net - SAUCY PICTURES! Easily my best performing webcam sponsor - CLICK HERE!!

09-04-2015, 08:18 AM	#6
bronco67 Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 29,035	still a good movie. __________________

09-04-2015, 04:58 AM	#4
Magnetron Lord High Groundhog Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Bumblefuck, USA Posts: 1,841	My childhood was a lie.

09-04-2015, 09:21 AM	#7
robwod Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 2,539	To be fair, anyone that uses Hollywood movies for history lessons is not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. Hollywood movies are not historical documentaries. They are created for one thing, and one thing only: to make money for their investors and the studios. Writers take an idea, and construct scenarios around carefully crafted plotlines and character development to attract people to spend money. Some are better than others. If this same movie were created in Japan, they'd probably have a Japanese focused hero. Or in Britain, or in Canada, etc. When in Rome, cater to the demographic where you can turn the greatest profit. __________________ NSFW

09-04-2015, 04:14 PM	#9
Vendzilla Biker Gnome Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: cell#324 Posts: 23,201	Great Movie and will watch is again next time I see it playing __________________ Webair died? Carbon is not the problem, it makes up 0.041% of our atmosphere , 95% of that is from Volcanos and decomposing plants and stuff. So people in the US are responsible for 13% of the carbon in the atmosphere which 95% is not from Humans, like cars and trucks and stuff and they want to spend trillions to fix it while Solar Panel plants are powered by coal plants think about that

09-04-2015, 04:52 PM	#10
Far-L Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 6,075	Does it make it more real though knowing Steve McQueen did his own motorcycle stunts in the film? I think it should. We are talking McQueen here. He invented cool and pretty much set a standard by which all others must stand judged and not quite worthy. __________________ HomegrownCash.com, the affiliate program of Homegrown Video - The Largest Collection of Amateur XXX - Est. 1982. Contact - Email: farrell AT homegrownvideo D com Skype: hgfarl Newsweek Magazine - "Homegrown Video, the longest running series in the history of porn."