This Is a True Story Trivia Quiz

Answer: Walked over the mountains and across the border

The final scenes of the movie show the family performing at the Salzburg Festival, then hiding in the nearby Abbey before making their escape to Switzerland. However, as Switzerland is over 200 km from Salzburg, this is not at all plausible. In real life, the family walked to the local train station, and caught a train to Italy, as Georg, the father, had Italian citizenship. They then travelled to London, and finally to the United States where they made their home. This is one of a number of changes that were made due to 'dramatic license'.

Salzburg is a lovely town, and many of the scenes were filmed on location there. Visitors to Salzburg are able to take a number of 'Sound of Music' tours. Salzburg is also the birthplace of Mozart, and there are a number of locations within the city featured in Mozart tours.

Answer: Miranda

After her death, the publishers of Joan Lindsay published the missing final chapter. In it, the girls encounter 'a hole in space' that influences their perceptions. They travel into a crack in the rock, and disappear. Before Irma can enter the crack in the rock, a boulder (the hanging rock) drops down and covers the entrance.

Fans of 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' feel that part of the popularity of the movie is due to the ambiguous ending. Despite intensive research, no one has found any evidence that it was based on a true story.

Irma, Marion and Edith were three of the group that explored the rock, Irma was the only member of the party to return.

Miranda was the daughter of Prospero in 'The Tempest'.

Answer: They carried the sled over the finishing line.

In real life, the team walked beside the sled to the finish line, rather than carrying it on their shoulders. This is a one of a number of changes that were made in the movie to add to the dramatic impact. It took over 600 m (nearly half a mile) for the team to come to a stop, with their helmets bumping and scraping along the wall for most of that time.

Other major changes include that the team were loaned a back-up sled from another nation (in the movie they were forced to buy an old, heavy sled). The movie also ignores that the selection trials for the Summer Olympics had not taken place before the Winter Olympics were held (remember that in 1988, the Summer and Winter Olympics took place in the same year).

'Cool Runnings' was the last John Candy film to be released in his lifetime.

Answer: Kate Winslet

This was the debut movie for both Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey. Two years after this role, Kate went on to star in 'Titanic'.

After the murder, Juliet Hulme and Pauline Parker were held in prison for 5 years. Juliet Hulme relocated to England, and became a flight attendant, before joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She took the name Anne Perry (her step-father's surname) and released her first novel in 1979. Several months after 'Heavenly Creatures' was released, it was revealed that Anne Perry was Juliet Hulme. She has spoken publicly about the murder, including a special edition of the British 'Trisha' talk show in 2005.

Pauline Parker is believed to be living in Scotland, also with a new name.

Answer: Braveheart

'Braveheart' is based loosely, on the true story of a rebellion led by William Wallace against Edward Longshanks or King Edward of England. After the execution of his wife, Wallace leads a rebellion against the English, culminating in him being captured and executed for treason.

Amongst the criticisms laid against the film were that the title 'Braveheart' should not have been used as it is associated with Robert the Bruce. The types of tartan worn were inaccurate, and it is unlikely he would have worn woad into battle.

The implied affair with Isabella of France is also inaccurate, as Isabella was only 3 years old at the time of the events in the movie.

Very little is known about William Wallace, apart from his involvement in the rebellion, and his later execution. Much of what is known or assumed about him comes from a poem by Blind Harry written in the 15th century. Wallace was executed in 1305, over 100 years earlier.

The other three titles listed, were all released in 1995. 'First Knight' was loosely based on the Arthurian legends of Camelot, Guinevere and Lancelot. 'Waterworld' was a futuristic film starring Kevin Costner while 'The Bridges of Madison County' was a romantic drama.

Answer: Saving Private Ryan

'Saving Private Ryan' has been praised for its realistic portrayal of battle, particularly the opening sequence featuring the Normandy beach landings of June 6, 1944. It tells the story of the search for Private Ryan (Matt Damon) whose elder brothers were killed in the landing. General Marshall learns that their parents are likely to receive telegrams informing them of the three elder sons' deaths on the same day and issues an order that the remaining son be located and returned to the US. The rest of the movie follows the search for Private Ryan.

Script writer Robert Rodat was visiting a Civil War memorial when he saw the names of 8 siblings listed. This led him to undertake further research, and he came across the story of the Niland brothers, 3 of whom were belived to have been killed in battle, causing the 4th son to be returned home (Edward, one of the brothers had been captured as a POW in Burma). The five Sullivan brothers were killed when USS 'Juneau' was sunk in 1942.
The Sole Survivor Policy describes a set of regulations in the military of the United States that are designed to protect members of a family from being drafted or sent on combat duty if they have already lost family members in military service. It is a voluntary policy, and each arm of the military has its own regulations covering this type of situation. There are some exceptions to this policy, particularly in times of war or national emergency, and it does not apply to 'only sons'.

The other three movies listed, all feature significant aspects of WWII, with 'The Longest Day' also featuring the D-day landings.

Answer: The Blair Witch Project

'The Blair Witch Project' introduced viewers to the story of three film makers who disappeared whilst on the trail of the local 'Blair Witch'. The bodies were never found, however the footage that they had shot survived. This led to the mystique of the film, supported by online marketing. The official website featured police reports and interviews, helping to support the idea that this was a true story. For the first twelve months after release the IMDB page for the movie listed the actors as 'missing'.

The action in 'The Blair Witch Project' takes place over seven days featuring the search by the three students for the Blair Witch, a local legend. Several spooky occurrences happen, and one by one the three disappear. The final student drops the camera after being hit by something offscreen.

Answer: Fargo

'Fargo' features the story of Jerry (William H. Macy) who, in an effort to solve his serious financial problems, has his wife kidnapped to force his wealthy father-in-law to pay the ransom. One of the kidnappers shoots a state trooper, killing him. This leads to local policewoman, Marge Gunderson (McDormand), to investigate, and unravel the kidnapping plot.

During publicity, the Coen brothers indicated that the plot was based on a true story, just not in Minnesota. In 2015, they indicated that it was entirely made up, however, this contradicts a trivia track on the DVD, indicating that it was inspired by the 1986 murder of Helle Crafts from Connecticut by her husband, Richard, who disposed of her body through a wood chipper.

'Unbroken' (2015) and 'Bridge of Spies' were based on true stories. 'Unbroken' features the story of Louie Zamperini, an athlete at the 1936 Olympic Games, during World War II who is shot down and taken prisoner by the Japanese. 'Unbroken' features the treatment he received during his imprisonment. The film concludes with the news that he died in 2014, aged 97.

'Bridge of Spies' (2015) tells the story of James Donovan, who helped to negotiate the release of Frances Gary Powers who was shot down in 1960 in a spy plane over Russia. Powers was exchanged for a KGB operative who had been captured in the United States.

Answer: Richard Gere

Richard Gere has starred as a romantic lead in 'An Officer and a Gentleman', 'First Knight' and 'Pretty Woman'. 'The Mothman Prophecies' as a suspense filled movie, featuring The Mothman, was a departure from these roles.

Folklore has developed about the Mothman. The film concludes with the note that while the Mothman has been seen elsewhere in the world, it never again appeared in Point Pleasant. The film also suggests that the cause of the bridge collapse was unknown, however, it was due to the collapse of an eye-bar in the extension chain.

Point Pleasant has developed a tourism industry around the Mothman with an annual festival taking place. Evidence for the existence of the Mothman is sketchy.

Answer: Australia

'Wolf Creek' features the story of two British tourists Kirstyt (Kestie Morassi) and Liz (Cassandra Magrath) backpacking their way around Australia. They meet up with Ben (Nathan Phillips) and decide to travel to Wolf Creek National Park to visit a meteorite crater there. Their car refuses to start and Mick Taylor (John Jarratt) a local man offers to drive them to his mine nearby. They find they are imprisoned, and both girls are killed but Ben manages to escape.

'Wolf Creek' was based on two real cases - the disappearance of Peter Falconio, a British tourist in 2001, and the Backpacker Murders for which Ivan Milat was convicted. Mick Taylor, who owns a mining site called Navithalim Mining Co. is believed to reference Ivan Milat (Milath Ivan is spelt backwards). The rock quarry which stood as the mine in the movie, was the site of a real murder.

Its release in the Northern Territory of Australia was delayed, as the trial of Bradley Murdoch (convicted of Falconio's murder) was being held.

There is a real meteorite crater 'Wolfe Creek' however its location differs to that referred to in the film.