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Sunday, December 27, 2009
Top 10 films of the decade: #5
12:00 AM / Cinema / 
3 Comments
#5. Changeling
(Clint Eastwood, 2008)
Proof that the words "Based on a true story" coupled with a running time in excess of two hours are not necessarily harbingers of tedium. Clint Eastwood spins a compelling web centred around a harrowing performance by Angelina Jolie, and proving that truth really can be stranger than fiction.
- ???
- ???
- ???
- ???
- Changeling
- Atonement
- The Descent
- Children of Men
- Volver
- Les triplettes de Belleville
3 Comments
Yeah, after I saw the film for the first time I went online to read up on the real life version, and was really surprised that such a crucial element was omitted, particularly as it would have given the film an even more frightening dimension, contrasting one mother (Angelina Jolie's character) with another very different one (Sarah Louise Northcott). I'd be really interested to know why Eastwood and Straczynski made this decision, although I suppose you could argue that the film was already overloaded with twists and turns anyway.
(Posted on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 10:39 AM)
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1. FoxyMulder said:
Changeling is a fine movie but i have some major gripes with it.
If you are going to make a film based on a true story then don't omit a major detail.
For example they omitted a very major character in the film who was in fact convicted of the killing.
Gordon Northcott's mother, Sarah Louise Northcott, who committed the crimes with Gordon, and was convicted for killing Walter.
I usually don't mind things being changed for dramatic purposes but omitting the character convicted of the crime is wrong.
The Police Chief and Captain also got reinstated on appeal although i at least understand why they have a fake character saying he escaped near the end of the movie as they wanted the film to end on a hopeful note ( probably why they omitted Sarah Louise Northcott as well )
This really happened so i was annoyed they played with the facts of the case.
The case is referenced on Wikipedia. Yah Wiki isn't always right but the facts are also to be found elsewhere and it's on record Sarah Louise Northcott was convicted of the killing and for Eastwood and the film makers to omit this is just wrong.
I would be gutted if they had made a Hollywood movie about my relatives and omitted a major player who was convicted of the crime.
I know Hollywood often changes true stories but it would be nice if they could at least get the major details right.
Angelina Jolie should have won an Oscar for this film and it's a very touching and emotional piece of film making which i agree with being on your list i just wish they had kept Mrs Northcott in the film script and mentioned the Police Chief and Captain getting their jobs back just months later on appeal and oh yes don't give false hope at the end of the movie.
Many will watch this "true story" and believe the facts presented in it thus it's important the makers don't alter history ( unfortunately they did just to have an uplifting ending )
(Posted on Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 5:30 PM)