The True Story

The True Story looks at the real lives and true stories behind Hollywood blockbusters and this episode examines the Sci-Fi phenomenon and most successful franchise in history – Star Trek. Since the original motion picture premier in 1979 Star Trek has boldly gone onto produce multiple TV series, 11 further films and can boast the most loyal and passionate fanbase in the world. The origins of this multi-billion dollar business can be traced back to one man - LA cop, Gene Roddenberry. As the world of television blossomed in the 1950’s, Roddenberry began to write scripts for police dramas in his spare time. Until one day he came up with a ground-breaking new idea – Star Trek. The original motion picture is set in the twenty-third century when a powerful alien machine called Vger approaches Earth destroying everything in its path. The last possible chance to save the planet is Admiral James T Kirk at the helm of the USS Enterprise. Using impressive special effects it was what legions of Trekkies/Treckers were waiting for. The True Story, through key interviews with Herb Solow, the producer of the Star Trek TV series, Roddenberry’s son, Rod, and Mr Spock himself - Leonard Nimoy charts Roddenberry’s meteoric rise to fame and the lengths he would go to keep his series on air. Star Trek didn’t only delight Trekkies, but also went on to inspire the scientific world and NASA scientists to recreate as in reality what they had seen in on screen in Star Trek. Investigating Star Trek’s use of antimatter we reveal how one of the world’s most expensive physics experiment at CERN Switzerland is trapping the most explosive substance on the planet. In further scientific examples of Roddenberry’s vision, scientists have gone on to develop the first scientific principles of teleportation, the replication of human organs by 3D printers and the creation of artificial intelligence androids.

The True Story looks at the real lives and true stories behind Hollywood blockbusters and this episode examines Oliver Stone’s Oscar-winning war movie, Platoon. Platoon hit the silver screen in 1986 on a small budget with a cast of then unknown actors but gained worldwide acclaim for its gritty portrayal of the horrors of the Vietnam War. Oliver Stone wanted Platoon to be the most realistic war movie of all time and it was based on his own experiences as a solider in the conflict. But how much of it was real and how much was adapted for Hollywood fiction? Platoon tells the story of idealistic new recruit Chris Taylor (played by Charlie Sheen) as he embarks on his first tour of duty in the deadly, booby-trapped jungles of Vietnam. The movie sees Taylor’s patriotism crumble within days of joining a platoon of demoralized and battle weary soldiers as they fight a losing battle in one of the most controversial conflicts of the 20th Century. Interviewing the movie’s legendary writer and director, Oliver Stone, we discover the true story behind Platoon, uncovering the real life events behind the movie and revealing the identities of the soldiers Stone fought alongside, who he would later immortalize on the big screen. As well as also hearing from Vietnam veteran and former marine, Dale Dye, who Oliver Stone drafted in to be the film’s military adviser and learn just what the young actors were put through during a gruelling two week boot camp before filming began. Historian Fabian Hilfrich also heads to the Vietnamese jungle where Stone was posted in 1967 to discover the real conditions the troops faced, the deadly booby traps that lay hidden all around and investigates the Viet Cong’s Deadly network of underground tunnels that feature prominently in one of the movies tensest scenes. We also dissect Platoon’s climatic battle scene where US Troops bomb their own base in a desperate attempt to fend off an ambush. It was textbook Hollywood jeopar

The True Story looks at the real lives and true stories behind Hollywood blockbusters and this episode looks at Ron Howard’s controversial box office hit The Da Vinci Code. The film adaptation of the best-selling novel by Dan Brown sees Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) caught up in a two thousand year old battle between a mysterious secret society and the orthodox church to suppress the greatest secret in history: The true nature and final resting place of the Holy Grail. The Da Vinci Code follows Langdon’s attempt to solve a series of puzzles and codes left behind by great renaissance artist Leonardo Da Vinci. Hidden in one of his greatest masterpieces are clues to the true nature of the Holy Grail – clues Langdon must decipher to lead him to the shocking truth. The film enthralled and enraged audiences in equal measure due its assertion that Jesus had a sexual relationship with Mary Magdalene, leading Catholics to call for a boycott on the film altogether. The film’s creator however, stood by his research and claims that 99% of the film was true. So what is the truth? Brand new historical evidence and investigations show how the film’s plot was based on real organizations and events. Princeton University Professor of Religion Elaine Pagels and Reverend Robin Griffiths Jones, a leading theologian lead us through the evidence - 3rd century Coptic texts that are forcing the Vatican to reconsider Mary Magdalene’s role in the early church. We investigate the resting place of the Holy Grail, the ancient carved Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland where analysis reveals that it does contain cryptic messages and hidden chambers. Also Leonardo da Vinci expert Mario Taddei and leading art restorer Cecilia Frosinini examine da Vinci’s The Last Supper to see if there really are any intentional coded references to Mary Magdalene. You have your opinion on The Da Vinci Code, now find out the true story.

The True Story looks at the real lives and true stories behind Hollywood blockbusters and this episode examines the real life inspiration behind Bruce Willis adventure thriller Die Hard 4.0. The much anticipated fourth instalment of the Die Hard franchise sees a slightly aged - but just as capable New York Cop John McClane (Willis) take on the sophisticated cyber-criminal mastermind Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant). Gabriel holds the United States to ransom as he wreaks havoc by shutting down the country remotely via the internet and only McClane can stop him. The True Story examines how likely large scale cyber terrorism actually is and what steps are being taken to stop it. In Die Hard 4.0 the cyber-attack is codenamed ‘Fire Sale’ – a term now actually being used among hacker communities. Are we really living in a world where a teenager can infiltrate and shut down an airport from their bedroom? Or where criminal gangs can rob a nation-wide chain of banks with the click of a mouse? As well as in depth interviews with former FBI agents, journalists, and the crew behind the movie we also delve into the world of hackers, speaking to some of the most notorious in the world to find out if they really are arch criminals or simply bored geeks wanting to cause some trouble – and in the end which is harder to combat. Historian Fabian Hilfrich also heads to the Vietnamese jungle where Stone was posted in 1967 to discover the real conditions the troops faced, the deadly booby traps that lay hidden all around and investigates the Viet Cong’s Deadly network of underground tunnels that feature prominently in one of the movies tensest scenes. We also dissect Platoon’s climatic battle scene where US Troops bomb their own base in a desperate attempt to fend off an ambush. It was textbook Hollywood jeopardy, but it’s based on an actual event. We reunite Stone’s comrades who served alongside him that fearsome night, hearing from the man who ordere

The True Story is a documentary series revealing the real-life events that inspired some of Hollywood’s most famous blockbusters this episode looks at the real story behind modern horror classic Scream. Slasher film Scream, released in 1996 went on to spawn one of the most successful horror franchises in film history taking in in excess of 400 million dollars in the United States alone. The sadistic killer and his iconic mask have entertained and terrified audiences around the world. With Nightmare on Elm Street director Wes craven at the helm, the first Scream film is credited with revitalizing the horror genre. Scream blended slasher violence with murder mystery and it played on the stereotypes and conventions of classic horror films breathing new life into the genre. Although the plot of the masked, small town serial killer targeting high-school students and picking them off one-by one may seem like pure Hollywood fiction it was partly inspired by true events and a real masked murderer who terrified students in a small town. In 1990, serial killer 36- year old Danny Harold Rolling, stalked, tortured and murdered five young students in Gainsville, Florida. The murders triggered a student exodus, mass panic and the largest manhunt in Florida’s history. The killer was even dubbed the Gainesillve Ripper. The True Story explores the real life case of the masked killer charting the trials and tribulations of the full year long investigation. Including missed evidence, the wrongful arrest of an innocent scarred schizophrenic man and also how the forensic team finally pieced together the killer’s methodology using a key piece of evidence. Through first hand witnesses, homicide investigators and forensic scientists we tell the story behind the story and prove that sometimes reality can be just as terrifying as the movies.