The Incredible Story of Dr Haing S. Ngor
Dr Haing S. Ngor had been so proud of his Oscar that he’d stroked the colour off of it. It was the symbol of an extraordinary man who’d survived the impossible to immortalise his name in historical film history. Histoflick sat down with the film’s director Roland Joffe to discuss his incredible story.
Houston, We Have a Prop Department
Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 put the story in front of millions who had forgotten it. The cast was stellar, the drama was real but the film’s greatest trick wasn’t spectacle. It was making a 25-year-old disaster feel urgent again. Some missions need telling twice to be understood.
How Bohemian Rhapsody Avoided Telling The Real Story About Freddie Mercury
Bohemian Rhapsody has always been a divisive film, despite its four Oscar wins it received a mixed bag reception from critics and Queen fans alike for its depiction of the seminal band and their mythic frontman. But why was this? Histoflick asks the author of two Queen biographies, Mark Blake.
“Hollywood Melted It Down”: Benjamin Mee on the Real Story Behind We Bought a Zoo
When Cameron Crowe adapted Benjamin Mee’s memoir into We Bought a Zoo (2011), years of hardship, loss and struggle were transformed into a feel-good Hollywood family drama. Mee reflects on the changes, the emotional truth that survived, and why the zoo’s greatest achievements came long after the cameras stopped rolling.
Latest.
How the Zone of Interest depicted the Holocaust through a new lens
The Zone of Interest depicts the life of Rudolf Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz, who alongside his family tries to create an idyllic setting in their villa meters away from the concentration camp. The Head of the Research Centre at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Dr Piotr Setkiewicz discusses how the depiction shed new light on the home lives of those who implemented the Holocaust.
“Hollywood Melted It Down”: Benjamin Mee on the Real Story Behind We Bought a Zoo
When Cameron Crowe adapted Benjamin Mee’s memoir into We Bought a Zoo (2011), years of hardship, loss and struggle were transformed into a feel-good Hollywood family drama. Mee reflects on the changes, the emotional truth that survived, and why the zoo’s greatest achievements came long after the cameras stopped rolling.
How Bohemian Rhapsody Avoided Telling The Real Story About Freddie Mercury
Bohemian Rhapsody has always been a divisive film, despite its four Oscar wins it received a mixed bag reception from critics and Queen fans alike for its depiction of the seminal band and their mythic frontman. But why was this? Histoflick asks the author of two Queen biographies, Mark Blake.
How Frank Miller’s ‘Superheroisms’ Distort the Reality of 300
Nearly 20 years on, classical historian Stephen Hodkinson assesses Frank Miller’s influence over the 2007 blockbuster ‘300.’ From the film’s basis on his 1998 graphic novel, to his role as executive producer, how does Miller’s interpretation of The battle of Thermopylae and Sparta compare to the historical truth?
Histo-Views.
Histo-view: Fighting With My Family (2019)
A classic Histoflick Histo-view of the film Fighting With My Family.
Histo-Views: Flamin’ Hot (2023)
In the opinion of Richard Montanez, Flamin’ Hot is incredibly accurate. The film tells the tale of how Montanez created Flamin’ Hot Cheetos as a janitor and became a top marketing executive. But how does it compare to real life? The truth is more complicated than it originally seems.
Histo-Views: Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
Josie Rourke’s Mary Queen of Scots proves that a truly accurate portrayal of the famed monarch remains elusive. While Saoirse Ronan offers a noble performance, the film sacrifices dramatic tension for tedious domestic friction, culminating in a historically fictitious meeting with Elizabeth I that prioritises Hollywood spectacle over historical truth.
Our staff picks, this week.
Three films the team can’t stop recommending.
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SS
Sophie Street · Podcast Host
We Bought a Zoo
A fun movie, based on a true-ish story — a feel-good watch for everyone.
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MA
Max Astle · Web Editor
The Big Short
It has the star power, it has the facts, it has the truth. It’s the best film of the 2010s.
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MN
Max Newman · Podcast Producer
The Greatest Beer Run Ever
It’s so funny, and it’s based on a true story. I couldn’t recommend a better watch after a long day.
New picks every other Friday.
HistoFlick:Double Bill.
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Present Day.
Tag: The True Story of a 44-Year-Long Game.
“Tag” is a story about five friends who have continued the same game of Tag since childhood. The film, starring Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, John Hamm, Lil Reg Howery, and Jake Johnson, was released in 2018 to decent reviews. However, the true story is even weirder.
Music Biopics: Hollywood’s safest bet?
Following the more recent success of “Michael”, Music biopics have taken over Hollywood. With dozens of musicians having their lives adapted into film, from Elvis to Weird Al, as well as more in the pipeline, Histoflick looks into the cultural and commercial forces driving this sudden popularity.
Heroes.
The Incredible Story of Dr Haing S. Ngor
Dr Haing S. Ngor had been so proud of his Oscar that he’d stroked the colour off of it. It was the symbol of an extraordinary man who’d survived the impossible to immortalise his name in historical film history. Histoflick sat down with the film’s director Roland Joffe to discuss his incredible story.
Houston, We Have a Prop Department
Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 put the story in front of millions who had forgotten it. The cast was stellar, the drama was real but the film’s greatest trick wasn’t spectacle. It was making a 25-year-old disaster feel urgent again. Some missions need telling twice to be understood.
Music.
A Complete Unknown: How Bob Dylan’s Biopic ‘Flattens’ His Muse
At the centre of Bob Dylan’s 2024 biopic A Complete Unknown, is the iconic singer songwriter’s relationship with girlfriend and muse Suze Rotolo. Played by Elle Fanning under the fictionalised Sylvie Russo character, Bob Dylan podcast host Laura Tenschert criticises the film for its reductive portrayal.
Edelweiss and Evasion: Where ‘The Sound of Music’ strays from the truth
The Sound of Music is one of the most beloved films ever made. But hidden beneath the singalongs and the Alpine scenery is a far darker history, one that Hollywood softened, simplified, and in places quietly glossed over. The Von Trapp story is real. How much of the rest of it is, though?
Sports.
When the Bell Rings, Hollywood Flinches
Hollywood has given us some of the most iconic fight scenes in cinema history. But according to one British MMA fighter and coach, the gap between what ends up on screen and what actually happens inside the ropes is wider than most audiences realise.
“Eye-opening”: Phil Joanou looks back on directing Gridiron Gang 20 years later
Sean Porter did the unthinkable, changing the lives of the kids in the juvenile detention centre through American football. Gridiron Gang is as close to a fairytale story as you could possibly imagine. Histoflick sat down with Phil Joanou to discuss what inspired him to take on the project, working with real inmates, and what it took to bring this story to life, 20 years after its creation.