The majority of us have known or been somehow related to a traumatic experience. We might tell others our stories or discuss them with our friends and family. Do we feel confident enough to tell it to a stranger? Maybe it is more personal than that.
Would we want our incident to be told to the public? Would we tell it ourselves, or let someone else tell it for us?
It is no secret that authors have been using their life experiences to make money for years. These authors have a right to tell their stories to whoever picks up their books. In some instances, even a director will pick one up and read it.
The next thing they know, they are signing contracts, selling their experiences and intellectual properties to a major film studio — green lighting it for production.
Aron Ralston, an American rock climber, wrote about his traumatic experience in 2004’s published “Between a Rock and a Hard Place.”
In this autobiography, Ralston documented canyon climbing in Utah, where his arm became pinned between a falling boulder and the canyon wall.
He was forced to decide between dying a slow death and amputating his arm with a small pocketknife, choosing the latter.
Venturing on this mountaineering trip, Ralston had not told any friends or family of his plans, leaving the possibility no one would ever find him while he was on his trip.
This is the subject of the recently released (only in some cities) film, “127 Hours,” starring James Franco as the unfortunate rock climber.
He shared his story with readers everywhere, as well as becoming a public speaker. And he is about to share it with movie-goers all over the country.
The question is, how much of his real life experience is actually in the movie? And how much has been added?
Even in the case of the 2009 award-winning film “The Blind Side,” the truth was changed a bit to make it more appealing to audiences.
It is understandable that film studios change things. It is their job to make money off of these stories, to convert them from letters on a small page to motion on a big screen.
However, I have had a traumatic experience. I would rather not discuss it in a newspaper, let alone write a book about it. And I would definitely not sell it to a major film company, especially since I am aware that a motion picture labeled “inspiring true story” is not always fact.
It takes time to open up about these things. It takes time to share them with others. And I am positive it takes quite a bit of time passing to relive your experience by watching it performed by a Hollywood actor.
I cannot even imagine what it would be like to go to the premier of a movie based on my life, chit chatting with the person who plays me.
I would bet the actors feel the pressure.
The million dollar question is, after all: would you rather see the truth or Hollywood’s version of the truth?
I know I would rather see fact, but perhaps the honest truth is too graphic for us. Then again, how many times has Hollywood added unnecessary sex into the picture? I’ve lost count.
Becca Horton is a freshman majoring in communication. She can be contacted at [email protected].