Real Story Of…
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Thursday, June 27

Serpico

In 1970 the New York City Police Department was rocked by the allegations of corruption made by one ordinary patrolman, Frank Serpico. The 1973 Hollywood movie Serpico starring Al Pacino immortalises Frank’s ten-year battle to hold the police force accountable. He was finally vindicated when a New York Times article exposed his story of widespread police corruption and initiated an independent investigation, the Knapp Commission. It is here that the movie ends, with Frank a mythical hero cop. But the fight against corruption came at a heavy price for Frank Serpico as he suffered intense mental trauma from a revenge attempt on his life. Forced to flee his country to live in exile in Europe for over twenty years , Frank lived as a recluse until new claims of NYPD corruption forced him out of the shadows in the late 1990s. This is the real story of the man behind the movie myth. Show Less
In 1970 the New York City Police Department was rocked by the allegations of corruption made by one ordinary patrolman, Frank Serpico....Show More

Friday, June 28

Serpico

In 1970 the New York City Police Department was rocked by the allegations of corruption made by one ordinary patrolman, Frank Serpico. The 1973 Hollywood movie Serpico starring Al Pacino immortalises Frank’s ten-year battle to hold the police force accountable. He was finally vindicated when a New York Times article exposed his story of widespread police corruption and initiated an independent investigation, the Knapp Commission. It is here that the movie ends, with Frank a mythical hero cop. But the fight against corruption came at a heavy price for Frank Serpico as he suffered intense mental trauma from a revenge attempt on his life. Forced to flee his country to live in exile in Europe for over twenty years , Frank lived as a recluse until new claims of NYPD corruption forced him out of the shadows in the late 1990s. This is the real story of the man behind the movie myth. Show Less
In 1970 the New York City Police Department was rocked by the allegations of corruption made by one ordinary patrolman, Frank Serpico....Show More

Monday, July 01

Donnie Brasco

Starring Johnny Depp, Donnie Brasco is one the most critically acclaimed gangster films ever made. But the real story is even more remarkable than the film. Special agent Joe Pistone reveals the truth about his six years undercover in the New York Mafia. Show Less
Starring Johnny Depp, Donnie Brasco is one the most critically acclaimed gangster films ever made. But the real story is even more rem...Show More

Friday, July 05

All Eyez on Me

Born to a Black Panther mother, Tupac Shakur’s childhood was steeped in revolution and social injustice. Scarred by poverty and intimidation by the FBI, Tupac found an escape in acting and a love of Shakespeare. The coupling of words and rhythm with a burning message saw rap inevitably become his platform. But his belief in the need to live the life of those he represented saw him trapped in his role as a gangsta. It was a role that he played so well he was eventually killed in a drive-by shooting in 1996. This episode features exclusive interviews with close friends, including his former theatre guru Donald Hicken. Show Less
Born to a Black Panther mother, Tupac Shakur’s childhood was steeped in revolution and social injustice. Scarred by poverty and inti...Show More

Zero Dark Thirty

The 2012 film directed by Kathryn Bigelow about the killing of Osama bin Laden. Various critical elements in the film were later disputed; like the effectiveness of the water boarding and the use of classified information, and also the way in which Osama bin Laden was killed. The CIA agent, Maya, is made up – although it is true that most of the team hunting bin Laden were women. There is also a controversy about how bin Laden was found. The film says it was by tracing a courier – but journalist Seymour Hersch says that it was because there was a tip off from a Pakistani intelligence officer. No DNA from bin Laden, nor photos of him dead, have ever been released. Some reports say that half his skull was blown off. Again this was neither in the official version nor the movie. Show Less
The 2012 film directed by Kathryn Bigelow about the killing of Osama bin Laden. Various critical elements in the film were later dispu...Show More

American Sniper

The movie ‘American Sniper’ tells the tale of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. history, but is this version really an accurate portrait? The truth is that Kyle is a more controversial and complex character than anything seen in the movie. Show Less
The movie ‘American Sniper’ tells the tale of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. history, but is this version re...Show More

Boston Strangler

When a string of women are found raped and strangled in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, Police Detective Phil DiNatale launches a major homicide investigation. The killer leaves a macabre calling card – a giant bow wrapped around the victim’s neck. Hollywood dramatized the investigation in, The Boston Strangler, and the film ends with the killer, Tony Curtis, held in an asylum. But in the real story, the murders were never officially solved and Phil DiNatale died among accusations that he caught the wrong man. 50 years after the Strangler Murders, modern-day forensics finally vindicates him. Show Less
When a string of women are found raped and strangled in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, Police Detective Phil DiNatale launches a ma...Show More

American Gangster

It’s the story of the rise of a small-time Harlem crook to African American drug baron. American Gangster tells the story of Frank Lucas - the first Harlem gangster to turn the tables on the mafia by creating a heroin network responsible for a statewide epidemic. But Hollywood got the wrong guy. The new supply-network was the brainchild of an ex-Army sergeant, smuggling huge quantities from South East Asia into the United States. In reality - Ike Atkinson was untouchable until Frank Lucas exacts revenge and brings him down. Ike Atkinson is the Real Story of American Gangster. Show Less
It’s the story of the rise of a small-time Harlem crook to African American drug baron. American Gangster tells the story of Frank L...Show More

Goodfellas

Martin Scorsese’s film about the New York mafia is considered one of the greatest gangster movies of all time. It is based on a book by Nicholas Pileggi, called Wiseguy. Based on the life story of Henry Hill it features the Lufthansa heist at JFK where $6 million in cash and jewellery was stolen in 1978. The movie claims that Hill went clean from 1987, after having his identity changed as part of the witness protection programme. But he didn’t – as he was arrested for narcotics offences right up to his death in 2012. However he had a parallel career as chef and a cookbook writer and was a regular guest on the Howard Stern show. Show Less
Martin Scorsese’s film about the New York mafia is considered one of the greatest gangster movies of all time. It is based on a book...Show More

Saturday, July 06

Zodiac

Zodiac is a 2007 film about the Zodiac series killings in San Francisco in 1969. They remain unsolved. The film follows the real life research of cartoonist Robert Graysmith, who became obsessed with the murderer, as he could decode some of his letters. Graysmith became convinced that the murderer was Arthur Leigh Allen. However the evidence against him was inconclusive. The final letter form Zodiac was sent in 1974. There have been no more Zodiac killings. Robert Graysmith stopped being a cartoonist and became a successful crime writer. So who was Zodiac? This film looks at the mystery. Show Less
Zodiac is a 2007 film about the Zodiac series killings in San Francisco in 1969. They remain unsolved. The film follows the real life ...Show More

About Real Story Of…

This series unpicks fact from fiction with interviews from the real people behind these extraordinary events. Each story is brought to life with enthralling dramatic reconstruction and archive footage of the actual events. What really happened is more intriguing, more thrilling and more revealing than the fiction.