Some people go to the Movies to escape the reality that surrounds them each and every day. Others go to see the very stories they witness in their everyday lives reflected back at them.
Movies based on True Stories often capture the attention of a larger swath of film fans. We always wonder how these stories could've unfolded, or better yet, how exaggerated they are on the big screen.
Here are five movies you may not know were based on true stories.
5. 'Rocky'
The small-town boxer who made it big and shocked the world was based on a true story. The boxer, Sylvester Stallone, based his script off of was Chuck Wepner.
The former Marine challenged the great Muhammad Ali for the World Heavyweight title in 1975. He even managed to knock down Ali in the ninth round before succumbing to defeat in the final round, just like Rocky did in 1976.
4. 'The Terminal'
Tom Hanks isn't the only one who's found himself trapped in an airport terminal. The true story is based on the tale of an Iranian refugee, all the way back in 1988. Due to a lack of a passport, Mehran Karimi Nasseri found himself stuck in a Paris airport for a very long time - try 18 years! He finally left in 2006, when he was hospitalized, eventually moving to a shelter.
3. 'The Exorcist'
Even horror movies can be based on true stories. The 1973 film - inspired by a novel - draws its source material from an incident in 1949.
The boy from a Lutheran family was known by different aliases, and the true nature of whether or not he was possessed remains a mystery. Regardless, the legend passes on as one of the greatest horror templates of all time.
2. '127 Hours'
This tale is unbelievable, yet also based on a true story. In the Movie, James Franco plays a character who saws off his own arm with a dull pocket knife.
That's exactly what Aron Ralston did in 2003. He survived being trapped for five days before finally freeing himself and encountering a family who saved his life. That doesn't sound like a particularly fun experience.
1. 'The Sound of Music'
The seminal musical seems real, but believe it or not, it really is based on a true story.
There really was a von Trapp family who worked as entertainers. Their real-life financial problems stemmed from the Great Depression. Maria von Trapp went on to write a book, which begat a German movie, which began the Broadway and theatrical musical. Sometimes, real life truly is stranger than fiction - all five of these movies prove that.
