That's Not How It Went Down

The collection of animated movies that are "based on a true story" is perhaps unsurprisingly thin. Having already tackled several of these on our investigative journey through film so far a common theme has occurred: stories with much darker origins finding themselves rewritten and revised to suit the preferences of modern audiences - as well as their offspring. And so it would appear with 1997's NOT Disney musical animation, "Anastasia" - the magical story of a missing princess who manages to rediscover her regal roots on a journey to the past. But as with those movies alluded to above, a dark secret is lurking behind this family-friendly tale, and the reappearance of a missing princess may not quite be as honest as it first seems. Have you heard?! There's a rumour in St Petersburg... but was it true? Why was the Tsar ousted from his position in Russia? Was Anastasia able to escape the Winter Palace with her grandmother? And did Rasputin really rise from the frozen river to seek revenge on the Romanovs?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down!

Bonjour et bienvenue dans That's Not How It Went Down. We will be your maître d's and for your aperitif today we will perusing the 2009 comedy biopic "Julie & Julia". Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with the film before we get to the meat and bones of the episode. You can choose between the menus of renowned television cook - the French Chef herself - Julia Child, or the up and coming young talent from New York City, blogger and avid recipe-follower, Julie Powell. In the meantime, relax and unwind as we dissect your meal being careful to remove any faux pas the director may have left behind. Bon appétit! Why did Julie choose to cook all 524 of Julia Child's recipes? Did it really take 12 years for Julia to write her first book? And did Eric really eat like such a pig?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down!

Some actors were born to play certain roles, but perhaps it's a bit of a shame if that role happens to be one of the worst dictators in human history. At least in Forest Whitaker's case, the performance bagged him some serious accolades. Standing opposite Whitaker was the fresh faced James McAvoy, playing a man increasingly out of his depth in Idi Amin's turbulent, bloody reign of Uganda. Based on a 'semi-fictionalised' book, it would be easy to assume many sequences from this film are the conjurings of a well-researched writer, but even the characters and moments that are confirmed somewhat as fiction, have an unfortunate link to fact. How did Idi Amin get into power? What were his most brutal acts? And how deep does his obsession with Scotland go?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down!

On your marks, get set... TRUTH! In this episode we're passing the baton to perhaps the most iconic British sports film of all. Turning the lives and times of two of Britain's most fabled Olympians into an award-winning movie was always going to be a high bar to clear with plenty of hurdles along the way, but with Chariots of Fire taking the USA by storm it found its way to the top of the podium to achieve Oscars immortality in 1982. Nevertheless, one has to wonder whether the filmmakers, in relaying the facts, made it to the finishing tape in one piece or if they just got off to a false start. Did Harold Abrahams complete the Great Court Run? Did Eric Liddell really refuse to run on a Sunday? And is that man at the back Stephen Fry?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down!

"YES! Say it a million times. Then say it a million more. And the word you will have said two million times is...?" Saying 'yes' isn't always as easy as it might seem. But for a man who has previously played someone unable to tell a lie you might feel as though answering solely in the affirmative would be bit of a step down. Although the obligation of Fletcher Reede is entirely fictitious, the predicament of "Yes Man"'s Carl Allen actually finds its roots in historical fact. What began as an experiment in personal growth by a down-and-out radio producer very quickly evolved into a life-changing experience for not just one person but a whole host of yes-people across the world. But did the filmmakers of the 2008 movie adaptation really say "yes" when it came to historical accuracy? Was Carl really such a terrible friend? Was he indoctrinated into the cult of "Yes"? And what is so great about Lincoln, Nebraska?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down!

After minor roles in Black Hawk Down, Layer Cake and RocknRolla, Tom Hardy made his biggest entrance to audiences when he beefed up for the role of Britain's most violent inmate. It's now hard to imagine anyone else in the role, but even though it launched his now stellar career, it arguably remains his most outlandish performance. But there is surely no other way to play a man who has lived almost his entire adult life in conditions and circumstances most of us would not want to spend a second in. And since so many of the stories from inside the prison system are under lock and key, it's the inmate we have to rely on when sifting through the facts. What made Michael Peterson so violent? How was he ever released? And how many times can one prisoner climb onto the prisom roof without being stopped?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down!

What's your favourite scary movie? If it happens to be 1996's revival slasher horror, "Scream", then stick around because you just might be scared witless. Small-town America is something many of us film buffs would have grown up imagining and idolising. A paradise of charming neighbourhoods and family-filled streets. But what if the place you perceived to be the safest in the world was suddenly plunged into darkness in the midst of some of the worst crimes imaginable? That was the reality for the residents of Gainesville, Florida in 1990 just as students were preparing to return to college after summer break. What followed were 4 days of terror that led to the birth of an anonymous madman on the loose and students barricading themselves in their dorms for fear of becoming the next victim. Ready to hide behind that sofa? Was there really a masked killer targeting students? Did Sidney manage to escape? And were the authorities really this inept at catching the killer?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down!

Archaeology is the search for fact, as is the goal of this podcast. But facts can be hard to come by when dealing with something as genuinely legendary as the Holy Grail. The true magic of the best Indiana Jones moments, lies in the historical half-truths that resonate with us, whether we are believers or not in the faith they are attributed to. After unearthing some fascinating parallels in stories that may have inspired the film that kicked off this franchise, surely we would find similar origins here. After all, we do find ourselves in very similar circumstances against the backdrop of the Nazi's rise to power. Who was the real grail hunter of the time? Where was the grail located? And does anyone here speak English?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down!