The coen brothers reveal fargo is based on a true story after all. Famously, fargo is based on a true story, even though the events depicted in the film never actually happened in any way, shape, or form. Fargo is a 1996 film about an inept car salesmans attempted crime falls apart due to his and his henchmens bungling and the persistence of a pregnant police officer directed by joel coen. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as. Inspired by joel and ethan coens 1996 film of the same name, fxs fargo furthers the icy minnesota saga. I recently attended a screening of the film kumiko, the treasure hunter at the walker art center in minneapolis, minnesota.
Fargo, the tv series, premiering tuesday night on fx, begins exactly like fargo, the 1996 coen brothers film upon which it is based. Is the movie fargo actually a true story yahoo answers. It was mostly filmed on a rural stretch of interstate between fargo and minneapolis, and in a small little city off the interstate that barely looks like anyone lives there. The truth behind that fargo true story disclaimer popdust. Fargo is a 1996 black comedy thriller film written, produced and directed by joel and ethan. Fxs fargo cast, eps on film comparisons, anthology. The film went on to earn seven nominations at the 69th academy. The series premiered on april 15, 2014, on fx, and follows an anthology format, with each season set in a. The coens stuck to the story during the promotion of their film, too. Based on a true story, a car salesman in minneapolis, mn, jerry lundegard hires two criminals to kidnap his wife.
That incident was inspired by the true life murder of helle crafts in newton ct, who was murdered by her husband richard crafts in 1986. Fargo is an american black comedycrime drama anthology television series created and primarily written by noah hawley. Although the show claims to be a true story, it merely utilizes. Frances mcdormand stars as marge gunderson, a pregnant minnesota police chief investigating roadside homicides that ensue after a desperate car salesman william h. You dont have to have a true story to make a true story movie. Then it rotates its story through satire, comedy, suspense and violence, until it emerges as one of the best films ive ever seen. The movie fargo opens with this gritty opening line. Aug 24, 2017 in 1996, we were led to believe the coen brothers breakthrough film, fargo, was a true story. All the references to the coen brothers fargo in fargos. Fargo 1996 was directed by joel coen, produced by ethan coen, cowritten by the brothers, and set in the scandinavianamerican upper midwest where they grew up. Despite the fact thats its not really based on a true story the way the opening credits say darn tootin, the coen brothers grew up around the area and they did a really super job of capturing what the people are like in a. A woman met her death after believing fargo is based on a true story. Despite the disclaimer at the beginning this is a true story. Fargo made its tv debut in the same way as it did on cinema screens in 1996.
Apr 20, 2017 you dont have to have a true story to make a true story movie. The acclaimed coen brothers movie opened in 1996 by telling audiences that what theyre about to see actually happened in some form. In 1996, we were led to believe the coen brothers breakthrough film, fargo, was a true story. Mar 09, 2016 the coen brothers 1996 classic fargo is prefaced with the following text. Fargo, with its grotesque murders and cheery detectives, is a cold gem that takes us to the far north.
To watch it is to experience steadily mounting delight, as you realize the filmmakers have taken enormous risks, gotten away. Violent, quirky, and darkly funny, fargo delivers an original crime story and a wonderful performance by mcdormand. Thats why the movie precedes its parade of fakes an ersatz family man, an ersatz sherlock, hackwork masquerading as art with the false assertion that the plot is based on a true story. Apr 14, 2015 fargo made its tv debut in the same way as it did on cinema screens in 1996. A story of family, religion, hatred, oil and madness, focusing on a turnofthecentury prospector in the early days of the business. Inspired by joel and ethan coens 1996 film of the same name, fxs. Is the movie and tv show actually based on anything.
Naturally, the officers assumed takako was looking for the lost treasure. The movie starts with captioning saying that the movie was inspired by a true story. Once people start dying, the very chipper and very pregnant police chief marge gunderson frances mcdormand takes the case. I dont think many people felt honestly duped and outraged to learn fargo wasnt really a true story. He is the driver of the car that slowly passes by when buscemi is dragging. Still, it turns out fargo may be more realistic than you think.
Although the films plot is not based on a true story, the plot element of disposing of a body by a wood chipper is. The events depicted in this film took place in minnesota in 1987. Fargos true story device is a bit of narrative trickery from showrunner noah hawley that harkens back to the original 1996 film. Coen brothers confirm fargo is a true story after all, or at least based on some. Its the true story of a japanese girl who came to north dakota searching for the one million dollars she saw being hidden in the movie fargo, which itself was labeled a. Fargo 1996 the film is not actually based on a true story. Each season is a separate true crime story from that region. The coen brothers modern classic certainly has a plot that is stranger than. Mar 08, 2016 famously, fargo is based on a true story, even though the events depicted in the film never actually happened in any way, shape, or form. And just like its predecessor, the series plays fast and loose when it comes to the lets. The woodchipper murder of helle crafts is known as inspiration for the film, but the true story of someone fudging serial numbers like william h. Macys character jerry lundegaard does in the movie isnt as widely publicized and appears to be a revelation even diehard fans probably didnt know.
The movie is not true, but some like to think it is. Apr 15, 2014 fargo, the tv series, premiering tuesday night on fx, begins exactly like fargo, the 1996 coen brothers film upon which it is based. On march 8, 1996, the coen brothers unleashed fargo in limited theaters stateside. Coen brothers confirm fargo is a true story after all, or at least based. The coens wickedly inventive thriller was shot mainly around brainerd which was the original title, minnesota but as luck would have it, a particularly mild winter meant that filmmaking had to move north for snow scenes, as far as grand forks in north dakota the based on a true story myth supposedly had people descending on brainerd with shovels, eager to search for the buried cash. The comedycrime thriller put the coen brothers on the map. Jan 18, 2020 the fargo franchise claims it is based on a true story, but the movie and tv show tell stories that arent as reliable as that claim sounds. The coen brothers fargo made its tv debut in the same way as it did on cinema screens in 1996.
Gene siskel and roger ebert both ranked fargo as the best film of 1996. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred. Turns out there is a case the coen brothers drew from when writing the original 1996 movie, and it is gruesome. Fargo 1996 is a selfproclaimed homespun murder story set in the whitewashed, winter wilderness of the frozen and bleak upper midwest. True or not and the film is said to be based on a case of kidnapping in the state in 1987 fargo is the nearest thing the brothers coen have accomplished to blood simple, the popular debut. Dontcha know its been 20 years since fargo was released. The yanagita scene, then, is a sort of this is the kind. Joel and ethan coen will executive produce, with noah hawley providing the pilot script for this series loosely based on the 1996 classic.
How much of fargo is actually based on a true story. Fxs fargo cast, eps on film comparisons, anthology format, courting billy bob thornton. Macy, frances mcdormand, steve buscemi, peter stormare. Or, as we like to say, the only thing true about it is that its a story. The events depicted in this film took place in minnesota in. The coen brothers just threw that in for whatever reason. The coen brothers set up fargo tv series at fx sep 24, 2012. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Jul, 2019 today we dive into the true story of fargo. Things go terribly awry when smalltime minnesota car salesman jerry lundegaard william h. The coen brothers 1996 classic fargo is prefaced with the following text. Noah hawleys acclaimed midwestern crime anthology fargo returns to fx this week, along with my enthusiasm for saying oh. The film went on to earn seven nominations at the 69th academy awards, claiming honors for actress frances.
Joel and ethan coen will executive produce, with noah hawley providing the pilot script for. Mcdormand referred to her accent and mannerisms as minnesota nice. However, when listening to the audio commentary included on the dvd, we hear the coen brothers admit that the. In an interview with premiere in march 1996, joel is quoted saying. Fargo begins with an absolutely deadon familiarity with smalltown life in the frigid winter landscape of minnesota and north dakota. Apr 01, 2019 when it came to the movie and tv industry, people didnt really seem to care that much. Jan 19, 2017 10 movies based on true stories that were actually total lies posted on january 19, 2017 january 19, 2017 by matt wilson whenever a new movie claims to be based on a true story, it is guaranteed that the films advertising will emphasize that the events of the film actually happened in real life. Jul 26, 2014 the events depicted in this film took place in minnesota in 1987. Jan 14, 2014 fxs fargo cast, eps on film comparisons, anthology format, courting billy bob thornton.
Fargo is a 1996 black comedy thriller film written, produced and directed by joel and ethan coen. We wanted to make a movie just in the genre of a true story movie. However, things dont go according to plan and soon three people are dead outside of brainerd, mn. Heres a really super guide to fargo filming locations.
Although this season of fargo is set eight years before the film that inspired it, there are still plenty of references, allusions, and homages to the 1996 film. Furthermore, the title card that preceded the action declared, the events depicted in this. Mar 08, 2018 on march 8, 1996, the coen brothers unleashed fargo in limited theaters stateside. The region was experiencing its secondwarmest winter in 100 years. The opening title card of the film reads, the events depicted in this film took place in minnesota in 1987. The true story behind the legendary death of fargo. The true story of the true story inspired by the true.
The show is inspired by the eponymous 1996 film written and directed by the coen brothers, who are credited as executive producers on the series alongside hawley. The storyboard artist for the movie has a small role. Fxs tv series fargo starring martin freeman and billy bob. Despite the fact thats its not really based on a true story the way the opening credits say darn tootin, the coen brothers grew up around the area and they did a really super job of capturing what the people are like in a part of the country that isnt often portrayed in the movies. When it came to the movie and tv industry, people didnt really seem to care that much. The coen brothers reveal fargo is based on a true story.