MovieChat Forums > Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997) Discussion > The show would be great BUT...

The show would be great BUT...

posted 11 years ago by bl-telfair
18 replies | jump to latest

I never got over the way that they would never back up the "fact". It's always just some incredibly vague explanation. It kills all credibility. Even when they say its a "fact", I rarely believe them. I'm sure some are true. I even recognized some as I had heard of that particular event...but they've had some pretty out of this world segments that were said to be facts.
Example: Just watched the segment about 2 girls who are roommates. They have a date to go to a club with 2 guys. The guys show up to take them. 1 girl stares at the TV. She sees the 4 of them dying in a car wreck by way of train. She freaks out and says none of them can go because the car is going to stall out on a railroad track and a train will smash into them. She says to look at the TV..Nobody else can see anything and they say she is crazy. She convinces her roommate to stay home with her and the 2 guys go out by themselves. Later that night, the news reports that the 2 guys were killed by...you guessed it.. a train smashing into them after their car stalled out on a railroad track.
This ridiculous story was said to be "fact". The explanation was along the lines of "Fact. This event occurred in the Midwest in the 1980s." What the hell?
Seems like BS. What do you all think? Why don't they back up the "fact"? You can't say it's a short on time kind of thing. They could easily say "This is fact. It happened in (location) in the (the year) to (person(s)). Opinions?

[–] PopSixSquish 11 years ago

Every fan/viewer wishes the same thing! :/ It was one thing to want to be quick about the reveals and protect the identities of people involved in the "true" versions of the stories that weren't made up by their writers. But something more would have definitely been appreciated...a few more specific details, a direction to read the original interviews and articles that Robert Tralins collected...you pretty much have to take their word that the "Fact" stories are strongly believed to have taken place by some people somewhere, and that they didn't embellish those people's accounts toooo much. I adore the show regardless, but that it one way it could have been improved. If it were being made now, I'm sure they'd have a website providing further information.

"If you don't have anything nice to say...come sit by me!"

[–] cmashieldscapting 11 years ago

For one, they gave the Barbados coffins story as fact when it's been shown to be fiction--an urban legend making the rounds for a very long time. I also have my serious doubts about the story of Robert E. Lee's mother being placed in a coffin some 15 months before he was born. I find a lot of versions of the story, most of which have the coffin placed in a vault--their reenactment didn't get that far--but nothing really backing it up as fact.

[–] PopSixSquish 11 years ago

Barbados coffins story

Which was that?

The Robert E. Lee legend sounds like one of those that obviously wasn't officially documented as having happened, which is why we don't hear about it in history class...but the writers took it as a "Fact" because a) they didn't make it up and b) they may have figured that it wouldn't make sense for it to be a lie. Who'd have profited from inventing such a tale? Maybe they reasoned that because it was reported so many times, despite the differing details, it probably did occur one way or another. I'm just assuming. Supposedly his mom was one of those "mistaken burials" discussed in "The Horn" (the story about the death horn. Too bad she didn't have one. xD But thankfully for her--and him, heh--her husband heard her in time...assuming it actually happened!)

If you can't say anything nice about anybody...come sit by me!

[–] Chaseterrier 11 years ago

...which is why we don't hear about it in history class...

For the record, there is a lot of interesting stuff that students do not learn in history class.

[–] PopSixSquish 11 years ago

For the record, there is a lot of interesting stuff that students do not learn in history class.

This is very true, to be fair.
I was just thinking that I had a couple of neat teachers who would tend to bring up intriguing little asides such as that, if they'd heard of them. (But they didn't in this case; I only heard about it through the telly. ;)

In the interest of time, let's agree to disagree--even though I'm always right.

[–] ridgerunner72160-609-362419 9 years ago

I don't understand that one at all. How could Gen. Lee even have been conceived if his mother had died 15 months before he was born?

[–] cmashieldscapting 9 years ago

According to the (unsubstantiated) story, she was buried alive but heard calling for help and rescued. This was so common back then people sometimes ran a bell rope through a tube leading to the coffin, bell rope left in the hand of the deceased, in case they revived. Hence the expressions "dead ringer" and "saved by the bell."

[–] ridgerunner72160-609-362419 9 years ago

Wow! That is amazing. I can't imagine anything much worse than being buried alive.

[–] cmashieldscapting 9 years ago

Yeah, in some cultures they have wakes lasting up till nine days, and even then it still happens in places such as South America, anyplace where they don't have good modern tests.

[–] PopSixSquish 9 years ago

The whole "buried alive" thing was also the basis for the story about the death horn. ;) Even though that one was fictional, I like the idea of a horn better...it'd probably be louder, and the only thing worse than waking up buried alive would be waking up buried alive, with a rope no longer connected to the bell thanks to some rat chewing through it or whatever. XD

[–] alveolate 11 years ago

OMG YES.

watching the 5 stories each episode was so intriguing... but watching brolin say something snide like "did you think it was real? nope. it was false!" just makes me wanna punch the NTSC recording.

i was really hoping the internets would by now have a nice list somewhere with all the stories fact-checked -- too bad for me. how about we start one going? we can take it slowly and just post the easy ones first, build up momentum.

here's a list of the episodes from wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_Belief%3A_Fact_or_Fiction#Episode s

i found the Edwin Booth rescuing Robert Lincoln story quite easily, that being the only story from season 1 which actually featured any real names.

Season 1 (1997)
Episode 1
The Apparition, The Electric Chair, On the Road, Number One With a Bullet & Dream House
Episode 2
The Viewing, The Subway, Kid in the Closet, Justice is Served & The Tractor
Episode 3
The Prophecy, Couch Potato, Love Over the Counter, Imaginary Friend & Last Man on Earth
Episode 4
E-Mail, Cup of Joe, Secret of the Family Tomb, Wheezer & The Unknown Patient
Episode 5
Needle Point, Toy to the Rescue, Mystery Lock, The House on Baker Street & The Train https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Booth#Robert_Lincoln
Episode 6
The Candlestick, The Diner, From the Agency, The Magic Rose Garden & The Jeep

Season 2 (1998)
Episode 7
The Plane, The Gun, The Portrait, The Pass & The Caller
Episode 8
Firestation 32, The Computer, The Girl Next Door, The Wallet & The Woods
Episode 9
The Wall, The Chalkboard, The Getaway, The Prescription & Summer Camp
Episode 10 (Friday the 13th Special)
The Wrestler, The Escape, Dead Friday, Ghost Visitor & The Lady in a Black Dress
Episode 11
The Land, Titan, The Diary, Town of Remembrance & The House on Barry Avenue
Episode 12
Bright Light, Magic Mightyman, The Student, Scribbles & Count Mystery
Episode 13
The Mummy, The Perfect Record, Grave Sitting, Murder on the Second Floor & They Towed My Car
Episode 14
Kirby, Dust, Malibu Cop, A Joyful Noise & The Hooded Chair
Episode 15
Rock & Roll Ears, The Bucket, The Bridesmaid, Voice from the Grave & The Chess Game
Episode 16 (Animal Stories Special)
The Motorcycle, Blind Man's Dog, Deer Hunters, Tribal Curse & The Card Game
Episode 17 (Disaster Stories Special)
Bon Voyage, The Man in the Model T, The Scoop, Angel on Board & Buenos Dias
Episode 18 (A Touch of Evil Special)
Merry-Go-Round, Red Eyed Creature, Used Car Salesman, Surveillance Camera & Graffiti
Episode 19
The Warning, Bus Stop, The Cure, The Guardian & The Gift

Season 3 (2000)
Episode 20
Morning Sickness, The Curse of Hampton Manor, Wax Executioner, Blood Bank & Ring Toss
Episode 21
One for the Road, The Music Box, Two to One, Damsel & The Horn
Episode 22
The Find, The Golden Cue, The FBI Story, The Gravedigger's Nemesis & Last Rites
Episode 23
E-Mail, Blood Donor, Epitaph, Stitches in Time & Soldier
Episode 24 (Dream Special)
The Nightmare, The Stalker, The Impossible Car Dream, The Dresser & The Burial
Episode 25
Red Line, Two Sisters, Eclipse, The Ice Box & The Gathering
Episode 26
Connie, Positive I.D., Trucker, Cook Out & The New House
Episode 27
Creepy Comics, Louie the Dip, The Wailing, The Landlady & Curse
Episode 28
For the Record, Halloween, Precious, Get Your Kicks at Motel 66 & Phantom Drifter
Episode 29
Devil's Tattoo, Static Man, The Bloody Hand, Where Have All the Heroes Gone & War Surplus
Episode 30
Dead Beat Daddy (alias Deadbeat Dad), Ghost Town, The Sewing Machine, The Sleepwalker & Money Laundry
Episode 31
The Handyman, Anatole, Makeup Magic, Screwdriver & Charlie
Episode 32
The Dealer, Gratuity, The Cake, 1st Time Offender & The Mirror of Truth

Season 4
Episode 33
The Devil's Autograph, Mail Order Degree, The News Stand, The Murder of Roy Hennessey & Mysterious Strangers
Episode 34
Writer's Agent, Crypt Ghost, The Doll, Hubert's Curse & Shared Vision
Episode 35
Out of Service, When I Was Big, The Greedy Investor, Seven Hours of Bad Luck & The Secret of the Coins
Episode 36
Second Sight, The Fine Line, The Wrong Turn, Who Was I & You Are Next
Episode 37
House of Shadows, One Hand in the Till, Teasdale's Motor Car, The Vision & The Grave
Episode 38
The Dorm, The Child Artist, The Weatherman, Sit-Down Comedian & Room 245
Episode 39
The Wreath, Terror Night, Tants, The Candidate & The Ring
Episode 40
Caitlin's Candle, The Flower Jury, The Mentor, The Old Bike & The Music Teacher
Episode 41
The Wealthy Widow, The Witness, The Accident, Bad Dreams & Mental
Episode 42
Moonstruck Beach, Healing Hands, Aspen Sunny Side, Night Walker & Hot Car
Episode 43
The Mystery of Douglas Hibbard, Wheelchair Man, The Vigil, The Mandarin's Bowl & Ghost Writer
Episode 44
Witness to Murder, Roulette Wheel, The Phrenologist's Head, The Bridge & The Cigar Box
Episode 45
The Hand, The Battered Doll, Poker Justice, Above the Clouds & Screen Saver

[–] pantherfan99 10 years ago

I wish there were a site where one could look up the sources of the stories.
It's funny you mentioned the episode where the 2 girls who were roommates and one of them saw a premonition of them dying in a car accident in the TV screen. I was just watching that episode tonight, I have some old VHS tapes of the that I converted to DVD.
Some of the stories that are said to be fact are plausible. Like the one where the med student who was dating this girl and he had never met her father , then one night he was working as waiter when all of a sudden a man who was in the restaurant dining the guy then saved the man's life who turned out to be his GF's father whom he never met. That story is plausible , it is within the realm of possibility.

Boston and Philly love to slander us, but they don't have as many fans as us

[–] PopSixSquish 10 years ago

I've always said that it's a shame that the true stories behind the "true stories" are so difficult to track down...if they'd been REALLY thorough, they could have maintained an awesome companion website for this show to provide the additional info. I can see where it seems inappropriate to save time at the end for Brolin or Frakes to launch into a detailed description of what actually happened, and where and when and to whom, but it would be cool to find out more. I soooo wish that instead of all the trashy, fake, boring garbage that fouls up so many channels, the producers would go back to what's GOOD and INTERESTING, and either revive this show, or at least delve into the research for us.

[–] Will1988 10 years ago

Someone (I forget who) once said that all the Fiction stories are made by the Beyond Belief writers / producers, and all of the Fact stories were made up by someone else!* ha!

I'm sure some have a grain of truth, but most are far fetched at best. Plus, as a long time fan, I also agree that the whole being very vague with details is a bit annoying and missleading.

*I swore some of the stories are straight rip offs of the Twilight Zone (I can't remember anything specific right now)

[–] PopSixSquish 10 years ago

Lol.

"The Getaway" was definitely inspired by "The Hitchhiker" episode of The Twilight Zone.

[–] alouis 10 years ago

Agreed, bl-telfair. I've started watching the series from the beginning on YouTube. While they stories are compelling (and some of them outright creepy), I wish the writers produced the actual stories to support the "facts".

All the same, this is a damn good show!

There are no stupid comments, just stupid people...

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] maccionoadha-11924 9 years ago

I'm not sure which one of the graveyard/burial...etc. episodes it was, but I do know that the woman who's casket was dropped and her yelling to let her out, then she 'dies' again a few days later and the husband telling them not to drop her casket again. that one was true. Here's a quote from the book 'History Of Halifax, Massachusetts' by Guy S. Baker — 1976 — Town Historian.

Once, when visiting a neighboring town, Marshfield, my good friend and
fellow researcher, James McVicar of Braintree, and I decided to inspect the
Hatch Hill area. Being of a neighborly spirit, Mr. Hatch added a bit of levity to
our visit. When he discovered I was from Halifax, he asked, "Are you from
the Halifax where the woman died twice?"

By way of explanation he told me this story which he says is the gospel truth.
It seems that in a house on Thompson Street within sight of my home there lived
an elderly couple. The wife passed on, causing her husband to go into an apparent
state of shock. His noncommunicative state continued right up to the funeral
services for his departed spouse. The "last rites" were held in the parlor of their
home. Because of the short distance from the home to the grave, the bearers
escorting the casket carried it to the cemetery without benefit of a hearse. With
the procession in order, the ascension up the stone steps at the cemetery was
begun. But, alas, the coffin was dropped. In the hush of the astonished gather-
ing, a voice cried out, "Let me out! Let me out!" The route was hurriedly
retraced, the casket was opened and the re-instituted wife was ministered to.
She survived for only a few days, however. During this time the husband had
continued in his state of numbness. And in a few days she expired and the pro-
cession went back over the same path to the grave site. The route was the same
and it was made without incident until the marchers came directly to the stone
steps. Suddenly the husband came to life and cried, "For God's sake and for
mine, don't drop her again!" Two stones mark their dual graves.