Saturday, November 13, 2010
The 'Unstoppable' Real Life Backstory
Following up on my post yesterday (with Kenneth Turan's review), things turned out and I was able to take my two sons to "Unstoppable." This is one thriller in which the description "non-stop action" is definitely not a cliché. The viewer is totally pumped by the end, and completely satisfied. But is it really a "true story"? Actually, the movie is "inspired by actual events." Even the most faithful dramatic picture throws in a little license here and there, and it's no exception with "Unstoppable." Plot Spoiler Warning: See the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "At Times, 'Unstoppable' Goes Off Track From Reality."
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2 comments:
Well, in Hollywood, the term "inspired by" is one level below "based on," which of itself means "something that we can warp beyond all resemblance to actual events, but say it really happened for marketing purposes."
I used to be a freight conductor / engineer. I was surprised that a few things were realistic, however...
Throttle positions don't change themselves.
The deadman-safety, while dependent on the train's air brakes, also activate the loco's independent, as well as killing the generator under a set PSI of the brake line.
How did the air-hose get coupled up when they finally tied onto the rear of the run-away?
If the conductor really got his foot between the engine and car, he wouldn't have a foot.
Why did nobody try to use dynamic brakes, independent brakes fade pretty quickly at speed.
WTF is modulating power with dynamic?
Engine blocks don't overheat when pulling dynamic...
the train should have stringlined on that curve if they actually hit the brakes that hard.
while the engines could have "jumped" a facing-point switch, it's more likely that the trailing cars wouldn't have.
Diesel does not explode.
Diesel does not explode.
wtf were the cops thinking standing next to those derails? if they did really derail the train, did they want a front row seat?
to derail a train at speed, split the rail, remove a section of rail, and get the f away from the disaster area
etc etc
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