Lists about the true stories that inspired books, films, TV, and other stories you think you know. 

What Really Happened

Weird History

The 2017 book Killers of the Flower Moon, written by David Grann, is based on his own investigations into the systematic theft and brutality committed against members of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/native-american-history-facts/setareh-janda">the Osage Nation</a>. The movie of the same name, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/every-de-niro-scorsese-movie-ranked/rylee_en">directed by Martin Scorsese</a>, is based on Grann's work and emphasizes the relationship between Mollie Burkhart and her husband, Ernest, as the conspiracy to eliminate members of her family unfolds around them.Killers of the Flower Moon offers a glimpse into a relatively unknown historical event defined by racial injustice, greed, and murder. The true crime story reveals a dark chapter in US history as land, money, oil, and love brought death and devastation to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/derogatory-native-american-tribe-names/melissa-sartore">the Osage Nation</a> during the early 20th century.&nbsp;Much of what happens in Killers of the Flower Moon defies understanding - especially from a modern vantage point. The happenings before, during, and after the events of Killers of the Flower Moon are complicated and gut-wrenching, all of which make the true story behind it that much more compelling.&nbsp;

The True Story Behind 'Killers Of The Flower Moon'

General

The True Story Behind 'Killers of the Flower Moon' And The Osage Murders

Melissa Sartore

Obviously movies embellish the truth, but you might be surprised by all the things pop culture gets wrong about countries, cultures, animals, and much more!

Pop Culture Makes Us Dumber

Tropes

British stereotypes can be found all over pop culture. But just because British tropes saturate movies and TV shows, that doesn&#39;t mean that there is much truth to them. So, where did these tropes come from, and how has pop culture shaped what people believe about Great Britain?

Most tropes - like stereotypes about villains with British accents or other British accent tropes - are just plain wrong. Some, however, may have grown from a kernel of historical truth&nbsp;but no longer reflect reality, like that common trope about British teeth.

But true or false, exaggerated or made up, these ridiculous tropes continue to shape and reflect what people imagine about British society and culture.

The Dumbest Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About The British

Dumb Things Culture Has Us Believe About The British

Setareh Janda

What is a barbarian, exactly? When you actually think about it, it&#39;s hard to pin down a definition. The term originally came from Greeks, and it referred to all&nbsp;non-Greeks. Nowadays, of course, &quot;barbarian&quot;&nbsp;refers to anything or anyone that is considered uncouth or savage. Barbarian tropes in movies and TV shows have further latched onto this idea.&nbsp;

There are the stereotypical &quot;barbarians&quot; depicted in Game of Thrones, such as&nbsp;the Wildlings and Dothraki; or in old Westerns where they portray Native Americans in a very negative light. Heck, we even have a barbarian hero in the shape of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-all-sword-and-sorcery-movies/ranker-film" target="_blank">Conan the Barbarian</a>.&nbsp;

While we can&#39;t definitively answer&nbsp;&quot;Who were the barbarians?&quot; we can poke holes in the misconceptions that are propagated&nbsp;about them in pop culture today.

14 Of The Dumbest Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About Barbarians

The Dumbest Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About Barbarians

Emily Mast

Mankind has long been captivated by the concept that alien civilizations may exist somewhere in the vastness of outer space. There is no shortage of fantastical stories that imagine what alien species may <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/types-of-aliens-from-sci-fi-shows-and-movies/brent-sprecher" target="_blank">look like</a>, talk like, or even <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/space-alien-procreation-theories/christopher-myers" target="_blank">mate like</a>. While certain particularly creative works of fiction, like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/" target="_blank">Arrival,</a> depict extraterrestrial beings as completely foreign to humanity in terms of biological makeup, phenomenology, and language, other more mainstream versions of alien life forms are very anthropomorphic and far less nuanced.

Because these alien tropes are so widespread, popular culture&rsquo;s default vision of extraterrestrials has grown into a laughable caricature of itself. Here are some of the silliest assumptions about life from other worlds from popular fiction.

14 Of The Dumbest Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About Aliens

The Dumbest Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About Aliens

Alex Mitsch

Thanks to popular&nbsp;movies, television, and&nbsp;books,&nbsp;we&#39;ve all been fed a bunch of lies about what life was actually like during the Victorian era. According to these beloved forms of entertainment, Victorians were priggish, repressed, and experienced a dozen wardrobe changes throughout the day. These&nbsp;tropes and stereotypes may make for dramatic storytelling, but they couldn&#39;t be further from the truth.

Life during the Victorian era was full of contradictions, where strict social codes compelled people to <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/what-did-people-do-for-fun-victorian-era/patrick-thornton" target="_blank">loosen up and have fun</a> on the sly. When Victorians weren&#39;t dodging pollution or epidemics, they were experimenting with new trends, beliefs, and inventions. Unlike what you see on the screen, not everyone in Victorian England was white, either.&nbsp;

12 Of The Dumbest Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About The Victorian Era

Dumb Things About The Victorian Era Pop Culture Has Us Believe

Megan Summers

Pop culture often stereotypes the United States in movies, television series, popular music, and even sports. American tropes are featured in nearly every aspect of pop culture -&nbsp;but how accurate are they really?&nbsp;Historically, many pop-culture interpretations regarding the United States aren&rsquo;t as authentic as they appear in movies and other media forms. Some tropes are as far from the truth as a person can possibly get, and are only represented as fact for the sensationalism&nbsp;they provide.&nbsp;

Most Americans aren&rsquo;t rude when they travel abroad, and not every US soldier is a mindless drone serving his country. Throughout history, various movies have played to these <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historically-inaccurate-western-movie-tropes/genevieve-carlton?ref=browse_carousel&amp;l=1&amp;pos=1" target="_blank">tropes</a> to gain a greater viewership, and they have often simplified complex history to sell their media.&nbsp;

We&rsquo;re going to delve into the dumbest US tropes pop culture has us believe about the United States and try to discern fact from fiction.&nbsp;

14 Of The Dumbest Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About The United States

The Dumbest Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About The United States

Jason F. Collins

The world is full of animal myths, thanks to movies, books, and TV. Unfortunately, children&rsquo;s misconceptions about animals can stick with them well into adulthood, when it&#39;s much harder to change their mind about every silly, scary, and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/sad-animal-facts/ashley-reign" target="_blank">sad fact they hear</a>.&nbsp;

We might think we&#39;re animal experts based on the movies we loved as kids, but those were meant to entertain, not educate.&nbsp;It&#39;s time to do some real research about animal behaviors to find out which pop culture animal facts are real and which ones are absurd. Odds are, you still believe&nbsp;most of these facts to this day.

The Dumbest Things We Believe About Animals Thanks To Pop Culture

Dumb Things We Believe About Animals Thanks To Pop Culture

Molly Weinfurter

History

Vengeful gods, gruesome Aztec sacrifice, a society on the verge of destruction: These familiar depictions of the Aztecs are all over pop culture. Films, TV shows, books, video games, and comics have shaped the way people think about <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/everyday-life-of-aztecs/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">the Aztecs</a>, for better or for worse&nbsp;- and, more often than not, these inaccurate representations are for the worse.

Who were the Aztecs? The Aztecs actually called themselves the &quot;Mexica&quot; people. They built an empire in what is modern-day Mexico, and it thrived from the 14th century. But their world came tumbling down when the Spanish, led by <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/terrible-facts-about-conquistador-hernan-cortes/setareh-janda" target="_blank">Hern&aacute;n Cort&eacute;s</a>, toppled the empire in 1521 and initiated a long, painful period of European colonization.

Though it was a compelling, complex civilization, many parts&nbsp;of Aztec life have been exaggerated, oversimplified, or altogether omitted in film, TV, games, and books. Worse, many Aztec movies don&#39;t even depict the Aztecs at all. Filmmakers and writers tend to blend together aspects from multiple pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas, resulting in a mishmash of Aztec traditions with those of the Maya of Mesoamerica, Incas of South America, and various groups from the Caribbean islands. So, even if a film is technically about the Maya or the Incas, it may incorrectly depict Aztec traditions or belief systems, and vice versa.&nbsp;

From the awkward to the ludicrous, these Aztec&nbsp;tropes prove that entertaining stories about the past aren&#39;t always good history lessons.

12 Of The Dumbest Things We Believe About The Aztecs Thanks To Pop Culture

12 Dumb Things We Believe About The Aztecs Thanks To Movies

Entertainment

Anyone who&#39;s seen a <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/heist-movies-and-films/ranker-film" target="_blank">movie</a> or TV show depict a robbery can probably think of tropes that are common in the genre. There&#39;s the unexpected team that&#39;s&nbsp;always a ragtag group of individuals with specific skills that make them invaluable. Thieves can also always find an insider to help them break in, or failing that, impersonate a bank employee or an art museum security guard and gain access that way. In the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/strongest-crews-in-heist-movies/zach-seemayer" target="_blank">classic caper story</a> structure, there&#39;s always an elaborate planning scene that lays out the plan, and it always goes wrong.&nbsp;

Obviously, movies and TV are make-believe and not always intended to be 100% factually accurate, but even given that, heist movies are particularly egregious when it comes to factual accuracy. Real-life break ins&nbsp;are far from the glamorous, deftly executed ballets that Hollywood would like us to believe. And anyone who actually pulls off a heist probably wouldn&#39;t call it a &quot;heist&quot; anyway. They&#39;d just call it a &quot;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/11/hollywood-heist-movie-oceans-8-crime-cinema-glamour-film" target="_blank">job</a>.&quot;

12 Of The Dumbest Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About Heists

12 Dumb Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About Heists

Jim Rowley

Lists about the many kinds of so-called "acts of God" and how they affect their surroundings. 

Forces Majeure

Natural Disasters

Some of the best, most beloved disaster movies and TV shows are based on events that actually happened. These real-life stories spotlight tragic incidents -&nbsp;and, in some cases, the remarkable endurance of the human spirit.&nbsp;Movies reaching further into the past - like Pompeii, In the Heart of the Sea, and Titanic (the latter being <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/titanic-background-character-details/abeswaves">chock-full of historical elements) </a>- are known for their ability to leverage the most minute historical details to transport audiences to another time. But even films about more recent disasters -&nbsp;like Deepwater Horizon and The 33 - have a duty to tell accurate stories. Whether they take place in the 200s or the 2000s, all real-life disaster films - like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-survival-movies-based-on-true-stories/ranker-film">real-life survival films</a> - must do justice to the narratives they’re telling and the lives of the people who actually lived through them.&nbsp;How well do disaster movies and TV series based on true events capture the real history? Read on, and vote up those that take accuracy the most seriously.

Disaster Movies &amp; TV Shows Based On Real Events That Get The History Right

Film

Disaster Movies With Accurate History

Cleopatra

Just as she is known by many names, Cleopatra VII of Egypt is an ancient ruler whose persona has taken myriad forms over the millennia. The Cleopatra depicted in movies is often very different&nbsp;from the Cleopatra described in&nbsp;verifiable texts and chronicles. In fact, many of Hollywood&#39;s beloved myths about the Queen of the Nile, influenced by ancient Roman propaganda about her,&nbsp;are far from historically accurate.

While the mystique surrounding Cleopatra makes for good storytelling, contemporary historians are working to debunk the fables and lore about this contentious <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/what-was-life-like-ancient-egyptian-royalty/setareh-janda" target="_blank">Egyptian royal</a> who reigned over Egypt between 52 and 31 BC. These academics are proving that most of pop culture&#39;s assertions about Cleopatra are totally dumb.&nbsp;

10 Of The Dumbest Things Pop Culture Has Us Believe About Cleopatra

Dumbest Things About Cleopatra Pop Culture Has Us Believe

People go to the movies for many reasons, sometimes for the plot but, just as often, to spend time with the characters brought memorably to life by their favorite actors. Very often, the characters who appear in films are larger-than-life, with mannerisms that seem outlandish compared to the real world.It’s often surprising to learn how even the most outlandish and strange of characters are often based, at least in part, on real-life people. Learning the fascinating stories behind such characters deepens one’s appreciation of the actor’s craft and the skills of those who imbue their on-screen selves with elements of reality.

Over-The-Top Movie Characters You Didn't Realize Are Based On Real People

Fictional Character

Thomas West

Looking closer at movies, TV shows, and even characters based on and "inspired by" reality.

Based on a True Story

Fact vs. Fiction

Whether sitting down to enjoy a horror flick, a war drama, or a family film, believing that the narrative is <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/true-story-sports-movies-anything-but-true/griffin-peters?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">based on a true story</a> somehow makes the experience all the more appealing. Witnessing “real life” events depicted on screen can give audiences the sense that their cinematic choice is entertaining as well as educating them, allowing viewers to understand events on a more personal level.&nbsp;Undoubtedly, there are many <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-movies-based-on-true-stories/ranker-film">great movies based on actual events</a>. However, filmmakers often feel the need to take creative liberties with historical narratives to make the plotlines more entertaining. While some deviations from the original stories don't detract from the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-with-historically-accurate-small-details/raelyn-giansanti">movie's accuracy</a>, others become so derailed from the historical event that they should really be considered “inspired” by events rather than “based” on them.&nbsp;Below are films that were marketed as being based on true events but really aren't. While some loosely resemble their historical equivalents, others are almost entirely fiction. &nbsp;

Movies That Were Based On The Smallest Grain Of Truth

Lauren Glen

Adaptations

History has long fascinated filmmakers and audiences alike. For the former, there's the challenge of depicting past events accurately while presenting a fresh angle that will keep people watching, even if they know the outcome in advance. For the latter, seeing real events brought to life cinematically can provide new insights into chapters of history.&nbsp;With the volume of movies Hollywood produces each year, it's no surprise that some films cover the same historical ground, making perspective a key distinguishing factor. The following sets of films deal with the same historical events or time periods in very different manners. Watching either of them individually can give you a compelling outlook on the events at the center of their stories, and watching both as a double feature will give you a more well-rounded context because of how different their takes are.

Movies That Tell The Same Historical Story From Two Different Perspectives

Mike McGranaghan

Watchworthy

With his Percy Jackson and the Olympians books, author&nbsp;Rick Riordan&nbsp;created a world that enthralled young readers with its retelling of Greek mythology in a modern, relatable setting. The books quickly surged in popularity, and fans thought that a series of movie adaptations might be as successful as the Harry Potter films - until the first two movie adaptions flopped when released in 2010 and 2013, respectively. Luckily for fans of the books, Riordan is involved with the development of a new <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/percy-jackson-disney-plus-tv-show-casting/ramya-jaishankar-1">Percy Jackson</a> TV series at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/percy-jackson-and-the-olympians-tv-series-everything-to-know/">Disney+</a> with an all-new&nbsp;cast.It remains a shame that the movies were such a disservice to the books, so take a look at some of the most important plot points left out and other significant details that were changed in the movie adaptations of The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters.

Things You Didn't Know About 'Percy Jackson' If You've Only Seen The Movies

Rebecca Williamson

Lists of sports films about players, teams, and coaches, ranked from best to worst.

Sports Movies That Score Big

Total Nerd

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/different-sports-movies/hannah-dillon">Sports movies</a> can be a steady mix of heartwarming, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/comedy-sports-movie-details/dom-mitrano">funny</a>, dramatic, and downright exciting, but often they find themselves depicting their sports completely wrong. Usually, but not always, this happens for theatrical events to unfold on the field, and oftentimes it leaves a sour taste in the mouth of true fans of whatever sport is being shown. Whether it is rules being broken or ignored, or just physical feats that aren’t even remotely possible, there are moments in sports films that are more fantastical than anything.&nbsp;Whether it be an illegal play that referees would have overturned the second it occurred or a coach making an utterly nonsensical decision mid-game, there are plenty of moments in sports films you can point at and say “This wouldn’t happen."

12 Sports Movies That Get Sports Completely Wrong

Sports Movies That Get Sports Completely Wrong

Griffin Peters

Fact vs. Fiction lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for lists and rankings in all categories