That's Not How It Went Down

"Are you paying attention? Good". Whilst our computational skills might not quite be up to the standard of, say, Alan Turing our ability to weed out the fiction from the facts is no secret. But given the undeniable critical praise for 2014's Turing biopic, "The Imitation Game", arguably Benedict Cumberbatch's breakthrough cinematic role, can it really be said that the story of the men and women behind Britain's codebreaking triumphs in WW2 has been told accurately - or in this case is imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Were Turing and his colleagues the first to crack Enigma? Was Alan fired from Bletchley Park? And was his first computer really called Christopher?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Much like a year ago, the temptation to bend a holiday classic towards our rules forces us to meet it halfway. Whilst exploring the initial nucleus for these festive mainstays gives us something to talk about, it's when we explore stories that may have even been inspired by the exploits of Harry and Marv, or anecdotes that bear an uncanny similarity to Kevin's situation that we can really indulge. Join us in this bonus episode of That's Not How It Went Down as we expand the brief to speculate on where the truths might lie... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the festive season upon us once again it seemed fitting to not just look into the veracity of a classic Yuletide movie, but perhaps even the very origins of our modern Christmas itself. There are very few amongst us who won't be aware of the source material for lines such as "Bah! Humbug!" and "God bless us, every one!" but when a movie was produced in 2017 exploring the genesis of Dickens' enduring festive fairytale it seemed ripe material to discuss just how much truth there was on this Victorian journey of self-discovery. Was Marley a venerable waiter at Dickens' club? Was Dickens' father really sent to debtors prison? And was there a real Ebenezer Scrooge?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He may admit to having a slight fear of the ocean, but that didn't stop Ron Howard tackling the huge budget and epic story that is said to have inspired Herman Melville's Moby Dick. For the 'thalassaphobic' (sic) among us, this film is a challenging watch - and for those that struggle hearing inconsistent accents, this film is a challenging watch. But putting aside petty grievances, pursuing the truth in the vast ocean of Hollywood surrounding such a classic novel is too good to miss. Was there a white whale? Should Chase have been captain? And seriously, some of these accents... Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Listen to the ground. There is movement all around. There is something goin' down and I can feel it". The iconic opening lyrics to The Bee Gees smash hit, "Night Fever", hint at something of a cultural revolution. With vast swathes of America's youth feeling increasingly hopeless by the end of the 1970s, disco dancing on a Saturday night became a surefire outlet where under the thumb young people could shine. With producers on the hunt for a vehicle for their up-and-coming new star, John Travolta, an article in New York magazine about Brooklyn down and outs cutting loose at the weekend seemed like the perfect jumping off point. But just how truthful was this so-called "honest" account? Did Tony really work in a paint store? Were The Faces at war with a Puerto Rican gang? And was 2001 Odyssey a real club?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.