10 Shockingly Tasteless Movies Based On Real Disasters

6. The Perfect Storm

The Perfect Storm While few will argue that The Perfect Storm isn't a well made film, it has been rather controversial, much like Sebastian Junger's novel of the same name. The factual errors associated with the source material - incorrectly spelled names, failure to interview important subjects for the account etc - of course transpire through to this movie, but what's more troubling is the insensitive approach of the filmmakers to not respect the wishes of the real victim's families. The majority of the crew's names were retained from reality, causing some of the families to sue the producers, as permission was not asked to do so. The court nevertheless upheld the filmmakers' rights, and affirmed this upon appeal, though it nevertheless makes the filmmakers look crass and keen only to make money. Why would you not consult with the families on such a delicate issue? If they don't want their names used, it's best to respect that; changing the name does nothing to hurt the film.
Contributor
Contributor

Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.