BOYS DON’T CRY versus THE TEENA BRANDON STORY
BOYS DON’T CRY versus THE TEENA BRANDON STORY I have chosen to write about the difference between fact and fiction between a documentary and a docudrama. Between how important getting information out to the public and what sells to the viewing public for entertainment. I would like to state that I feel quite fortunate that I watched the documentary, “The Teena Brandon Story”, first then I watched the movie, “Boys Don’t Cry”. I had viewed the movie years ago; I had heard that this movie was a true story based on fact from the documentary. In my second viewing from an analytical standpoint, let me just say I was quite floored about how could they call, “Boys Don’t Cry” a docudrama when there were so many important facts that were excluded from this film. Both film and documentary did receive Academy Awards. “The Teena Brandon Story,” is a documentary about Brandon Teena (aka Teena Ray Brandon), a transgendered person, who was murdered along with Lisa Lambert and Phillip Devine in 1993 in Falls City, Nebraska. The story is told through interviews with the people who loved and hated Brandon for his difference. Recorded interrogation and trial transcripts, all of which showed that Brandon’s girlfriends thought he was a male. All talked about how he was the best boyfriend and so in tune with their feelings and so giving. Brandon Teena’s police tape, photographs, and file film footage. “Boys Don’t Cry”, is a film based on actual events. Brandon Teena is the popular new guy in a tiny Nebraska town called Falls City. He hangs out with the guys, drinking, cussing, bumper surfing, and becomes quite the ladies’ man in town. He has been warned by his cousin that “they” do not play like that down there. Brandon ignores the warning and becomes one of the guys and dating the local hometown beauty. He has forgotten to mention that he is wanted in his hometown of Lincoln for forgery, grand theft auto, stealing and most importantly that Brandon Teena was actually