S4 E1 • Waynes World

S4 E2 • Jaws

Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is one of the most successful movies of all time. According to the author of the novel behind the movie, the story is based on a spate of shark attacks off the cost of New Jersey in 1916, which left four people dead. The savageness of the attacks dramatically altered the scientific view of Great Whites. And Jaws cemented their reputation as terrifying man-eaters. More recently however, new evidence shows that the Great White may have been unfairly blamed for the 1916 attacks. This documentary conducts new scientific tests using handwritten descriptions of the wounds of the 1916 victims. And, returning to the scenes of the attacks, it explores whether a Great White could really have come so close to land, finally revealing the identity of the real culprit.

Première diffusion : 3 mars 2011

S4 E3 • Titanic

Titanic is one of the top grossing movies of all time. Apart from the love story, most of the background events are accurate – with great attention to detail. But the culmination of a three year research project has revealed a new discovery. Another ship steamed to within five miles of the stricken liner and could have saved all aboard. Instead, on the orders of its fearful captain, it turned back, leaving the passengers to drown. Survivors of the wreck recalled seeing a “mystery ship” which refused to come to their aid. For decades the wrong man, Captain Stanley Lord of the Californian, bore the blame. Now, for the first time on television, we set the record straight, cross-referencing eye witness testimony from 1912, with Bob Ballard’s discovery of where the Titanic sank. We draw on archive footage, and present an astonishing voice recording that Captain Lord made in 1961, in which he reveals the identity of the man who abandoned the drowning passengers.

Première diffusion : 7 janvier 2011

S4 E5 • Gladiator

The historical figures who inspired the characters in the Ridley Scott film Gladiator, including Emperor Commodus, who in reality was even crueller than Joaquin Phoenix's on-screen portrayal.

Première diffusion : 21 avril 2011

S4 E6 • Jurassic Park

This documentary reveals the science behind Jurassic Park is based on rigorous scientific research and that the key character at the centre of the film is inspired by a real life individual. The vision of how dinosaurs could be bought back to life has now been shown to be impossible. But this documentary will feature recent remarkable breakthroughs in biology that would allow dinosaurs to walk again. Using cutting edge evolutionary biology, scientists are getting closer to bringing the dinosaur back to life.

Première diffusion : 18 janvier 2011

S4 E7 • Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi classic, Close Encounters of the Third Kind landed in our cinemas over thirty years ago, lifting the lid on UFO sightings and turning it into a worldwide phenomenon. Surpassing Star Wars as the biggest box office smash of 1977, it re-awakened our fascination with the eternal question- are we alone in the universe? The movie follows three central characters- Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) who develops an obsession after sighting a UFO, Jillian Guiler, a single mother whose son is abducted by aliens and Claude Lacombe, a scientist working on a secret government project to establish First Contact with the extra-terrestrials. Although it’s a work of fiction, this sci-fi fantasy - including the legendary UFO road chase scene - was in fact inspired by real people, real science and real-life witness testimonies. To ensure the film was as accurate as possible to the reported cases, Spielberg hired Dr J Allen Hynek. Widely considered to be the authority on the scientific analysis of the UFO phenomenon, Hynek came up with the UFO classification system, which Close Encounters of the Third Kind takes it title from. Originally an astronomer, Hynek was hired by the US Air Force to look into the growing number of UFO reports that arose in the late forties. As sightings became more prevalent, the US government came under pressure to set up a formal body to study the cases- its main goal was to determine if any of these sightings were a threat to the American people. Called Project Bluebook, Dr Hynek served as the organization’s scientific advisor. His role was to look into the truly inexplicable cases and try to explain them. But the more cases he looked at, the more Hynek’s position changed from firm skeptic to a believer in the unexplained. In Project Bluebook’s seventeen year history, he oversaw the investigation of over 12,000 reported sightings from all over the United States in its seventeen-year history. One of the most famous cases that Hynek investigated was the Michigan sightings of 1966. What set this case apart was the sheer number of witnesses, more than 100, including local law enforcement officers in Washtenaw County. In the film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, UFO’s speed through the skies of Indiana followed by police cars in hot pursuit. Similarly the police officers of Washtenaw County chased their UFOs, but were unable to keep up. Allen Hynek and Project Bluebook later announced to the press that the majority of lights in the Michigan sky had been generated by swamp gas. Those who believe they saw a flying craft met this theory with disgust. Close Encounters of the Third Kind – The True Story investigates the original cases that inspired the film- from the Michigan UFO chase to the first and arguably most famous case of alien abduction in the US- the Betty and Barney Hill abduction. Using the latest scientific techniques we put Hynek’s swamp gas theory to the test and explore the psychology behind alien abduction. With contributions from leading experts in theoretical physics, astronomy and nuclear science, we explore the films central themes of interstellar travel, communication, the probability of alien life and just what real world protocols are in place for establishing first contact with an extra-terrestrial civilization.

Première diffusion : 15 octobre 2012

S4 E8 • Master and Commander

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World premiered in 2003 and received 10 nominations for Academy Awards, including best picture. It was directed and co-written by celebrated Australian director Peter Weir, famous for movies The Truman Show and Dead Poets Society. The movie was drawn from the 20-volume series of seafaring novels by Patrick OBrian, following the exploits of Captain Jack Aubrey [Russell Crowe] and his close friend, surgeon Stephen Maturin [Paul Bettany]. OBrian’s novels were meticulously researched, and closely follow historical events. But in distilling 20 volumes down to a single feature the team behind the movie had to not only borrow incidents from several books, but also further bend the historical framework for creative effect. So the events of the movie are set in 1805 – when Britain fought the French – rather than 1812, when Britain was at war with the United States. As Peter Weir reveals in our film, it would have been problematic to follow OBrian’s original narrative, since it would have meant Russell Crowe, playing the part of a British captain, fighting against Americans. The studio – who came up with the $150million budget for this lavish movie – would never have allowed the hero to be pitted against the USA. Our documentary also explores the fascinating historical backdrop to naval warfare in that era. Jack Aubrey’s opponent is a French skipper in charge of a warship called the Acheron. We learn that this ship is built to a radical new design, which makes her faster and stronger than anything else on the sea. In reality, the Acheron is closely modelled on USS Constitution, one of the first warships ever constructed by the fledgling USA in 1797. Constitution was built partly from a rare timber species called ‘southern live oak’, which only grows in the Americas and is far superior to the white oak used in British ships of the time. It allowed the Constitution to carry heavier outer planking – her ‘armour plating’ – and also explains why she was faster than her rivals. Like the super ship in the movie, Constitution was invincible in combat and played a critical role in the war of 1812. Our documentary includes the first ever laboratory comparison of the strength of live oak and white oak – and we also test its ability to withstand gunfire with an original British cannon from 1812. We also reveal the degree to which the character of Jack Aubrey is based on a true historical character – the remarkable Lord Thomas Cochrane – one of the outstanding fighting captains of his day. His great great great grandson – the Earl of Dundonald – reveals in a rare interview the extraordinary similarities between the screen exploits of Russell Crowe and the real life adventures of his illustrious ancestor.

Première diffusion : 8 janvier 2013