Cocaine Bear Movie True Story Explained: What Really Happened
Are you looking for Cocaine Bear movie true story explained? Although fact can be stranger than fiction, Cocaine Bear takes many liberties with the true story it is based on. Directed by Elizabeth Banks and written by Jimmy Warden, the film draws loose inspiration from actual events that took place in 1985, when a drug trafficker tossed bags of cocaine from a plane and a black bear ingested the drug, as portrayed in the action-comedy.
Cocaine Bear weaves together the tales of various individuals, including tourists, drug smugglers, forest park employees, locals, and law enforcement, all of whom encounter the black bear that consumed the cocaine. In Elizabeth Banks' graphic and humorous film, the ferocious bear will stop at nothing to get more cocaine and is willing to harm anyone who gets in her way. Although the film takes liberties with the facts, it generates a compelling narrative by portraying the bear as a victim of circumstance, as the drugs happened to land in her territory on Blood Mountain. Despite its inaccuracies, Cocaine Bear presents an entertaining fictionalized account of the real-life events.
#1. What Really Happened To The Cocaine Bear
Source: Variety
Banks' iteration of Cocaine Bear depicts the black bear consuming multiple bags of cocaine and embarking on a murderous rampage, showing no signs of slowing down, except for one brief collapse. The Cocaine Bear, despite being shot, perseveres and even survives until the end, seemingly ready to attack more park visitors. However, the actual fate of the Cocaine Bear was far from joyful. In reality, after ingesting three to four grams of cocaine, the bear succumbed to an overdose within 20 minutes.
Contrary to the portrayal in Cocaine Bear, the actual bear was a male, not a female. The bear was discovered near a duffel bag containing 75 pounds of cocaine, although it did not consume the entirety of the drugs. Upon examination, the medical examiner found that the bear's stomach was coated with cocaine, and it suffered from respiratory failure, cerebral hemorrhaging, and heart failure, among other issues. The bear was later taxidermied. In reality, the bear's life took a much less eventful turn after consuming the cocaine, compared to the dramatic story presented in Cocaine Bear.
READ MORE: How Many People Did Cocaine Bear Kill?
#2. Cocaine Bear Didn’t Actually Kill Anybody In Real Life
Source: Esquire
Although the black bear's body was discovered weeks after the cocaine dropped from the sky, there is no evidence to suggest that it killed anyone in reality. Given that the cocaine bear, nicknamed Pablo EskoBear after Pablo Escobar, overdosed shortly after ingesting the cocaine, it seems unlikely that it had the time or ability to go on a forest rampage in search of more drugs or harm anyone who crossed its path. Cocaine Bear departs from reality by presenting a different fate for the titular animal and imagines a fictionalized aftermath of its cocaine consumption. The film portrays the bear as a relentless killer, showcasing multiple attacks without showing any signs of slowing down.
READ MORE: Watch out! Here Are 23 Terrifying Culinary Crimes You Must Witness To Believe
#3. What Happened To The Rest Of The Duffel Bags?
Source: Esquire
Cocaine Bear's conclusion implies that the police were unable to locate the remaining cocaine. However, in reality, although the black bear consumed a significant portion of the drugs, hundreds of pounds of cocaine were ultimately recovered. Game rangers discovered 210 pounds of cocaine, while others found 220 pounds in various locations. The total amount of recovered cocaine was worth millions of dollars. Despite the fact that the bear had already consumed a substantial amount of the drugs, the remaining cocaine was still a significant quantity.
#4. Cocaine Bear’s Main Characters Weren't Involved In Real Life
Source: YouTube
There are no indications in reports that any of the main characters in Cocaine Bear were involved in the actual event. The only character inspired by a real person is Andrew C. Thornton, the drug smuggler who drops the cocaine from the plane, triggering the bear's drug consumption. However, the film focuses less on Thornton's role in the incident and more on the fictional characters who encounter the bear. These characters have their own motivations and often abandon them to survive the dangerous situation they find themselves in. Cocaine Bear takes creative liberties with its cast of characters, inventing their personalities and plotlines to suit the story.
#5. Who Was Andrew C. Thornton (& How Did He Really Die)?
Source: YouTube
As mentioned earlier, the person responsible for dropping the bags of cocaine from a plane was Andrew C. Thornton II, a former police officer and Drug Enforcement Administration agent turned drug smuggler. It's believed that at the time of his death, Thornton was smuggling cocaine from Colombia into Tennessee. However, due to the weight of the cargo, he decided to unload some of the cocaine from the plane. The plan was to retrieve the dropped cocaine at a later time.
It is uncertain whether the unknown cocaine distributors approved of Thornton's plan or if he had his own agenda. In any case, his plan was derailed by his death. In the movie Cocaine Bear, Thornton hits his head on the plane door before jumping out and eventually falling to his death. However, according to reports, Thornton did jump out of the plane, but his parachute failed to open as it got tangled up with the duffel bags of cocaine he was carrying.
#6. What Cocaine Bear Gets Wrong About The Drug’s Effect On The Animal
Source: YouTube
There is limited information on the effects of cocaine on bears as they have rarely been exposed to it. However, Dr. Romain Pizzi suggests that bears are generally afraid of humans and would not become addicted to cocaine quickly. Additionally, when bears are tested with strong opioids, their reactions show fear rather than aggression. While bears have attacked humans in the past, it is not their typical behavior and they tend to avoid human contact. The consumption of cocaine could potentially make bears territorial and irritable, but there is no evidence to suggest they would engage in a violent killing spree as depicted in Cocaine Bear.
#7. Where Pablo EskoBear Is Now
Source: Esquire
The Cocaine Bear, also known as Pablo EskoBear, currently has a permanent residence at the Kentucky Fun Mall in Lexington, although it had quite a journey before it ended up there. After being taxidermied, the bear was first placed at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area’s visitor center, then moved to Dalton and Las Vegas. It was even rumored to have been sold to country music singer Waylon Jennings before ultimately finding its home at the Fun Mall. Visitors and tourists can now take pictures with the infamous bear at its final resting spot.
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