Stanford

New “Foxcatcher” Movie Has Major Bay Area Connection

The new movie "Foxcatcher" grapples with the story of two brothers, both Olympic gold-medal wrestlers lured to a multimillionaire's estate--but only one makes it out alive.

And it is all true, with a major Bay Area connection.

Dave and Mark Schultz were top wrestlers who graduated from Palo Alto High School and went on to both win Olympic gold medals in 1984. But, sadly, Dave Schultz was murdered by mutli-millionaire John du Pont several years later.

The movie tells the story of the brothers and their lives before Dave was gunned down. Steve Carell plays the delusional du Pont .

Chris Horpel, who coaches at Gunn High School, is a former Stanford wrestling coach who worked with Dave and Mark. But he said he wished the movie had stayed true to the facts.

"They were assistant coaches at Stanford, under me, when they won their Olympic gold medals in 1984, and then the movie, there's no mention of Stanford," Horpel said.

He also said the movie had Mark and Dave's parents died. But he said they still live in the Bay Area.

He also described Dave as the Einstein of wrestling because he had such amazing technique.

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