"Last Word on the JFK Assassination" at UNLV

[Jim Hargrove]

Last night, the University of Nevada Las Vegas hosted a screening of James Barbour's terrific new film on Jim Garrison with a follow-up discussion by prominent researchers. The event was beautifully webcast by UNLV-TV; Barbour's film was streamed in high-definition, just like watching cable tv.

The follow-up discussion was led by Barbour, Jim Marrs, Dick Russell, and Joan Mellen. John Armstrong was in the audience and was asked to speak by Ms. Mellen.

The highlight of the evening, however, was Barbour's wonderful new film on Garrison. Much of the ground it covered will already be familiar to people here, but it was done in such a clear and professional way it may rival Oliver Stone's version in its persuasive power, though it was clearly more of a documentary than a theatrical production. I'm hoping a this coverage will be made available on demand.

Jim

[Albert Doyle]

That isn't too far from DiEugenio. Too bad he wasn't there.

[James Norwood]

Jim,

I watched the streamed film-interview event last evening, but I do not believe that The Jim Garrison Tapes is a "new" film. This film was released in the early 1990s shortly after Oliver Stone's JFK.

In a director's cut version of JFK released around the year 2000, the DVD package includes The Jim Garrison Tapes, as well as a short film on the ARRB, which is narrated by Jim DiEugenio. In the screening last evening, John Barbour provided the narration to the film. But as far as I can tell, that was the only feature that was "new," unless he added some additional footage.

Also, in the blog accompanying the film, the UNLV technical staff indicated that the film and panelists' comments will be available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes.

Still, I agree with you that the panelists' remarks were enlightening and well worth the time. It is simply outrageous that these five outstanding writers/researchers/filmmakers (John Barbour, Jim Marrs, Joan Mellen, Dick Russell, and John Armstrong) were not featured promiently in the the mainstream documentaries fed to the American public at the time of the 50th anniversary.

Finally, I have a question for you. In the audience of last evening's event, there was a man who identified himself as "Jan," who claimed to be a Marine buddy of Oswald's. What do you make of this fellow? I did not recognize the name of "Jan" as any of the known Marine cohorts of Oswald.



James

[Jim Hargrove]

Jim,

Finally, I have a question for you. In the audience of last evening's event, there was a man who identified himself as "Jan," who claimed to be a Marine buddy of Oswald's. What do you make of this fellow? I did not recognize the name of "Jan" as any of the known Marine cohorts of Oswald.

James

Hi, James,

There were two people in the audience who kind of forced their ways into the discussion at the show. One was the "Jan" fellow you referred to, who said something like, "I'm ninety percent certain it was Oswald acting alone," and the other demanded an explanation for why "many" people pointed up to the so-called "sniper's nest" right after the shooting. Both seemed suspicious to me. I'll ask John for his take on it.

Your comments about the age of the Garrison film are news to me. Interesting....

Jim

[Jim DiEugenio]

Yes, that documentary is quite old.

It was for sale in the early nineties. And i saw a screening of it in a Hollywood theater at that time.

Since then it has been available online.

And I don't think Barbour's narration is new either.

Sounds like a couple of ringers were in the audience.

[James Norwood]

Jim,

Yes, the small audience included a couple of screwballs, as described above by Jim Hargrove.

But I was saddened to see that the small gathering was almost exclusively senior citizens. While there was one high school student (age 18) who asked a perceptive question ("Why was JFK assassinated in broad daylight?"), there were no young people in the audience.

This event took place on the campus of a major American university, and it included four of our outstanding researchers on the JFK assassination. Yet, the UNLV student body apparently took no interest in attending the film screening or the discussion. Setting aside the obvious distractions on a Friday night in Las Vegas, the obvious conclusion is that the JFK assassination is not being discussed in the curriculum in higher education today.

In my opinion, this is a tragedy.


James


P.S. I also followed closely the blog occurring simultaneously with the conference. As these free-wheeling blogs go with people writing under pseudonyms, I was impressed with a number of the commentators who truly appreciated the contributions of the panelists.

[Jim Hargrove]

Yes, that documentary is quite old.

It was for sale in the early nineties. And i saw a screening of it in a Hollywood theater at that time.

Since then it has been available online.

And I don't think Barbour's narration is new either.

Sounds like a couple of ringers were in the audience.

Interesting, isn't it, that 50 years later apologists for the murderous assholes still have to sing for their supper. A small victory for our side.

Jim

[Jim Hargrove]

But I was saddened to see that the small gathering was almost exclusively senior citizens. While there was one high school student (age 18) who asked a perceptive question ("Why was JFK assassinated in broad daylight?"), there were no young people in the audience.

Twenty years ago or so, I spent three or four hours on the telephone with the actor Martin Sheen. I was interviewing him for a book I was writing about him for high school and junior high school students. Several hours into the talk, we started discussing his famous role in the movie Apocalypse Now. I said something like, "Isn't it a shame President Kennedy didn't live to see his order to remove military 'advisers' from Vietnam by the end of 1964, and isn't it a shame that so few Americans today know what he tried to do?"

Sheen answered, "You know, Jim, I've always felt that as long as you could convince one single person about the truth, there is always hope."

Sounds right to me.

JIm

[Jim Hargrove]

Jim,
Finally, I have a question for you. In the audience of last evening's event, there was a man who identified himself as "Jan," who claimed to be a Marine buddy of Oswald's. What do you make of this fellow? I did not recognize the name of "Jan" as any of the known Marine cohorts of Oswald.
James

John Armstrong, who studied all of both Oswalds' USMC "buddies," said he never heard of a "Jan."

Jim