Anniversary

[John Kelin]

Hi all,

If I'm not mistaken, and for whatever it's worth, December 2011 marks the 20-year anniversary of Oliver Stone's JFK.

As with so many others, that film had a huge impact on me. I'd been interested in the JFK case for a long time, but in early 1991 my interest was dormant. The movie and more particularly, the media frenzy over the six months or so leading up to its release re-lit my interest. All these years later it hasn't really let up.

I lived in Sunnyvale, CA at the time, and still remember my anticipation as I drove to the theater in the middle of the day to catch the first matinee I could fit into my schedule.

[Charles Drago]

JFK -- Precisely the (truth-based) propaganda of which we remain in great need.

That need will intensify over the next two years. So let us celebrate Stone's "counter-myth to the Warren Commission myth" by helping to create and otherwise support its successors.

[Stan Wilbourne]

I was at the first showing in my city with a friend. A local news crew was standing outside as we left the theater and talked to my friend (I said, "No thanks.").

Pretty, petite news reporter: "Do you think there was a conspiracy?'

My friend, "Yes, I do believe there was a conspiracy to kill President Kennedy."

It was the hottest of topics at the pub I frequented back in my kid-less years. The movie inspired that talk and gave us all a reason to stop and consider the place where we live.

It was at that point I became consumed with this case. It's been a wild ride, and my understanding of what happened to President Kennedy and why has been one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. And, I know before the sun sets that understanding will shift, deepen and change even more.

The assassination of President Kennedy is a crack in reality for those that have the guts to take a look. And, though Oliver Stone's film wasn't perfect, it was a spark that ignited and awakened a lot of minds to take a look into that crack.

I cannot believe it has been 20 years, but my oldest son is getting ready to turn 18, and I know it must be so.

Ain't it funny how the night moves with autumn closin' in?

[Albert Doyle]

I remember strongly discussing the corruption of the government and the shock of this totally-new-to-me evidence on the way home with those I went to the movie with. The film had a strong impact.

[LR Trotter]

While the movie JFK may not have been entirely accurate, if nothing else it certainly exposed very large holes in LHO lone assassin story promoted in the Warren Commission Report. That itself, at least to me, makes Oliver Stone's JFK at least 50% correct, and certainly more factual than the WCR. I also think Executive Action was a movie well worth watching.

[Adele Edisen]

When I first saw the movie, "JFK", I almost fell off my seat in the movie theater when the actress Lolita Davidson, playing the role of Beverly Oliver, said to Kevin Costrner, as Jim Garrison, 'If they can kill the President of the United States like that, they wouldn't think twice about killing a showgirl like me."

These words were almost identical to those I had said to the real Jim Garrison in October, 1974, when I told him of my experiences in April, 1963, when Jose Rivera spoke of the impending assassination of President Kennedy. I had said, "If they can kill the President of the United States like that, they wouldn't think twice about killing someone like me." I recall when I said these words to Garrison, he looked at me for the longest time, as if studying me for some reason, or memorizing my statement (?).

Jim Garrison, District Attorney in New Orleans, had brought Clay Shaw, Director of the International Trade Mart, to trial in 1969. He lost his case against Shaw because he lacked some critical evidence about Shaw that was not yet available at the time. Garrison was an advisor to Oliver Stone, and actually appeared in the film as Chief Justice Warren. I believe Garrison was the one who provided those words of mine to Stone and his script writers.

By the time the film was made, some buildings of importance had been torn down. Such was the case of the Newman Building where Guy Banister had his office. This building had two addresses: 531 Lafayette Street and 544 Camp Street (on the Camp Street side entrance), because it was at the corner of Lafayette and Camp Streets. Therefore, in the movie, another similar building was substituted.

The Federal Buildiing was directly opposite to the Newman Building on Camp Street, but its front entrance was at 600 South Street (now renamed). This was one of the borders of a small park, Lafayette Square or Park (enclosed by St. Charles Avenue, North Street, Camp Street, and South Street in 1963). The Federal Building was where I spoke with New Orleans Secret Service Agent John Rice and Orrin Bartlett, Special Liaison Agent of the FBI, who was there from Washington, D.C., on November 24,1963.

Adele Edisen

[Peter Lemkin]

I was then actively a JFK researcher, living in San Diego. Jim Marrs and I were contracted to do a book together on a certain aspect of 11/22. Stone's researchers bought him out from under that project, but because of that I was one of the first to know about the film. I also got from Jim some of the inside scoop on the formulation and battles over how the film should or would be in the end. I have to admit to having been angry at Stone for upsetting my own plans and causing me much lost money and time. The film has its flaws, but overall has had a good effect on the Public and that is what matters most. I, and some others, used to stand just outside larger movie theaters in San Diego handing out more detailed information and references for those interested. Many were! People poured out of the theaters stunned and hungry for more information. I started to get invitations from some in the crowd to come lecture at their university or whatever - and did. It was a time of eye-opening for many and that was toward the good. For most, there was simply too much material happening too quickly in the film to grasp in one viewing. Interestingly, many got it on tape/CD or went back and saw it several times. Charles is right that we need a new and better, closer to the truth we know now film, play, whatever....as they are rolling out the big guns of disinformation for the 50th, just two short years away.

[LR Trotter]

Ms Edisen, that's kind of what I meant by not being entirely accurate. I know on my only trip to New Orleans in '94, I found the building pictured at Camp and Lafayette was no longer there. But, I did see 1313 Dauphine in the French Quarter area, which I believe is where Clay Shaw lived. And, as I mentioned earlier, the WCR has a harder time being nonfiction than the movie JFK. Just my opinion, and I didn't want my earlier post to indicate that I thought the movie was "only" 50% accurate.

[Adele Edisen]

Ms Edisen, that's kind of what I meant by not being entirely accurate. I know on my only trip to New Orleans in '94, I found the building pictured at Camp and Lafayette was no longer there. But, I did see 1313 Dauphine in the French Quarter area, which I believe is where Clay Shaw lived. And, as I mentioned earlier, the WCR has a harder time being nonfiction than the movie JFK. Just my opinion, and I didn't want my earlier post to indicate that I thought the movie was "only" 50% accurate.

Hi, LR,

I wasn't really answering your post about the accuracy of the film, which hadn't really been intended to be a documentary, but I was just adding my own reaction to it, and what I had learned of the demolition of the Newman Building before the film was made. I watched the film six times just after it was released and it inspired me to write to as many congressmen as possible to support the bill to open up govenment files on the JFK assassination. Of special importance was my letter to the former Chairman of the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA - 1975-1979), Louis Stokes, whose vote was critical to the passage of the JFK Collections Act in the House of Representatives.. He wrote the nicest thank note in response. I think my letter helped him decide to vote for the measure since he had been wavering on his decision. And George H.W. Bush, President, signed it into law in 1992.

Adele Edisen

[Albert Doyle]

When I first saw the movie, "JFK", I almost fell off my seat in the movie theater when the actress Lolita Davidson, playing the role of Beverly Oliver, said to Kevin Costrner, as Jim Garrison, 'If they can kill the President of the United States like that, they wouldn't think twice about killing a showgirl like me."

These words were almost identical to those I had said to the real Jim Garrison in October, 1974, when I told him of my experiences in April, 1963, when Jose Rivera spoke of the impending assassination of President Kennedy. I had said, "If they can kill the President of the United States like that, they wouldn't think twice about killing someone like me." I recall when I said these words to Garrison, he looked at me for the longest time, as if studying me for some reason, or memorizing my statement (?).

Jim Garrison, District Attorney in New Orleans, had brought Clay Shaw, Director of the International Trade Mart, to trial in 1969. He lost his case against Shaw because he lacked some critical evidence about Shaw that was not yet available at the time. Garrison was an advisor to Oliver Stone, and actually appeared in the film as Chief Justice Warren. I believe Garrison was the one who provided those words of mine to Stone and his script writers.

It must be a rare thing to be both on the sinister stage of the assassination itself and Stone's film stage.