mrhager-79997

What do you think of this documentary may vary based on the amount of knowledge you bring to it. I have read a couple of books and seen three or four other documentaries about Jim Jones and his temple, so I feel like I have a certain grasp on the details of the story. This documentary does a nice job laying things out for a beginner. It's based on theJeff Guinness book about the massacre, and Guinness is perhaps the most prominent talking head. His book is very good, and he is a fine Personality, but the film might have benefitted from bringing in other experts as well Obviously, there were very few survivors of the events in Guyana, and many of them are represented here. But there were some side stories I was waiting to hear about (like the Temple lawyers who spent the night hiding in the jungle during the massacre) that weren't touched on. The films politics also feel a bit neutered. Jim Jones was an important part of the liberal political establishment in San Francisco, and helped elect Harvey Milk (who was never mentioned). Similarly, the end of the documentary seems to imply that our current political situation is similar to the fear and paranoia which led to Jonestown. It feels like the filmmakers are calling out President Trump, I don't quite have the guts to say so.

Still, there is a lot of interesting footage here, and the interviews with the survivors are valuable.