Who Shot Kennedy?

cleefunt a p. Ze/4-453-o--- 3 Who shot Kennedy?

By John Hartl of His Life and Times" Stone's `JFK' (Reader's Digest, $70), a three- V part, three-hoUr tape that aired t has been more than 28 only the latest on the Disney Channel three years since President John years ago and may be the best Kennedy's murder, but the in a long line of summing-up of his career. Only debate about who did it and 10 minutes is devoted to the as- I why has rarely been more sassination. passionate, as evidenced by the conspiracy films media hoopla surrounding the Also giving a broader view are two well-acted mid-1980s mini- release of Oliver Stone's "JFK," ish Broadcasting Corp. docu- a $40 million, three-hour epic series: "Kennedy" (Prism Enter- mentary that spends 71 minutes tainment, $30), with Martin about the investigation of the examining evidence that John crime. Sheen and Blair Brown as the and Robert Kennedy had affairs president and the first lady, and There is no lack of conspira- ' with Marilyn Monroe, and that "Robert F. Kennedy: His Life cy-theory movies and tapes in Robert Kennedy had something and Times" (RCA Columbia, video stores. to do with her death in 1962. $60), with the late Brad Davis ,-- 3G Home Video's "Who The ghoulish style of this tape is as Robert and Cliff de Young as Didn't Kill JFK" ($10) was often pure National Enquirer, JFK. particularly when it uses out-of- written and directed by Jim The movie that most resem- Marrs, author of "Crossfire: The context clips of Monroe's movie and television appearances to bles the all-star "JFK" is "Exec- Plot That Killed Kennedy," who utive Action" (Movies Unlimit- V maintains that a complicated comment on her emotional state. ed, $60), a 1973 thriller in conspiracy was responsible for which Burt Lancaster, Will Geer the president's death. Although the granddaddy of and Robert Ryan play powerful Also available from 3G Home conspiracy films—Mark Lane right-wingers who conspire to Video is "The Secret Files of J. and Emile de Antonio's 122- kill the president because they Edgar Hoover" ($15), a .collec- / minute documentary, "Rush to fear the Kennedy dynasty, the tion of three tapes about long- Judgment" (1966)—has not president's sympathy with suppressed FBI files that in- been released on cassette, an blacks, a possibly early pullout cludes information about the as- hourlong film about Lane's the- in Vietnam and the nuclear test- sassination as well as the Ken- ories, "The Plot to Kill JFK," is ban treaty. nedys' involvement with available for $30 from Movies Unlimited. Most of these movies and Marilyn Monroe. videos are propelled by an over- Rhino Video's "Best Evi- "The Killing of President / whelming obsession with the dence: The Research Video" Kennedy: New Revelations 20 Kennedy assassination. One that V ($15) is a 35-minute video di- Years Later" (VidAmerica, $20) doesn't is "Greetings" (Movies gest of David S. Lifton's 1981 is an intriguing update of Lane's Unlimited, $60), a cheeky, low- book, "Best Evidence: Disguise ideas, using material about con- budget 1968 comedy that and Deception in the Assassina- nections between the Mafia and helped make stars of the young tion of John F. Kennedy." the CIA that was released to the Robert de Niro and director Using a frame-by-frame exami- public only in the early 1980s. Brian de Palma. nation of Abraham Zapruder's "Reasonable Doubt: The Gerritt Graham plays De Super 8 movie of the assassina- Single Bullet Theory" (Movies Niro's morbid pal, a young man tion, and interviews with wit- Unlimited, $30) is an hourlong who is consumed with doubts nesses at the autopsy, Lifton ar- tape about the Warren Commis- about the Warren Commission's gues that the wounds in sion's conclusions. "JFK: The report and can't stop talking Kennedy's head were altered Day the Nation Cried" (Movies about his conviction that JFK and his doctors lied to conform Unlimited, $20) uses television was shot by an Army officer. He to the official explanation that news coverage to recall the long ends up getting killed by a he was shot from behind. weekend of Kennedy's death sniper while on his way to the v "Marilyn and the Kennedys: and funeral. Statue of Liberty—no doubt the Say Goodbye to the President" Much better is "John Fitz- victim of another conspiracy. (Key Video, $20) is a 1986 Brit- gerald Kennedy: A Celebration Seattle Times