Centrespread Centrespread JFK on the Big Screen
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14 centrespread centrespread 15 NOVEMBER 22-28, 2015 NOVEMBER 22-28, 2015 JFK on the Big Screen nd Today, November 22, marks the 52 death Rush to Judgment, anniversary of US president John Fitzgerald 1966 th The documentary Kennedy, the 35 president of the United directed by Emile de States. He was shot down by a former US Antonio and based on Marine, Lee Harvey Oswald, in 1963 while travelling through Dallas, Texas, a book by lawyer Mark The Zapruder Film, 1963 Lane is for the most part in an open-top convertible. JFK’s assassination spawned the greatest This is a silent, color motion picture a brief for the defence conspiracy-generating machine of all time. A look at some of the more sequence shot by Dallas businessman — presumably for Lee Abraham Zapruder with a home-movie Harvey Oswald, who famous ones, as well as the books and movies based on the assassination camera, as Kennedy's motorcade passed was no longer around :: Joyshree Baruah through Dealey Plaza, thereby unexpect- to defend himself. The edly capturing the President's assassina- crew travels to Dealey tion. The 26 second, 486 frames of silent, Plaza and interviews Conspiracy Paranoia Despite various investigations and eyewitness evidence supporting 8mm colour celluloid he captured are on camera numerous the lone gunman theory, public opinion polls taken over the years the Urtext for conspiracy movies and the eyewitnesses who de- have shown that a majority of Americans believe that Oswald did not act alone but conspired with most telling depiction of what happened scribe in vivid detail the others to kill the president; this has spawned numerous conspiracy theories. Most current theories that day in Dallas. The i lm was later shooting of Kennedy on put forth a criminal conspiracy involving varied parties: bought by Life magazine for $150,000 November 22, 1963 JFK, 1991 The CIA: In nearly The Ma a: One Lyndon B John- Cuban president Oliver Stone received eight Oscar every theory that involves version of this theory son: With JFK out of Fidel Castro: Given that nominations, including for Best American conspirators, one posits that the mai a the way, LBJ stepped US agents tried to assassi- Picture and Director for this group is routinely repre- into the role of Com- nate Cuban president Fidel 1991 masterpiece. At the peak of sented — the Central Intel- was angered with JFK mander-in-chief, with his powers Stone skilfully demol- ligence Agency. To be sure, after the botched Bay all the power that Castro numerous times, ishes the Warren Commission Re- the CIA is an easy boogey- of Pigs invasion, as they came with the gig the theory goes, Castro port piece by piece, constructing man, what with its work- had hoped to re-exert (including the power decided he would repay an alternative history wherein ings and agents a secret to to cover up any inves- the honour and assassinate Jim Garrison leads an all-star cast most Americans, and the their presence in Cuba, tigation into his in- on an epic quest for the truth which had been erased Kennedy. When Castro was agency in the 1960s having volvement). Plus, the interviewed by Bill Moy- a reputation for high-level after Fidel Castro rose to crime occurred on his Executive Action, 1973 political assassinations. power. Furthermore, the home turf of Texas. ers in 1977 he called the theory "absolute insanity" Burt Lancaster and Robert mob did not like Kenne- Supposedly, both Ryan lead a group of con- One theory suggests that dy's crusading younger Jacqueline Kennedy spirators in this covert action Oswald was a CIA operative and Richard Nixon brother Attorney Gen- feature that boldly contradicts and agents tampered with thought Johnson had The KGB: This theory agrees Oswald pulled the trigger eral Robert Kennedy, the Warren Commission's nd- his FBI le before and after ties to the murder — but that he did it under orders from his Soviet over- ing that Lee Harvey Oswald the investigation to make it who was turning up the lords. Though a former marine, Oswald had twice visited acted alone. The movie raises appear he was a commu- heat on organised crime. the Soviet Union with his Russian-born wife Marina. Both the specter of two "Oswalds," JJacqueline nist. In its 1978 report, the Robert’s "anti-mai a cru- the Warren Commission and the House Committee on anti-Castro Cubans and ex-CIA House Select Committee on KeK nnede y sade" had led to a sharp Assassinations found little evidence to support a Soviet- agents as part of a shadowy The Assassinations found that backed operation, but one former KGB agent came out murder refuseed tot take increase in the number conspiracy to whack the there was no indication years later to say the Russians played a role in the plot liberal leaning chief executive weappon off heer pip nnk that Oswald "had ever had of prosecutions of senior was a 6.5 Chhana eel suiu t with contact with the Agency" mai a i gures. mm Italian heer husbbana d’d s Kennedy, 1983 carbine riflef Jacqueline Kennedy: bloood onn it. Jackie The i ve-hour i lm followed Kennedy that Oswald had The Warren Commission One of the most far-fetched bought for $19.95 toldd Lady Bird from his childhood through his political cleared the mai a from theories alleges that JFK's career and right before his assassination. JoJ hnson,n “I waant theh m involvement in any such wife killed him herself. Could Kennedy provides a compelling look at of one of America’s most intriguing to seee whah t theyy have donen plot. The House Commit- the president's wife have been to Jack.” Thhe suuitt has nevvere beeen public i gures and was a commercial and 2,,,50,000 tee on Assassinations a secret assassin? Some critical success, and to this day, Martin cleaned. Itt liei s inn thee Nattioonan l found that the mai a theorists claim that Sheen’s impressive performance is con- people filed Archives. It hah s not beb en seen by to pay their was not involved in a Jackie Kennedy hid a sidered one of the best portrayals of JFK Lyndon B. in pubblic yeet,t according to tht e conspiracy, but did not pistol in a nearby ower respects during Johnson Kenneddy faf miilyl wisshes rule out that individuals The pot after the assassina- became with mob ties were part the 21 hours number tion. But then, this is president 99 of the plot Who Was Oswald? that JFK's body plates just an assumption minutes after Oswald was a former US Marine lay in the United from the who defected to the Soviet Union Kennedy’s limousine States Capitol in 1959. He lived in the Soviet death Oswald Kennedy was Rotunda died at Union until 1962, after which he assassinated returned to the US. the same in have sold for hospital as Famous People who were Assassinated Kennedyy,, two NZ$1,52,000 Oswald was initially arrested for the days and seven at auction in murder of police offi cer JD Tippit, minutes JFK Dallas who was killed on a Dallas street affter the was the approximately 45 minutes after president Kennedy was shot. He was later fourth charged with the murder of Kennedy. On November 24, Oswald was shot and president Julius Caesar, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther John Lennon, Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto, mortally wounded by Dallas nightclub 44 BC 1865 1948 King, 1968 1980 1984 2007 assassinated owner Jack Ruby in full view of Source: FORBES, ABCNEWS, WIKIPEDIA, JFKLIBRARY television cameras broadcasting live.