X An excellent must-see
O Good rental choice
O Mediocre
O Rent something else
Review by Jason Pyles / April 10, 2007
The two most disturbing films I’ve ever seen are “Breakdown” (1997) and “Open Water” (2003). But I must rank this 2006 documentary called “Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple” among them, because it is equally troubling and upsetting.
How could one man persuade 909 people to commit mass suicide by drinking cyanide? “Jonestown” reviews chilling archival video footage and audio recordings that explain this dark process.
In the ‘60s, Jim Jones, a charismatic, religious zealot, began his own church called Peoples Temple. His initial teachings were considered “normal”: Christian, Bible-based with Pentecostal overtones. He taught racial integration and the law of consecration (all resources shared and community-owned).
Jones gained great momentum, picking up converts with cross-country bus tours. They moved from place to place, and eventually settled in the country of Guyana, in South America, where the unthinkable happened.
This documentary chronicles Jones’ history and his church, featuring fascinating interviews with a few former followers who survived — including one of his adopted sons.
Some footage shows numerous corpses; this documentary is not for children.
The scariest horror movies are those that could actually happen ... scarier still are those that did happen, like this one.
Directed by Stanley Nelson
Jim Jones / Jim Jones Jr. / Willie Brown
86 min. Documentary / History
(Original MPAA rating: not rated)
Edited version age recommendation: 15 and up
DVD release date: April 10, 2007
Copyright 2007.
JP0076 : 197
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