Okay guys, so you're thinking, "I know they recommend it, but how do I know it's really good?" Look no further than this here spot. Here you'll find the best, the not so good, and the down right forgetful books, videos, films, you name it, it's reviewed!
And, heck, before you even ask, yes, we do want your reviews too! Just Email them to us and we'll stick 'em here. Simpler than a single-bullet theory!
Clicking on any of the above titles will take you to the review.
Final Judgment by Michael Collins Piper
Michael Collins Piper must be a glutton for punishment. Upon the first release of his book, Final Judgment, a storm of controversy erupted in the United States with certain "pressure groups" trying hard to have the book banned. Since then, Final Judgement has gone through three more printings - and the controversy hasn't abated.
We here in Australia believe that *all* theories on the JFK assassination should be heard, no matter whether you agree with them or not - heck, we even bought and read Gerald Posner's "Case Closed", and there isn't a more outlandish theory than his! Trying to get another book banned because you don't agree with it, or it isn't Politically Correct (the greatest censorship drive of the 80s and 90s), is just the kind of thing we fight against. It's just the same as groups such as the FBI and CIA "redacting" lines of text here and there. People in glass theories shouldn't throw books, so to speak...
So, we here at Probable Cause are proud to review Final Judgment and hope that we never go down the path of the "American Model" - freedom of speech and the first ammendment and all that - yeah, okay, until you start speaking out and stepping on other people's toes. Then they line you up for a take-down. Boy, does Michael Collins Piper know about that!
Okay, so after that little editorial, what is Final Judgement about? Piper's thesis is that Israel's intelligence agency, the Mossad, played a key role in the assassination of JFK, alongside the CIA and organized crime. Throughout his presidency, JFK was involved in an increasingly bitter behind-the-scenes dispute with Israeli PM David Ben-Gurion over Israel's steadfast determination to build a nuclear arsenal. JFK wanted them to stop. But they had other ideas.
Sound far-fetched? Well, actually, you'll be surprised how many well-known "JFK Assassination players" have links to the Mossad and we were quite impressed with the documented evidence within the book. Still, you'll have to read this one for yourself to decide. Piper is under attack from the ADL in the US for this book and, really, it's not warranted. Did the French community in the US get upset when it was suggested there was a French connection in the Assassination? No. But then again, perhaps they don't have the lobbying power of the ADL.
* * * - Good
22 November 1963: The Worst Crime in the History of the United States by Wheaton Coward
This first release by Coward is an 'e-book' which means it's electronically published and comes on two floppy disks. They can either be read on screen or printed out...we suggest you read it on screen to save a tree or two. This is certainly a lavish production and looks pretty good on screen (not so hot printed on paper though) and claims to solve the JFK assassination. Well, all hype aside, it doesn't solve the case - but it certainly is worth having!
Under development for 8 years, "22 November 1963: The Worst Crime in the History of the United States" tells of the conspiracy in detail - or so the author says. He doesn't quite pull it off though. Available through the website http://www.jfkconspiracy.com, the book claims to be the "only complete book that describes the conspiracy from the first grudge to the last shot, and is entirely consistent with the new material released with the Zapruder film."
Okay, that's stretching it - sure. But the book is well worth the read. Split into two parts, Part One tells just why Oswald could not possibly have been the lone gunman, and, indeed, is innocent. No surprsies there - we already *know* that! His description of the assassination and circumstances around it depict a situation in which multiple gunmen would have been required to carry out the crime, and that the Warren Commission findings to the contrary were a sham. Once again, nothing new - we know this already. It's just a recap!
Part Two is much much more interesting! Coward tells a riveting story that starts with the political circumstances that spawned the conspiracy, takes the reader through the development of the assassination plans, and on to the actual assassination. The book then continues on to describe the aftermath, and ramifications of the conspiracy. A great read if you swallow it whole, but those who like their work spiced with hefty references (instead of just "ibid" line after line) may find it a bit shallow.
Still Mr. Coward is to be congratulated for the time and effort he put into the book and to be the first to publish a JFK 'e-book'.
* * * - Good
CD-ROM: The Warren Commission
One thing about the JFK assassination, any CD-Rom release will always be a good one. Now, thanks to LMP Systems the full Warren Commission (yes, folks, that's the full 26 volumes including the exhibits) is now available on a 2 cd set. Also included is the Warren Commission report and Walt Brown's excellent Index! Along with a hyper-text linked, easy to use search engine, this CD-Rom will save you countless hours and stop that annoying habit of flicking through the actual volumes praying you'll find what you're looking for.
Unfortunately, this version is only available for PC and not Mac, and there are countless problems if you are running the software on Windows 3.1 (but the buggs are easily fixed by emailing LMP - ask them for the README.TXT for Windows 3.1 users) but well worth the initial set-up problems. As for W95 users - you'll have a trouble-free experience...so enjoy. You can't affort the volumes anymore, so this is the next best thing - and they're easier to use too!
LMP will be producing the HSCA and SHAW trial transcripts on CD-Rom soon, but the release date for these keeps being pushed back so don't hold your breath on these. Hopefully all buggs will be fixed on the next releases and their reviews here will be more positive.
CD-ROM: The Collected Works of Col. L. Fletcher Prouty
Not very often does a CD-ROM materialise down here in the Probable Cause office that makes everyone, and I mean everyone stand up and take notice. But The Collected Works of Col. L. Fletcher Prouty did just that! You name it, this CD has it. Documents, articles, photographs, the full text of Prouty's hard to get THE SECRET TEAM and even eight hours of audio - that's right folks, 8 HOURS!, is enough to keep any researcher glued to the screen till well past bed-time. We highly recommend this CD-ROM to everyone interested in not only the JFK Assassination, but also other world events. It all makes sense when put into perspective. The CD is easy to load, use and navigate through and is pleasant on the eye (unlike some others we haven't mentioned...). You wanted the best, then this is it. Buy it or be left out in the cold! Head on over to The L. Fletcher Prouty site now and order a copy before the CIA does!
* * * * - Highly Recommended
JFK: The CIA, Vietnam and the Plot to Assassinate JFK by L. Fletcher Prouty
Prouty's latest book is a rambling account of CIA covert activities from World War II up until the present. Whilst titled JFK: The CIA, Vietnam And The Plot To Assassinate John F. Kennedy, there is perhaps a surprisingly small amount of detail about the assassination itself. Whilst JFK's time in office is detailed, Prouty seems to rely on showing us how the CIA masterminded other coups, such as in the Philippines, to give us an idea on how easy it is for such an intelligence body to turn around and do the same to its own president.
The most damning indictment is the handling of the Vietnam war and the overwhelming number of statistics dealing with troop numbers, artillery and machinery. This all translates into billions of dollars that poured into the "power elite" in America;
something JFK would have halted whilst also shattering the CIA "into a million pieces". Reason enough for him to be assassinated.
A drawback is that Prouty cannot name the "elite" or anyone connected with them, except that they were at work through the CIA. Prouty recounts his own story - as told in JFK the film - in more detail, but is unable to substantiate his story by way of documents. There is little doubt that he was there, but the meetings and trips and policy changes are unsubstantiated (apart from the NSAM's).
The most interesting part of the book comes in the photo section, where Prouty examines the three tramps photo. Prouty is convinced that not only are the tramps involved, but the two policemen are actors as well. Why, he asks, are tramps being taken to the sheriff's office when Dallas city police have nothing to do with the sheriff's offices?
Prouty tells us all that following Oswald is a waste of time. He says thousands of
man hours have been lost by researchers in trying to prove Oswald innocent.
Prouty says Oswald has nothing to do with the assassination - look somewhere
else. He tells us that Oswald should be dropped from further research; perhaps a
bit unrealistic.
Overall, Prouty's book is really about Vietnam and CIA involvement in not only
that country, but every country in the world. There is an introduction by Oliver
Stone who, for the film, obviously pulled back some of the more wide-ranging
views of Prouty. The media thought Stone's version of events implicated everyone
- they should read Prouty's book. You finish the book with a feeling of dread
bordering on paranoia.
Can the CIA really be controlling most of the world? Was the Gulf War an
exercise in revenue raising? Can it be that the huge conspiracy theories argued
over in the JFK assassination are really just a drop in the ocean? Prouty concludes
you 'aint seen nothin' yet.
* * - Fair
Best Evidence: Disguise and Deception in the Assassination of John F. Kennedy by David S. Lifton
When David S. Lifton first started researching material for a book on the Kennedy assassination in 1966, he quite obviously had no idea of the odyssey that was to transpire over the next fifteen years. With incredible persistence, Lifton is the only researcher to uncover the bizarre trail of deception from Dallas to Washington,
and what happened to the single most important piece of evidence in this entire case - namely, John F. Kennedy's body.
In amazing detail, Best Evidence, contains not one theory that author Lifton doesn't back up with fact. His first hand interviews with the people who were there makes fascinating reading, revealing new evidence often never before discussed by any other
researcher.
As most of us are accustomed to the inevitable attack on the Warren Commission Lifton stands alone in his unbiased detective work, even bringing an understanding of the Warren Report's flawed thesis by reasoning that almost all of the information
commission investigators received had been pre-packaged, by grand design, to deceive them. This theory manifested itself in the personage of Lifton's long-time friend, Wesley Liebler, the former Warren Commission lawyer who not surpassingly took a long time to accept Lifton's theories.
Dense with detail and shocking revelations, Best Evidence is unique in its unrelenting focus on a microcosm of the Kennedy case, yet it still managed to be internationally accepted, rocketing to the top of the bestseller lists upon its first release. We recommend you take notes of the key points when you read this book - it can get
confusing. But with what Lifton has to offer, it's well worth it.
* * * * * - Unmissable
JFK - the movieDirected by Oliver Stone. Starring Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Sissy Spacek, Joe Pesci, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman, Jay O. Sanders, John
Candy, Donald Sutherland. USA 187 mins. Rated M.
The much needed, much-hyped hit for Oliver Stone after the, shall we say, scattered results of The Doors is a tour de force of cinema technique; a Manchurian Candidate for the MTV generation. And, as entertainment, it doesn't get much better than this. Using the Hollywood A-list talent pool to astounding effect, JFK tells the story of a slightly naive, sadly patriotic district attorney, Jim Garrison (Costner), who, still
reeling from the president's assassination, latches onto a suspect in the case within days of the murder, the strange and deceptive David Ferrie (Pesci). Turning up nothing, we pick up on the DA three years later, when a rambling US Senator (Walter Matthau) announces to Garrison his suspicions of a cover-up in the crime, to which the daring DA promptly sets forth on a rollercoaster ride into Hell to find the facts, get the case, and bring serpentine New Orleans fop Clay Shaw (the always brilliant Tommy Lee
Jones) to book in the Crime of the Century.
Despite the resounding headbutt Stone received from the world press, claiming his movie threw in everything and the kitchen sink in trying to prove a conspiracy, Stone and co-screenwriter Zachary Sklar present a deceptively narrow theory on the
screen, fingering a military plot hatched by disgruntled defense contractors and Judas-like White House aides, and then carried out by the ominous General Y (Stone regular Dale Dye).
Scary stuff, but how much does Stone play with the facts? Well, who cares. Since there is no accepted history about what happened on November 22, 1963, not even amongst conspiracy theorists, it doesn't really matter how Oliver Stone wants to spend Warner Bros. $40 million dollars. As for the portrayal of Big Jim Garrison, it's important to keep in mind that Costner's Garrison is simple a composite of every
researcher from Mark Lane to Jim Marrs, with Laurie Metcalf as Sylvia Meager and the ever-reliable Donald Sutherland doing his bit as Fletch Prouty. The important thing about JFK is that Oliver Stone was ready to put his ass firmly on the line to bring the contradictions of the assassination screaming back into the living-rooms of the world. A damn good flick.
* * * * * - Unmissable
Ruby - the filmDirected by John MacKenzie. Starring Danny Aiello, Sherilyn Fenn, Arliss Howard, Tobin Bell. USA 117 mins. Rated M.
Director John MacKenzie, best known for his seedy portrayal of British organized crime in his magnificent The Long Good Friday, would seem the perfect choice to bring another small-time hood to the screen, this time being one Jacob "Sparky" Rubenstein aka Jack Ruby, right?
Wrong.
Instead, we get a confusing assortment of crosses, double-crosses, and yep, you guessed it, triple-crosses, as we attempt to follow the story of Jack Ruby (Aiello), a seemingly small-time strip joint operator, who, in actual fact, is really a top-notch, is slightly naive, CIA-Mafia assassin. Go figure. And meanwhile, it turns out that those bad Italians from Chicago are planning to "whack" the Prez, with the creepy Mr. Maxwell (Howard) hinting at an even bigger CIA plot to do just the same. We never find out why they want to do it, but maybe it's got something to do with the fact that stripper Candy Cane (Fenn), while playing cowpoke at Jack's Carousel Club on weeknights, trots off to the White House on weekends to give JFK a little, er, back massage. Either way, it's all pretty weird.
Add to this an assassination sequence that must've been filmed blindfolded, and an hilarious David Ferrie (Bell) incarnation who stands at six-foot-two with a Clint Eastwood drawl and his own head of hair. To quote Penn Jones, forgive my grief.
Now, for the nitty-gritty. Ruby, as seen through the eyes of director MacKenzie and screenwriter Stephen Davies, adheres to not one piece of accepted history about the late Jack Ruby. Even the murder of Oswald is presented as a moment of heroism for Jack, with him marching down the ramp into the police basement to do the dirty
deed; obviously ignoring the fact that even the benign House Select Committee on Assassinations conceded that Ruby entered via a basement door, thanks to the help of one of his inside men on the force. We see none of Ruby's real movements over the assassination weekend (his stalking of Oswald at police headquarters, his appearance in Dealey Plaza at the moment the bullets hit), but rather, a contrived, sloppily handled, badly acted montage of two-dimensional villains and implausible situations. This could've been a great film. Instead, it's a great companion piece to the Warren Report.
Directed by Alan J. Pakula. Starring Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards. USA 136 mins. (1976)
Based on Woodward and Bernstein's best-selling account of how they unraveled the mysteries of the Watergate break-in, Redford and Hoffman give typically classy performances as the hungry hacks who bring Tricky Dick crumbling to the ground. Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Jason Robards as former Kennedy-confidant, Post editor Ben Bradlee.
* * * * * - Unmissable
THE CONVERSATION
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Starring Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Harrison Ford. USA 113 mins. (1974)
Perhaps the greatest paranoia thriller of all time, set in the post-Watergate world of high-tech privacy invasion. Hackman is at his best as the surveillance expert-for-hire
who stumbles onto a conspiracy of monolithic and devastating proportions. Dense and menacing, this confronts the subject of accountability of the individual in the electric age head-on.
* * * * * - Unmissable
The People vs. Lee Harvey Oswald by Walt Brown
The definitive account of who said what, where and when in relation to Oswald and the assassination! Walt Brown's massive text is filled with all the information we have read about in the past, but never actually seen in its original form. It is a damning account of all investigative bodies concerned with the assassination and proves beyond doubt that Oswald, if he had lived to stand trial, would have walked from the court a free man in a very short period of time.
Don't let the title mislead you; the book is nothing like the English and American television versions of the trial of Lee Harvey Oswald. Whilst the setting for the book is fictional, with a defense and prosecution, all the testimony is factual, taken from the original sources. And it proves that most, if not all the evidence against Oswald, would have been ruled inadmissible in a court of law. The reason? The sickening parade of 'evidence' and 'accused' over those three days in Dallas not only showed a contempt for Oswald's legal rights to a lawyer and the good old American saying, "Innocent until proven guilty" but also a contempt for the legal procedures of chain of evidence.
It is not surprising to learn that most of the evidence - the rifle, the blanket, the autopsy, and countless others - would not have been allowed in a courtroom. The case against Oswald then stands on very flimsy ground. Brown has managed not only to create a ripping courtroom yarn using the statements made by those who were there, but he has also finally put to rest any last lingering doubts that Oswald actually pulled the trigger.
Included during the over six hundred page trial are very curious anecdotes and information that been buried or forgotten with time. Why is the paper bag supposedly found near the snipers nest and said to be the rifle wrapper unable to be seen in any of the police photos taken of the crime scene that day? Is it not strange that the Dallas police visit the Paine household on November 22 to search it and find no evidence, but return the following day, while all members of the house were absent, and then manage to uncover such startling evidence as the backyard photos? Why is it suppressed that Police Chief Curry, on seeing the Zapruder film, stated the head shot "would have to be fired from the front rather than behind"?
The finale of "People v. Lee Harvey Oswald" is gripping and persuasive; it must be read by all. Walt Brown's view of what happened that day is the closest we are likely to get to the actual events, and that in itself is frightening. He takes the 'badge-man' behind the picket fence many steps further in a chilling account of maneuvers backed up with irrefutable evidence and implicates the Dallas Police on a higher level.
And just who were those Dallas Police officers seen removing rifles from the back entrance of the School Depository?
A must read.
* * * * * - Unmissable
Crossfire: The Plot to Kill Kennedy by Jim Marrs
Of the many books on the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jim Marrs' "Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy" is among the best. It is considered by many serious assassination students as the textbook for beginners and advanced students alike. Even Oliver Stone used "Crossfire" as the basis for "JFK" along with Jim Garrison's, "On the Trail of the Assassins."
Marrs has taken a massive amount of information and evidence which is brilliantly researched and set it out in a manner which is clear and understandable, and which enables the reader to note and retain the information readily. He provides a detailed table of contents, sources and notes, alphabetical index and bibliography, and summarizes each chapter or 'sub-section'. All of this makes it essential reading.
Marrs has set out his information in four parts: 1. The Kill Zone
Marrs provides some background information on Kennedy and his administration and the reasons for the visit to Texas. He describes the motorcade and the people present...the events in Dealey Plaza itself. He discusses the witnesses, their testimony and how it was manipulated by the Warren Commission and the refusal by the FBI and the Warren Commission to accept anything which did not fit in with the official version, and highlights the inconsistencies and absurdities as well as the illegalities of the official investigations and investigators. He also comments on various theories put forward by researchers as to the events which occurred before, during and for many years after the shots rang out.
2. Means, Motives and Opportunities
A major part of the book in which Marrs takes a detailed look at all the available information on various persons, groups and organizations who may have wished to see a quick and early end to the Kennedy Administration, each with their own particular reasons for wanting to get Kennedy out of their way. To quote Marrs (out of context, nevertheless quite aptly) "Big Banking, Big Oil, Big Military-Industrial Complex with its powerful Intelligence Connections, and Big Organized Crime", and not forgetting the hatred of Kennedy by the Anti-Castro Cubans because of his refusal to provide military support during the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion.
3. Aftermath
Aftermath deals with extensive information and evidence regarding a chain of events which took place, commencing immediately after the shots in Dealey Plaza and continuing through the '60's, '70's and '80's. Including detailed information on Jack Ruby, Lee Harvey Oswald, the Warren Commission, the Garrison Investigation, the HSCA and a long list of "Convenient Deaths" of eyewitnesses and persons connected either directly or indirectly with assassination investigations and conspiracy theories.
4. Conclusions
It is not until this part of the book that Marrs presents his "Likely Scenario" in which he brings together all of the information and evidence covered in the first three parts and weaves not only a likely scenario, which almost raises more questions than it answers, but a chillingly believable scenario of just who and what was involved in not only the conspiracy to assassinate JFK, but also to cover up and perpetuate the cover-up of this conspiracy of murderers and power brokers who took out the elected President of the American people in such a violent, despicable and cowardly fashion.
In his preface to the 1992 seventh printing of "Crossfire" Jim Marrs' first words are "Don't trust this book. In fact, when it comes to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, don't trust any one source or even the basic evidence or testimony." Wise words from an author who has done what a number of others have failed to do to bring together evidence and information from many sources, add in new and revealing information and provide a comprehensive, easy to follow study of the assassination.
In conclusion, I must agree with the leading students and researchers who say that "Crossfire" is among the top few of the many hundreds of books on Kennedy's assassination.
An absolute must for any serious student of the assassination.
* * * * * - Unmissable
First Hand Knowledge by Robert D. Morrow
As each year passes, pieces of the assassination puzzle are revealed from one source or another. What one has to discern is if the pieces are fact or fiction. One such piece is Robert Morrow's new book, 'First Hand Knowledge.' Morrow, a senior CIA contract agent, reporting to the head of covert ops. from 1959-64, reveals the extraordinary background to events that
lead to the assassination of JFK.
He begins his story in 1956 when he was an engineer working for the Martin Aircraft Co. involved with lucrative US Government defence contracts. He is eventually approached by the CIA to take on contract work for them, even though he concedes that he didn't know it was the Agency at first. When he eventually realised it was the CIA he was, by this stage in 1960, working with them in their anti-Castro activities.
From this point on, those who are well read on the Kennedy case will come across some
familiar names, including: David Ferrie, Clay Shaw, Guy Bannister, Mafia Don Carlos Marcello and more, and CIA agents Harvey, Hunt, Cabell, Helms and a cast of others.
You realise just how close Garrison's investigation came to cracking the case in 1969. The book uncovers the intriguing web of the anti-Castro underworld, the Mafia-CIA operations that went on in the 1960's to try and assassinate Castro; and how the 1962 Missile
Crisis, Bay of Pigs fiasco, Operation MONGOOSE and the formation of Alpha 66 lead to Kennedy's death.
The description that Morrow gives of the events have incredible detail, even down to the conversations he had with people 30 years ago. This leads one to assume that he either kept notes or has a fantastic memory or, one shudders to believe, he is making some of it up to
fit the facts. The book does read like a novel in some sections which adds to the skepticism. However, the amount of unmistakable facts within the book helps restore your faith in what you are reading.
As with any book on the assassination, do not take everything you read as gospel, compare
other information, cross check it, make your own judgement. This book is recommended to those who have already researched the Mafia and CIA backgrounds of the Kennedy
assassination.
The tape consists of three
different "sound bites", the first dealing
with some of the more ludicrous
questions asked by the Warren
Commission, the second dealing with
the Dallas police involvement in the
assassination, and the third...well, you
have to hear it to believe it.
Walt is one of the few people
who can see the funnier side of all the
events in 1963. Without tarnishing the
memory of JFK, he is able to show up
the investigations into the murder,
using examples to prove just how
hopeless they really were.
"Who Shot First" is a classic.
With fellow researcher Jan Stevens,
Walt is able to warp the Abbot and
Costello favorite, Who's On First, into
a lovely piece of assassination repartee.
This is a classic and is definitely a must
have.
Anyone who is serious (and
not-so-serious) about the assassination
should order a copy right away! It is a
fine example of how worthless the
Warren Commission was, how crooked
the Dallas police were, and how Abbott
and Costello broke into assassination
folklore!
Order yours from the author now!
* * * * - Highly Recommended
Pictures of the Pain by Richard Trask
Even the most ardent one-eyed pro conspiracy assassination buff should
read Pictures of the Pain written by Richard Trask.
By using clear photographs plus the original testimony taken from people
who were in Dallas when J.F.K. was killed he clears up some puzzles like
that of the black dog man.
His meticulous research helps discard many wild theories & assists in
toppling prominent but questionable witnesses from the top of their ivory
towers----a position they should never have been placed in the first place!
The chapter on the Z film, whose frames have been scrutinised by millions,
has never before been analysed with the care and compassion shown by
the author.
His step by step description of the murder of the president
reawaken emotions that produce lumps in the throat and tears in the eye.
Although Richard Trask informs his reader that his research leads him to
believe that shots were fired from the depository building, he manages to
convey this in a style that does not annoy us who would disagree.
This lack of arrogance, along with his obvious sincerity has earned Mr
Trask the respect of the most cynical members of the research community, and
that includes me.
Details: Pictures of the Pain---Photography of the Assassination of President
Kennedy by Richard Trask. Yeoman Press. 35 Centre St. Danvers. Massachusetts.
U.S.A. 0 1923.
* * * * - Highly Recommended
The Men Who Killed Kennedy - 5hr Video set
OVERVIEW
As documentaries go, this British made "25th
anniversary assassination special" is as good and as
bad as you can get. Overall, the documentary has much
to offer, but unfortunately, due to some sloppy
groundwork from the film makers, the full impact of
its startling revelations have been somewhat blunted
by the controversies arising from the flaws within the
documentary.
GOODVIEW
Originally a two hour production, the documentary has
now a five hour time frame and is partitioned into
five sections with subtitles; 1) The Coup Detat; 2)
The Forces of Darkness; 3) The Cover-up; 4) The Patsy;
and 5) The Witnesses.
The producers essentially set out to prove, beyond any
reasonable doubt that 1) the killing of the Camelot
king was an orchestrated event; the shooters being
French mercenaries acting out a
"contract" on behalf
of the US Mafia; and that 2)
the lone gun(mad)man
theory was in fact historical
myth transmuted into
historical truth.
In an informative and thought provoking style, the
producers convincingly validate their thesis by cross-referencing important eyewitness accounts with the
post-assassination work of many highly respected JFK
researchers. Harold Weisberg, Dr. Cyril Wecht, Robert
Groden, Gary Mack amongst many, give authority to the
emerging real truths and at the same time, expose the
Warren Commission's shoddy
investigation and its
potently fraudulent conclusions.
Extensive use is made of rarely seen archival material
to set up the framework of the unfolding story. TV
footage,
photographs, audio-tapes and the famous
Zapruder and Nix films in various guises (normal
viewing, slow motion, freeze frame, blow-up,
enhanced...) bring home the unfolding tragedy and the
disorganized chaos of the aftermath. Apart from the
storyline, the historic visuals presented are reason
enough for this documentary to be seen.
BADVIEW
When first aired in 1988, the documentary triggered
quite a controversy, particularly in France, for the
three shooters allegedly involved in the killing were
of French extraction. Unfortunately for Steve Rivele,
the researcher involved, solid alibis were quickly
provided, thus in effect, shooting his meticulously
researched work to places.
As of 1993, little is heard of and from Rivele and his
French connection to the JFK killing now appears
tenuous at best, non-existent at worst, which of course
brings little cheer to the film producers, for Rivele's
assertions are given a high profile in the documentary
and as it turns out, the name of the documentary is
based upon Rivele's work - The Men Who Shot Kennedy.
[But to give the producers the benefit of the doubt, it
should be pointed out that the documentary only ever
named one of the shooters. The other two names were
produced by the BBC as a follow-up to this documentary.
The person identified in The Men Who Killed Kennedy has
no alibi. The other two people are not named in this
documentary.]
Aside from the naming debacle, Rivele's work attracted
further critical disclaim through his final solution of
"what really happened" that fateful day - "3 shooters,
4 shots"? "First one strikes the President's back, second hits
Connally, third blasts the President's head, fourth
shot misses entirely."
Anyone who delves into the JFK saga with a modicum of
effort will discover from eyewitness accounts, physical
evidence and acoustic data, that the assassination was
basically a turkey shoot with a fusillade of shots
being fired.
We know bullets left their calling cards on the
pavement, a freeway sign and then there is the famous
picture of an unknown man, bending over to dig out a
bullet that furrowed into the grass. There is the
bullet in the front dashboard of the President's car
(and possibly the windscreen). Finally, one must ask,
what of the bullet that entered the President's neck?
The documentary was trumpeted as a scholarly work,
meticulously researched. Yet Rivele's "Solution" does
not fit the facts; it is difficult to understand why
this version of the event was allowed to be aired, let
alone go through unchallenged. It is without doubt the
lowlight of the documentary.
[Still, Rivele, however, has uncovered very interesting evidence that, number of shots aside,
still deserves further study.]
ASIDE VIEW
Dead or alive, Lee Harvey Oswald has proven to be the
ultimate mystery man, not only in action but in body as
well. In March 1981, an exhumation was undertaken to
clear up allegations that the
"Russian" Oswald who came home to
fulfill his historical niche, was not the same as
the young American who "defected" to Russia (Sinister
overtones; body duplicate; KGB/CIA involvement etc.)
Extensive coverage is given in the later stages of the
documentary to the exhumation along with the
controversial claims by Paul Groody, the mortician who
likes to be known as the man who buried Oswald twice.
In his opinion, the body exhumed was not the body
buried originally all those years ago, for there was
no craniotomy and the head was severed from the body
and so on. Unfortunately, for the film producers, it
turns out Groody's revelations are assertions not
fact. In an excellent article written by Duke Lane (in
Dateline: Dallas), it has been shown that the mortician
was not in a position to make specific conclusions for
he was not allowed into the room during the post-autopsy. In short, his claims are wrong and the film's
producers were one of many JFK researchers caught out
by someone who seemingly had the right credentials and
a story to tell (sell?) but ...... !
ENDVIEW
For those interested in immersing themselves in the
JFK imbroglio, this documentary has much to offer.
Unlike many of the same ilk, the film producers manage
to side-step the information quagmire and present a
free-flowing and highly watchable presentation, full
of well known and not so well known assassination
material. In fact so much material is presented, the
documentary could have been just as easily called "A
JFK Assassination Primer."
The downside of the documentary is the lack of quality
control in several high profile segments, which, depending on your viewpoint, either 1) totally
destroys the credibility and value of the documentary
or 2) tarnishes the quality to the extent that it
slips from the "could-have-been a standard" class to the
more mundacious "not-to-be-missed" class. Ultimately
and most singularly, I leave that final judgement to
the viewer.
* * * * - Highly Recommended
Deep Politics & the death of JFK by Peter Dale Scott
Peter Dale Scott is the author of
several books dealing with the assassination, American
Politics, the CIA and the Mafia. He combines his years
of research to produce this book (the title says it
all) on the political secrets of the assassination.
The book requires the reader to know
the background to many of the events surrounding
the assassination, as this will help in understanding
the complexity of the plot. I found myself re-reading
many pages (and in one case, a whole chapter) to absorb
the huge amount of information Scott provides. (Paper
and a pen will be a great help to jot down key points.)
Scott must have spent hours sifting through
the thousands of pages in the National Archives
of unpublished reports of both the Warren Report and
the House Select Committee and that's only the
documentation that has been declassified!!
You come across many familiar names as you read,
the likes of Howard Hunt, Frank Sturgis, David Ferrie,
David A. Phillips, Carlos Marcello, John Roselli, Jack
Ruby and groups such as Alpha 66, Military
Intelligence, the FBI, CIA, various
anti-Castro organisations, and the good ol' Dallas Police.
As with most books, you always come across some
real gems of information that were overlooked or
forgotten by other researchers. For example,
the identification of the mystery S.S. man behind
the fence on the Grassy Knoll supplied by none other
than FBI man in Dallas, James Hosty!! Needless to say,
this has very sinister overtones. Another example is how
it was CIA man George DeMohrenschildt's influence
that got Oswald the job in the Depository.
Scott also unravels the mysterious world of
Oswald and his involvement with various groups from
the Military to Alpha 66 and the Anti-Castro groups.
When one finishes the book, it leaves you wide-eyed
with a totally different overview of the whole
assassination, and it makes you realise that to solve
this crime, you have to move beyond Dealey Plaza and
immerse yourself in the murky world of Deep Politics.
RATING: * * * - Good
Treachery In Dallas by Walt Brown
First, there was "People vs. Lee Harvey
Oswald", now comes another tour de
force by Walt Brown, "Treachery In
Dallas" (better known
to Probable Cause readers by its working
title, 'Blue Death, Red Patsy, White
Lies.')
This is the second book in Walt Brown's
trilogy looking at the assassination of JFK.
(The third, to follow, will dissect the
Warren Commission like never before.)
"Treachery In Dallas" first discusses all
the theories that have been put forward in
the last thirty-two years and Brown, using
the same pin-point logic first seen in
"People vs. Lee Harvey Oswald",
analyses all the theories for their strong
and weak points - showing many of them
to be full of holes just like Swiss cheese.
Brown's vast knowledge of the case
shines through, as does his more
humorous side, showing many of the
theories up as being, quite frankly,
ridiculous. Still, Brown is as thorough as
David Lifton or Robert Groden, but a darn
sight easier to read. "Treachery In Dallas"
is perfect for the first-timer but also terrific
for those who have been following the
case from day one. This first section is the
best overall view of all the theories in the
case since Jim Marrs' "Crossfire."
The rest of the book is divided into three
sections: Blue Death, Red Patsy, and White
Lies (sound familiar?.) and this is where
Brown really takes off.
Those who are familiar readers of these
pages are well aware of Walt Brown's
theory on the Dallas Police. "Blue Death"
brings all the evidence up against the
DPD - with all the logic, insight and
knowledge of the law that was last seen in
"People vs. Lee Harvey Oswald".
"Red Patsy" deals with Oswald - calling
him just what he was, a patsy.
And "White Lies" is a damning indictment
of the cover-up that continues to this day.
This is followed by a 28 page (and all to
short) Hypothesis where Brown brings all
the loose ends together, lays his cards on
the table and finally hits us in the face
with the actual events of that day - which,
up to that point, has only been hinted at.
The following tables and lists of witnesses
not called by the Warren Commission
should be of immense value to all
Kennedy researchers.
"Treachery in Dallas" has been a long
time in the making and we have been
waiting, it seems, for ever. But it is now
available and is without a doubt the most important JFK-
related book to be released in a long time.
For all those people who complain that
there are too many loose ends and
unexplained events in conspiracy
theories, think again. This one ties them
all up, hits you with the truth and could
very well make the Kennedy
assassination, dare I say it, case closed.
RATING: * * * * * - Unmissable
Oswald's Tale by Norman Mailer - reviewed by Walt Brown
The latest in a long line of "coincidence or conspiracy?" questions
relative to the death of John F. Kennedy is contained in the publication, by
Random House, publisher of Gerald Posner's Case Closed, of Norman Mailer's
recent work, Oswald's Tale, which, of course, is a misnomer, since Mailer could
hardly--and has hardly--told "Oswald's Tale." The "coincidence or conspiracy?"
question enters the picture when one realizes both were published by Random
House. Odd.
Other reviewers will no doubt focus on the substance--if they can find it,
in Oswald's Tale. After all, beginning with the trials and tribulations of Aunt
Valya--she of the overheated countenance, one almost suspects from page one
that the reader will be treated to an "Ivan Denisovitch-close up" view of Soviet
life, not unlike some of the better works from Solzhenitsen, or even Salisbury's
900 Days. The only resemblance, however, is that when you finish with the
Aunt Valya splotch of soporific Soviet World War II tripe, you quickly realize
that the rest of this book will probably take 900 days to read.
More troubling than what he wrote, however, is what Mailer has had to
say about Oswald's Tale. When asked a not unreasonable question such as,
"How did Oswald get to the 'lunchroom encounter' with such speed?" Mailer
makes an absurdity of the issue by suggesting Oswald was "in a transcendent
state" at that moment. What state were you in when you thought up that
brilliant answer, Norm?
Ah, but then there's the clincher. Mailer concedes that he's "75% sure"
Oswald was the guilty party (although he parts company briefly with Posner,
and cites the Warren Commission investigation as a hideous miscarriage of
judicial time, while essentially endorsing their conclusions) and adds that he
could have gotten Oswald acquitted due to evidentiary screw-ups. [Note:
Thank you for reminding the reading public of what they already learned a long
time ago in People v. Lee Harvey Oswald.]
What does this tell us? Has he said that he could have gotten off
anybody else of the "notorious" stripe in this century, from Bruno Hauptmann
to Ted Bundy, to the Rosenbergs to Squeeky Fromme because of horrendous
lack of respect for evidence in a capital crime similar to the charges levelled
against Oswald?
NO!! Because those people committed crimes and law enforcement
people had cases to prosecute, and convict them. And therein Mailer betrays
his fence-straddling charade in this publication. If 75% of a jury is convinced
of a defendant's guilt, the defendant either gets another trial, or walks. You
can't have it both ways.
Oswald's Tale, for all its promise, comes a very close second in the
"failed to deliver" category to the Warren Commission. It reads more like
something written by a harlot's ghost just after having her CD player skip for
hours through a frightenly repetitive chorus from an executioner's song. But
hey, we do find out a lot about Oswald, both naked and dead.
I'm 75% sure this book was not worth my time.
RATING: * - Rubbish
American Tabloid by James Ellroy
There are many fictional books on the
Kennedy Assassination. "Promises to
Keep" by George Bernau, "Libra" by Don
Delillo, "Case Closed" by Gerald Posner,
and one or two truly awful books by
Norman Mailer, but only one book delves
into the murky side of CIA/FBI/Mob
activities from the 50s and 60's. That
book is the newest release from James
Ellroy - "American Tabloid."
The story centers around three fictional
characters, Pete Bondurant - Howard
Hughes's right-hand man and Jimmy
Hoffa's hitman. Kemper Boyd - employed
by J. Edgar Hoover to infiltrate the
Kennedy clan. And Ward Little - a sad,
desperate man trying to seek redemption
in Bobby Kennedy's drive against organised crime. They all play out their
lives in the very real world of The White
House, the CIA, the FBI, and Operation
Mongoose.
One of the more surprising, and wonderful
tricks Ellroy uses in the book is that Lee
Harvey Oswald is never mentioned -
illustrating Ellroy's belief that Oswald was
nothing more than a patsy.
Other main players like Ruby, Tippit and
Banister play small but nonetheless
intriguing rules throughout the book. The
most interesting of which is J.D. Tippit
and what he did in his spare time.
Please note, this book is not for the faint-
hearted. It is written in Ellroy's usual
colorful (and sometimes horrific) style, the
text littered with bad language and
violence. But then again, long-time
readers of Ellroy wouldn't expect anything
else. He is the writer of the highly
acclaimed L.A. Confidential and
"American Tabloid" is the first, he says, in
a trilogy of books detailing the
underworld/seedy side of America and
American Politics. We can only hope he
tackles Waterate next.
Ellroy and Oliver Stone would make an
awesome combination.
RATING: * * * * * - Unmissable
JFK Assassination Quiz Book by Walt Brown
Now available from Walt Brown is
"The JFK Assassination Quiz Book". This slim little tome
is a perfect idea for those who think they know everything on the Kennedy
Assassination. They might be surprised to
find that they don't.
Great for sitting around and flicking
through, even better with groups of JFK
friends who want to better each other with
their knowledge.
The sections range from questions on JFK
for beginners to Quotable Quotes and
even Guns and JFK's limousine. The
questions range from the down right easy,
to the tricky, and bizarre - even a section
for Unanswered questions!
This is a terrific piece of JFK-related
material - totally different to everything
that has gone before and once again
shows Walt Brown's great knowledge of
the event.
The only thing lacking is a Trivial Pursuit-
type board game to pit your knowledge
against others. Still, anyone with a Trivial
Pursuit board can easily change the icons
for those that are JFK related and have a
groat time playing JFK Pursuit! Perhaps
the board will come with the second
printing...we can only hope.
A great way to see whether you know as
much as you think you do about the JFK
assassination.
RATING: * * * * - Highly Recommended
Oswald and the CIA by John Newman
John Newman, author of "JFK and
Vietnam", is the first to make it into
publication with "Oswald and the CIA"
which deals, mainly,
with the vast amount of material released
by the CIA recently due to the
Assassination Review Board.
Newman, as prolific as ever, is once again
to be congratulated for searching out
often neglected aspects of the case and
concentrating on that aspect alone. He did
it with "JFK and Vietnam" and he's done it
again with "Oswald and the CIA."
For those who doubt Oswald was in any
way connected with intelligence circles,
their eyes will be opened to aspects of
Oswald, and for that matter the CIA, that
have never been known before.
Not only does the book chronicle Oswald,
but the inside look into the workings, and
activities, of the CIA is also extraordinary
and very unsettling.
The paper trail is long and mostly hidden,
censored or destroyed, but Newman stays
on the trail and doggedly chips away at
the wall of silence.
There is no real doubt that, without the
Review Board standing over the
intelligence agencies and forcing them to
release this information, the book would
not have been able to be written.
Also, perhaps even worse, is the thought
that is ever present in the back of the
reader's mind, "If they've released this,
what are they still holding back?"
Newman's latest is a great companion to
his first work, and there seems little doubt
that the further we get from November
1963, the better the research and the
closer we slowly get to the truth.
