The jonestown massacre took place on november 18, 1978, after more than 900 members of an american cult called the peoples temple died in a mass suicidemurder under the direction of their. Jones used the peoples temple to spread a message that combined elements of christianity with communist and socialist ideology, with an emphasis on racial equality. The story is told through interviews with the surviving members of the peoples temple, their family members and the survivors of congressman leo ryans illfated trip to guyana. The 918 deaths in guyana under cult leader jim jones were more mass murder than suicide. Jones is known today as little more than a lunatic cult figure who led nearly 1,000 people to their deaths in the jungles of south america. The story is told by survivors, temple defectors, relatives, and journalists. The life and death of peoples temple full movie in hd visit featuring neverbeforeseen footage, thi. Jonestown the life and death of peoples temple i love. A documentary about preacher jim jones, his life prior to the masssuicides in guyana, and the event that took place leading up to that fateful day in 1978. In addition to being a member of peoples temple, theyre playing the clip of her talking about her daytoday life as a member and then they just start laying other interviews over her. But the fact all 3 of these peoples temple members would play such pivotal roles in precipitating the jonestown tragedy, yet survive unscathed, is deeply suspicious. One of the neighbourhood kids interviewed in the film jonestown.
California historical society nobody joins a cult, says a woman at the very beginning of stanley nelsons documentary jonestown. Chronicle of the rise and fall of peoples temple and its charismatic leader, jim jones, who in november, 1978 convinced his hundreds of followers in jonestown, guyana, to commit mass suicide. Jones is known today as little more than a lunatic cult figure who led nearly 1,000 people to their deaths in the. There are a lot of horror movies out there, and ive seen my share of the nobudget and the classic and the epic. Tracked and flaced by olen sluder olen at acm dot org publication date. Apr 10, 2007 as a part of the american experience series, pbs has aired an informative documentary titled jonestown. Thats one of the many telling jones anecdotes that director stanley nelson digs up for jonestown. The documentary reveals new footage of the incidents surrounding the peoples temple and its leader jim jones who led over 900 members of his religious group to a settlement in guyana called jonestown, where he orchestrated a mass. The life and death of peoples temple is a comprehensive retelling of the whole tragic story, directly from the mouths of the people who were there.
Jonestown the life and death of peoples temple 2006 essay. By joining the peoples temple, i hoped to help others and in the process to bring structure and selfdiscipline to my own life. Four sharon amos and her children liane harris, christa amos and martin amos died at the peoples temple house in lamaha gardens in. Stanley nelson, macarthur genius, director, flmmaker, emmy award winner for jonestown. The life and death of peoples temple, a documentary that goes behind the 1978 mass suicide of jones disciples in guyana and tries to explain how any personlet alone 900 peoplecould volunteer to kill themselves just because a preacher told. The documentary jonestown the life and death of peoples temple focuses on the emergence and fall of jim jones the leader of peoples temple who advised his followers to drink poison in mass suicide. On the other hand, stanley nelsons documentary jonestown. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple faq for additional information. From waco to heavens gate, the late 20th century saw its share of cult tragedies. The life and death of peoples temple article the peoples temple in california. The life and death of peoples temple movie trailer.
The death tape alternative considerations of jonestown. Former peoples temple members describe horrors of jonestown massacre, the day 918 americans died of the 918 americans who. Leo ryan, nbc correspondent don harris, nbc soundman bob brown, newspaper photographer greg robinson, and temple defector patty parks were shot to death at the port kaituma airstrip. Located in the south american country of guyana, the peoples temple agricultural project was supposed to be the. Before the tragedy at jonestown, the people of peoples. Within 2 days, ryan, jones and over 900 jonestown settlers were dead.
This film explores one of the most disturbing incidents in religious cultrelated history. My life in and after peoples temple black jonestown. The jonestown massacre also remains the only time in history in which a u. The life and death of peoples temple features neverbeforeseen footage that helps to deliver a startling new look at the peoples temple, a religious cult headed by preacher jim jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to guyana, where he orchestrated a mass. An audio recording made on november 18, 1978, at the peoples temple compound in jonestown, guyana immediately preceding and during the mass suicide and. The life and death of peoples temple leaves you with more questions than you went in with.
The peoples temple congregation was sizably africanamerican. I suspected that those people who lived in jonestown would be the people i spend the rest of my life with. Featuring neverbeforeseen footage, this documentary delivers a startling new look at the peoples temple, headed by preacher jim jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to guyana, where he orchestrated a mass suicide via tainted punch. The life and death of peoples temple 2006 recalled him purposely killing animals, mainly house pets, and giving them funerals. Perhaps the scariest and most tragic thing about jonestown. Sep 19, 2012 though dubbed a massacre, what transpired at jonestown on november 18, 1978, was to some extent done willingly, making the mass suicide all the more disturbing. On november 18, 1978, over 900 people died at the peoples temple agricultural project in guyana in the largest mass suicide in history. I believe that if you are a true believer and a seeker of a utopian life, you may be at risk for what we peoples temple survivors went through.
Using never before seen archival footage and survivor interviews, jonestown. American experience goes beyond the headlines to provide a revealing portrait of jones and the peoples temple. I have just modified 10 external links on jonestown. During the years i was a member of the peoples temple, i watched the organization depart with increasing frequency from its professed dedication to social change and participatory democracy. The life and death of peoples temple premiered ad the 2006 tribeca film festival, a documentary film producted and directed by stanley nelson which tells the story of jim jones and the peoples temple and to the tragical end of the religious group into their settlement in jonestown, guyana, where more than 900 members commited suicide. Through interviews with people who personally knew jones as well as footage showing the incident, the documentary weaves a story on events leading. High quality pbs documentary covering the life and death of jim jones, and the peoples temple. The life and death of peoples temple is that so many of the followers of jim jones, the demented demagogue who led them to commit mass suicide, appear to. The life and death of peoples temple, pbs the american experience in this time of demagoguery, greed, fear mongering and race baiting, we are watching the fabric of our lives being shredded by individuals we have elected to represent us. Johnston kohl hopes the event will allow her to make one last visit to the place that was once the most precious part of her life. The life and death of peoples temple tells the story of the people who followed jim jones from indiana, to california. The life and death of peoples temple, follows the rev. A commentary on religious movements turning sinister by larissa piva december 31, 2017 january 2, 2018 media commentary blogs the peoples temple is a fascinating case that reveals not only the power of faith, but allows us to delve deeper into the human psyche.
The life and death of peoples temple, it illustrates an extreme example of one radical religious leaders control over hundreds of people to the extent of convincing them to voluntarily commit a revolutionary suicide in their attempted utopian settlement in guyana. The life and death of peoples temple found a theatrical distributor in many ways, nonfiction is the new indie and the day you see it in any context might be the darkest day of your year. The life and death of peoples temple 2006 from pbs american experience documentary series, jonestown. In california, the peoples temple continued to grow and develop into a. Jim jones of the peoples temple, through what appeared to be brainwashing, either coerced suicide or simply murdered over 900 of his followers. The life and death of peoples temple, stanley nelsons intriguing and sometimes frustrating documentary about jones sr. The life and death of peoples temple at a low price.
The jonestown cult officially named the peoples temple was founded in 1955 by indianapolis preacher james warren jones. The life and death of peoples temple, is a 2006 documentary film made by firelight media, produced and directed by stanley nelson. The life and death of peoples temple as ghoulishly obsessed as i was with this tragic story, i didnt know as much as i thought about reverend jim jones, who created a multiracial congregational church called peoples temple and eventually led his flock to a mass suicide in guyana, south a. Jim jones died in the largest mass murdersuicide in history, at jonestown, guyana. The film explores the frightening indoctrination process and the. It is a fascinating look into the rise and fall of what many considered a cult. The life and death of peoples temple, the extensively researched new documentary by stanley nelson, is that it shows the early days of jim jones infamous ministry. The documentary reveals new footage of the incidents surrounding the peoples temple and its leader jim jones who led over 900 members of his religious group to a settlement in guyana called jonestown, where he orchestrated a mass suicide with poisoned. With rebecca moore, janet shular, tim carter, stanley clayton. Q042 which was made in jonestown on 18 november 1978 is available in digital form as an mp3 on this site pt. Unravelling the mysteries of jonestown by laurie efrein kahalas, trafford publ 1998. It is well worth the time to watch this and check out other features at. Featuring neverbeforeseen footage, this documentary delivers a startling new look at the peoples temple, headed by preacher jim jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to guyana, where he.
The life and death of peoples temple stanley nelsons unflashy, straightforward account of jim jones and his great social experiment which notoriously culminated in the largest mass. Death records alternative considerations of jonestown. Jim jones, who in 1978 persuaded 909 followers to drink poison. Jim jones convinced his followers to collectively ingest a lethal dose of cyanidelaced drink to escape a world. United states directed by stanley nelson not rated by the mpaa contains language, disturbing content, some sexual dialogue, violence, mature themes. This is a documentary on the peoples temple located in what was jonestown. The life and death of peoples temple, is a 2006 documentary film made by. I recall a member of our church in germany who had lost a mother at jonestown.
The film unfolds chronologically and covers the formative years of jim jones life and the birth, rise and eventual demise of the peoples temple. Even those familiar with the events leading up to the november 18th, 1978 massacre will get an emotional firsthand perspective from the people who. The peoples temple of the disciples of christ, commonly shortened to peoples temple, was an american new religious movement founded in 1955 by jim jones in indianapolis, indiana. The life and death of peoples temple a film by stanley nelson. When people hear the word jonestown, they usually think of horror and death. Deborah layton, kathe mazur, deborah layton, random house audio. Entirely orthodox in its ways and means, jonestown has a truly apocalyptic. Jim jones, the religious cult leader and civil rights activist, hinted at things to come. The truly sad thing is that it illustrates the tragedy of jonestown quite well and was a pretty clever move on the filmmakers. Mar 20, 2020 the jonestown massacre was the most deadly single nonnatural disaster in u. The life and death of peoples temple was written and submitted by your fellow student.
Next year marks the 40th anniversary of the massacre. Interviews with former childhood friends, former peoples temple members, news crew who were in jonestown on the 18th november 1978, and of some of the very few pt membesr who made it out of jonestown alive that day, all complied to give a. Whilst its only speculation they were participants in some kind of cia operation, a more solid link to the agency can be found in the figure of richard dwyer. Their alarming stories focused on a compound known as jonestown, a group called the peoples temple and its leader, jim jones. Aug 12, 2012 this is a documentary on the peoples temple located in what was jonestown. The mother of a friend of mine was involved in a cult. The life and death of peoples temple stars the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 25 min, and received a score of 79 out of 100 on metacritic, which. Sep 03, 2016 jonestown the life and death of peoples temple 2006 the filmmakers studio.
This was already a sign of joness interest with religion and the afterlife. A startling look at preacher jim jones, his life prior to the masssuicides in guyana, and the event that took place leading up to that fateful day in 1978. During the time of her involvement, her husband wanted me to talk to her. This new york times critics pick tells the story of the people who followed cult leader jim jones. But when it comes to how those followers turned into a zombie koolaid death cult, jonestown. Jonestown the life and death of peoples temple 2006 youtube.