The peoples temple was, as david talbot notes in salon, successful in part because it was politically useful. This was a christian destructive, doomsday cult founded and led by james warren jones 19311978. The most pervasive myth that almost everyone believes. The life and death of peoples temple offers a more sophisticated thesis, digging into the reasons why people would enlist, which are rooted in an optimism and idealism. My surviving aunt has been terrified since she left peoples temple and has not been the same. Join mailing list at check for rebroadcast and purchase. A scene from white nights, black paradise courtesy of sikivu hutchinson. 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. Their alarming stories focused on a compound known as jonestown, a group called the peoples temple and its leader, jim jones. Explore peoples temple jonestown gallerys 2,780 photos on flickr.
Jonestown also includes neverbeforeseen footage shot inside peoples temple, providing a rare glimpse of joness. Filmmaker stanley nelson charts the rise and fall of peoples temple founder jim jones, whose followers drank poisoned punch at their south american commune in 1978. We uncovered original film footage shot by temple members of jim jones and the congregation. On the whole, it is possible to argue that jim jones was willing and able to appeal to people who represented diverse racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Temple university faculty and students have access to two large video and dvd collections. On november 18, 1978, over nine hundred members of the san franciscobased peoples temple church including over three hundred children died in the jonestown, guyana jungle settlement named after the churchs white founder, the reverend jim jones. I n the early 1970s the peoples temple was accused of being a doomsday cult. One of the most amazing elements of stanley nelsons riveting new documentary about jim jones and the peoples temple is just how much film footage and audio had been recorded of. To some degree, peoples temple is only a part of the religious and cultural trend that existed during that period. The life and death of peoples temple, website for the film broadcast on pbs. Within 2 days, ryan, jones and over 900 jonestown settlers were dead. The life and death of peoples temple is a 2006 documentary by stanley nelson, which aired in 2007 on pbss american experience. With powers boothe, ned beatty, irene cara, veronica cartwright. With rebecca moore, janet shular, tim carter, stanley clayton.
Jones began the peoples temple informally in the 1950s as an independent congregation in indianapolis. They believed that he could offer them consolations and address their problems. The first real film on peoples temple by lela howard. 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. Although jones was white, he attracted mostly african americans to the group with his vision of an integrated congregation. In the 1970s, following negative media attention, the powerful. Peoples temple had history of threats, violence the.
The life and death of peoples temple 2006 documentary history 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 the film jonestown. Mar 20, 2020 the jonestown massacre was the most deadly single nonnatural disaster in u. American experience goes beyond the headlines to provide a revealing portrait of jones and the peoples temple.
Jim jones held degrees from indiana university and butler university. Jim jones may, 1931november 18, 1978, the leader of the peoples temple cult, was both charismatic and disturbed. Films like this were recorded by peoples temple to promote the agricultural mission and encourage migration to jonestown. The film s planned airing on pbs will expose many more viewers. When jim jones was operating the peoples temple out of san francisco in the mid70s, he once distributed cups of punch to his whole congregation, and once theyd swallowed, he informed them that the punch had been poisoned. The most pervasive myth that almost everyone believes about. Example 5 experiencing peoples temple through jonestown. Peoples temple article about peoples temple by the free. Although peoples temple was a member in good standing of the disciples of christ denomination and the largest congregational giver in 1978, it collapsed as a congregation when the majority of its active members died on 18 november 1978. Over its 23 year history, the peoples temple actively contributed to social causes in indiana and later in northern california, after the cults headquarters were moved. File this november 1978 file photo shows the peoples temple compound, led by jim jones, after bodies were removed, in jonestown, guyana. The life and death of peoples temple, website for the film broadcast on pbs includes video interviews with survivors from 2006.
Furthermore, peoples temple should be compared to other religious trends that existed in the seventies. Film indigenous peoples research guides at temple university. The life and death of peoples temple 2006 on dvd and bluray. Rights are owned by the california historical society. There were many cults which denied mainstream religions such as christianity. The mass suicidemurder took place at the socalled jonestown settlement in the south american nation of guyana. Instead, the supporters of these cults paid more attention to asian beliefs or religions such as zen buddhism.
Jones began the peoples temple informally in the 1950s as an. The life and death of peoples temple is a 2006 documentary by stanley nelson, which aired in 2007 on pbs s american experience. I was not disappointed, but i wished more could have been told. Grab yourself a glass of kool aid, glug down and enter blissful sleep, be transported to the other side where jesus and stalin hold hands and stare into each others eyes feeling no guilt.
Mar 30, 2020 the sacrament 20, a foundfootage horror film depicted here simply as father. Its flamboyant minister, jim jones, readily admitted that he thought that the. A thriller that dramatizes the last 24 hours in the lives of jim jones and the peoples temple church through the eyes of a reporter. Jonestown the life and death of peoples temple 2006 youtube. Nov 18, 2019 superhero film shot in sf delayed, but gets crazy title. The peoples temple was a cult which was founded in the united states in 1955. 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. Layton, the only member of the peoples temple tried in the u. The footage came from a number of different sources, but there was a lot of footage in the film that did come from peoples temple. The sacrament 20, a foundfootage horror film depicted here simply as father. With kym jackson, leandro cano, william russ, noel arthur. Black women and the peoples temple in jonestown aaihs. It is in the form of a narrative with interviews with former temple members. Jonestown documentary gives rare look inside peoples temple.
People may want to read the book raven which is a biography about rev. Other movies and documentaries about that fateful day have not enlightened or helped me to understand what led so many to perish that day. Jones had founded what became the peoples temple in indiana in the 1950s then relocated his congregation to california in the 1960s. Peoples temple, religious community led by jim jones 193178 that came to international attention after some 900 of its members died at their compound, jonestown, in guyana, in a massive act of murdersuicide on nov. 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. Jones could be counted on to deliver busloads of obedient, welldressed disciples. The story of jim jones, also called the mad messiah, is a 1980 television miniseries about the peoples temple led by jim jones, and their 1978 mass suicide at jonestown.
The films planned airing on pbs will expose many more viewers. Produced by cineflix, galaxie production, film afrika and nextfilm. 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 documentary reveals new footage of the incidents surrounding the peoples temple and its leader jim jones who led. Nelson was drawn to making this film by a persistent question. The death toll exceeded 900, making it one of the largest mass deaths in american history. Destructive cults the peoples temple, led by james warren jim jones. 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. The jonestown massacre also remains the only time in history in which a u. Superhero film shot in sf delayed, but gets crazy title. The life and death of peoples temple 1 opens with the voice of deborah layton, a former member. Jonestown, location of the mass murdersuicide of the californiabased peoples temple cult at the behest of their charismatic but paranoid leader, jim jones, in jonestown agricultural commune, guyana, on november 18, 1978. I was really hesitant about seeing stanley nelsons jonestown. Jonestown the life and death of peoples temple 2006.
Reporters 1978 account of deadly ambush, jonestown tragedy. Jones had a vision for a better world and established the peoples temple to help make that happen. The documentary, directed by stanley nelson, incorporates rare footage and recordings with a history of jones and the peoples temple. 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. They saw themselves changing the world, with the church as a tool, he. Dozens of peoples temple members in guyana survived the mass suicides and murders of more than 900 because they had slipped out of jonestown or happened to be away nov. 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, is a 2006 documentary film made by firelight media, produced and directed by stanley nelson. He was inspired by the ideal of a just society that could overcome the evils of racism and poverty. The reallife story of the peoples temple cult led by reverend jim jones and the events involving its move to guyana and its eventual mass suicide. Three unsuspecting american tourists visit a mysterious mountain shrine in japan despite uncanny warnings from local inhabitants to stay away. Jim jones and his people temple, from their noble beginning in the 50s, to their controversial history in san francisco in the 70s, to the notorious mass suicide at their guyana compound in november 1978. There are scores of never before seen photographs recently declassified from the cias investigations into peoples temple and jonestown.
What drove thousands of people to join peoples temple. Temple 2017 tvma 1h 18m horror movies three unsuspecting american tourists visit a mysterious mountain shrine in japan despite uncanny warnings from local inhabitants to stay away. 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 t. What happened to peoples temple after 18 november 1978. Nov 03, 2006 one of the most amazing elements of stanley nelson s riveting new documentary about jim jones and the peoples temple is just how much film footage and audio had been recorded of this cult. What began in indiana in 1960 as a bold experiment in radical theology ended tragically in the jungle of guyana in 1978 with peoples temple members drinking poisoned koolaid.
Dec 01, 2019 temple university faculty and students have access to two large video and dvd collections. 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. When they started to freak out, he admitted it was actually just punch, and that he was only testing their faith. Nobody joins something they think is going to hurt them. The film unfolds chronologically and covers the formative years of jim jones. We found members who had film stuffed in the back of their. 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 flavor aid, in november 1978.
I have heard about the cult peoples temple before, but i knew little about it. The film not only asks what went so maniacally wrong in guyana, but more revealingly what were the good intentions that drove people there. Through large amount of rare footages and in depth interviews of the peoples temple survivors and family members of the members of peoples temple, the documentary takes a deep look into this cult and tries to find out why 909 people committed mass murdersuicide on november 18, 1978 in jonestown. All surviving former members lives have been forever affected. Amateur movie recording early jonestown scenes, including the nursery, piggery, pavilion, and other buildings. Thats one of the many telling jones anecdotes that director stanley nelson digs up for jonestown. 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.
19 936 751 1139 955 301 1290 917 11 1405 997 591 528 582 2 1527 18 1243 462 956 1567 351 969 1371 1438 1384 771 347 121 1464 48 1054 1163 328 1222 657 1226