MovieChat Forums > Jim Jones Discussion > We NEED a ten hour Jonestown miniseries.

We NEED a ten hour Jonestown miniseries.

posted 13 days ago by whynotwriteme (7129)
9 replies | jump to latest

I heard DiCaprio was planning a feature film, but it's probably fallen through. Just as well. DiCaprio wouldn't make a good Jim Jones and a 2-3 hour film is way too short to do justice to such an intricate, convoluted story that spanned several decades.

The Powers Booth miniseries from the 80s is decent, but there is way more to the story.

This Jim Jones speech HAS to be in whatever new film they make about Jonestown. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3uOFTt1mp0

Hollywood probably won't touch the story, though. Jim Jones' Communist beliefs are too much like those of present-day Democrats for them to want to deal with.

[–] Kendricks (2083) 13 days ago

That would be indeed a story worth telling considering the hundreds of victims and the general craziness of it all.

[–] whynotwriteme (7129) 13 days ago

I was so P.O.'ed when I found out the second season of "Monster" was going to be about the Menendez Brothers. I was hoping it would be Jim Jones and Jonestown.

You would think after the huge success of Dahmer they would want to make something really epic like the Jonestown story and not just the account of one messed up family of rich jerks.

[–] jacotodd47 (1024) 13 days ago

I don't know about that. The story has been well covered. What more could be known that isn't already known? Yes Jones had Socialist beliefs. He started off as someone ahead of his time (accepted everyone). Had some good ideas. The problem is he couldn't keep his head screwed on straight. He didn't leave San Francisco, he fled.

It's unfortunate to say but true, people that couldn't think for themselves followed him to Jonestown. A project that simply wasn't economically viable. Jones ends up becoming a massive dug addict - completely out of his mind. People stateside become curious as to what is going on in JOnestown. A coalition is put together to investigate - I think everyone knows the story from there. It's a horrible story. Well documented - I don't see the point in rehashing it.

ON the opposite side of the spectrum - a terrific story, however, in a way similar to Jim Jones. Sam Mendes is making 4 movies about all 4 Beatles. Fine. How could this be similar to Jim Jones? It's 4 more stories that have been told and retold for years. Well documented - what more could (or needs to) be known?

Well then again, NETFLIX put together the ten part "Dahmer" miniseries - which was actually pretty good. Then of course there was the movie "May December" which rehashed the Mary Kay Letourneau mess. I didn't care for that one.

Personally I don't see the need for a ten hour Jonestown miniseries.

[–] whynotwriteme (7129) 13 days ago

The 80s miniseries only scratched the surface of this story. Dozens, if not hundreds of compelling accounts of the different participants. Read Raven and The Road to Jonestown.

[–] jacotodd47 (1024) 13 days ago

Maybe so, maybe the Powers Boothe program only scratched the surface. However, it was hardly the only program produced on Jonestown. Perhaps a dozen more were done.

Of course the others were more towards true crime documentaries.

If we are talking made for TV miniseries, I believe the PB program is the only one.

So I suppose it could be done. Though, as I said previously - one thinks it's better off left alone.

[–] Keelai (31975) 13 days ago

No thanks. It would be exploitive to make another one. Let the dead rest in peace. I watched the original miniseries which was excellent.

I recommend reading books to learn more about Jonestown and the cult.

In the meantime, you're missing the present-day cults: Jan. 6 Trump cult; Q-Anon; Scientology; FlatEarthers; etc.

[–] whoanelly (1558) 13 days ago

Although the Powers Booth mini series didn’t really delve into the culpability of Jones’ most ardent female aides who assisted him in orchestrating the mass poisoning.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8020376/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_ov_pl

[–] whynotwriteme (7129) 13 days ago

I just watched that documentary. Chilling! Those women were so similar to the mindset of a lot of people today.

[–] whynotwriteme (7129) 13 days ago

AntiFa, BLM, Trans Rights gang, Queers for Palestine and all the other pink-haired weirdos are much more in line with Jim Jones' communist politics. All they need is some charismatic leader and they'd be quaffing the Kool Aid already, but there's no charismatic Leftists at all now. That Queer for Palestine at the Israeli embassy should have started a movement instead of immolating himself.

(BTW, I read all the major books, saw the series and docs, and I want to see the FULL story on the screen.)