“Killing Oswald” a film by Shane O'Sullivan

[John Simkin]

Killing Oswald is the best documentary I have seen on the assassination of JFK. It also comes over as a rational and objective view of the assassination. Shane OSullivan uses the historian David Kaiser, to take you through the evidence. This is a masterstroke as Kaiser makes it clear that he thinks Oswald was involved in the assassination. However, he also addresses the evidence that shows that the FBI and the CIA were officially or unofficially, probably involved in the assassination and definitely played an important role in the cover-up. Most documentaries make it obvious that they have a theory they want to promote. This not only turns off those who believe that Oswald was a lone assassin, but upsets those who believe in some alternative theory.

Shane also uses historians such as John Newman, Dick Russell and Joan Mellon to show that there are those who doubt if Oswald was one of the gunmen. The film also has some great interviews with Ruth Paine, George De Mohrenschildt, Antonio Veciana (recently filmed). Probably the best material is that of Oswald talking. To me, these interviews, show that Oswald was clearly a patsy. The early interviews, where he argues he is a Marxist, provides that he was a well-trained undercover agent.

The video is an excellent starting point for someone who is new to the case. The highest compliment that I can make is that if I made a documentary on the JFK assassination, it would look very much like this.

You can view the video here:

http://www.killingoswald.co.uk/

[B. A. Copeland]

O'Sullivan does it again. I am very much looking forward to seeing this.

[Shane O'Sullivan]

Thanks very much, John, that's high praise indeed and a great endorsement, it means a lot. I'm glad you agree with my approach, I wanted the film to work for both researchers and a general audience new to the case and the feedback so far suggests that worked. While RFK Must Die was the story of my investigation into the Sirhan case, Killing Oswald presents the views of a number of authors I admire alongside archive material - film and audio - that I think helps us understand Oswald and the other characters.

I look forward to discussing the film here as members catch up with it. And thanks, B.A., hope you enjoy it.

[Blair Dobson]

is it available to order?

[Shane O'Sullivan]

Yes, Blair, it's available on Amazon - there are links to stream the film or order the DVD on the website: www.killingoswald.com

Edited December 5, 2013 by Shane O'Sullivan

[John Simkin]

Thanks very much, John, that's high praise indeed and a great endorsement, it means a lot. I'm glad you agree with my approach, I wanted the film to work for both researchers and a general audience new to the case and the feedback so far suggests that worked. While RFK Must Die was the story of my investigation into the Sirhan case, Killing Oswald presents the views of a number of authors I admire alongside archive material - film and audio - that I think helps us understand Oswald and the other characters.

I look forward to discussing the film here as members catch up with it. And thanks, B.A., hope you enjoy it.

Did you approach the BBC, ITV, C4 and C5 about showing the film?

[Mark Johansson]

Shane,

I can only agree with Mr. Simkin. One of the best documentaries I've seen. I really enjoyed to hear, for the first time, a very agitated Loran Hall.

Cheers

[Shane O'Sullivan]

Thanks, Mark, great to hear that! That audio clip of Loran Hall is very telling.

John, the film started off as a docudrama in the style of George Clooney's Good Night and Good Luck, which I pitched to production companies and broadcasters both here and in the US. I was aiming to make something like Killing Kennedy but focusing more on Oswald and Marina and their backstory, running in parallel with the key milestones in Kennedy's presidency.

The feedback was that it was fascinating but...in the words of a Channel 4 commissioner: "We don't often commission historical dramas, and when we do we need to be absolutely sure that they are saying something pressing about the world of today, and that they resonate with contemporary events...we felt that the Kennedy/Oswald story is slightly too familiar territory for us to want to take it on."

The JFK docs on British TV recently were either commissioned a year ago when I was pitching the docudrama or acquisitions (Channel 5 buying in that awful JFK: The Smoking Gun). TV commissioners and acquisition executives want a clearcut, racy "new" theory in "The Smoking Gun" mould - the assassination is not approached as a serious criminal or historical investigation, as it should be. I only began work on my doc last summer when it became clear that my docudrama would not be ready for the anniversary, by which time TV stations would have already planned their anniversary programming but I hope the film can be broadcast next year sometime.

[Douglas Caddy]

Blackopradio.com

Show #658
Original airdate: December 5, 2013
Guests: Shane O'Sullivan / Greg Burnham
Topics: Killing Oswald / COPA Conference

To listen, go to:

http://www.blackopradio.com/archives2013.html

[B. A. Copeland]

Thanks, Mark, great to hear that! That audio clip of Loran Hall is very telling.

John, the film started off as a docudrama in the style of George Clooney's Good Night and Good Luck, which I pitched to production companies and broadcasters both here and in the US. I was aiming to make something like Killing Kennedy but focusing more on Oswald and Marina and their backstory, running in parallel with the key milestones in Kennedy's presidency.

The feedback was that it was fascinating but...in the words of a Channel 4 commissioner: "We don't often commission historical dramas, and when we do we need to be absolutely sure that they are saying something pressing about the world of today, and that they resonate with contemporary events...we felt that the Kennedy/Oswald story is slightly too familiar territory for us to want to take it on."

The JFK docs on British TV recently were either commissioned a year ago when I was pitching the docudrama or acquisitions (Channel 5 buying in that awful JFK: The Smoking Gun). TV commissioners and acquisition executives want a clearcut, racy "new" theory in "The Smoking Gun" mould - the assassination is not approached as a serious criminal or historical investigation, as it should be. I only began work on my doc last summer when it became clear that my docudrama would not be ready for the anniversary, by which time TV stations would have already planned their anniversary programming but I hope the film can be broadcast next year sometime.

That is a rather off statement but I could never imagine any mainstream studio wanting to take such a well researched documentary on such a high profile case. In fact there is nothing like this very complex conspiracy on TV or even a theater. It puts all works of fiction to shame.