Top left: Kimo Prokes, right, and two other children at Jonestown in 1978. That’s exactly what Inside a Cult: Messiah on Trial is – a follow-up to The End of the World Cult (so watch that one first!). Even if you think you know all there is to know about scientology, you will still get a lot out of this film. A friend at high school said his father was one of the last State Department people to visit Jonestown. As far as documentaries go, this one was decent and it provides enough information and archive footage to know and understand the steady decaying digression of the People's Temple into the unspeakable tragedy at Jonestown. 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Docudrama. But the weirdest -and most disturbing – part of this documentary is the fact that Travesser’s devoted followers don’t seem to understand what’s really going on. Paradise wasn't lost at Jonestown because they were in hell with Jones years before they even got there. 1 of 14. next. Please try again. The documentary “Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple” paints a picture of the demagogue Jim Jones as a man with two faces. If you’ve never seen someone truly brainwashed, then The End of the World Cult needs to be your next documentary. There are some things that all cult documentaries have in common. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } See more ideas about jonestown, jonestown massacre, crime scene photos. This series is actually the story of two very unlike communities — the people of Rajneeshpuram and Wasco County, Ore… Anyone growing up in the 1970s will remember the horrific scenes at Jonestown, Guiana. Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, is a 2006 documentary film made by Firelight Media, produced and directed by Stanley Nelson.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 … Jonestown: Paradise Lost is a documentary on the final days of Jonestown, the Peoples Temple, and Jim Jones. In addition to footage of the trial proceedings, you get to meet former members of the cult that have come to see their one-time Messiah finally pay for his crimes. Not surprisingly, Theroux is barred from speaking to Scientology’s inner ranks for this film, so he decides to create his own documentation of exactly what happens inside the cult…hiring actors and former cult members to help reconstruct events. Not only are Scientology’s beginnings bizarre and strange, but the current practices certainly embody what most people would consider to be near-criminal cult activities. While Scientology may have obtained religion status from the IRS, the rest of the world – and certainly the director of Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief – are out to prove otherwise. Jul 8, 2016 - Explore Dawn Valicky's board "Jonestown" on Pinterest. Throughout the documentary, you will not only become a champion of these boys that so badly deserve a fresh start, but will also get a detailed, first-hand look inside one of the US’s most notorious cults. High ranking ex-member Marty Rathbun plays a particularly important role, providing in-depth knowledge of the bizarre inner workings of the cult – things like how they punish their members, their made-up words for things, and the tactics they use to harass ex-members. (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';fnames[3]='BIRTHDAY';ftypes[3]='birthday';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Some links on this page many contain affiliate links. Documentaries. Of all the cult documentaries on Netflix, this is definitely one of the best! It’s informative AND really entertaining. Unable to add item to List. Icarus is a 2017 American documentary film by Bryan Fogel, and in our opinion, the second best Netflix documentary to watch right now. Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2017. But there’s something even more bizarre that makes all of these cult documentaries addictive must-watch films. You’d be forgiven for watching only the first episode of Wild, Wild Countryand assuming the whole show is about a sex-crazed hippie commune inspired by Eastern religions, but things get more complicated quickly. Prophet’s Prey is a Showtime documentary, so if you don’t have Showtime but want to give it a try, you can get a free 7-day trial from Amazon Prime here → Showtime 7-Day Free Trial. From eyewitness and survivor accounts, it recreates the last week before the mass murder-suicide on November 18, 1978. Whatever the draw may be, these cult documentaries are definitely the best out there, featuring infamous leaders like Warren Jeffs, Michael Travesser, Michel Rostand, and Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Was Rajneeshpuram an innocent religion just trying to live in peace? It did a great job of condensing and explaining what was a fairly complicated situation, and allowing the audience to see it from several angles. Prophet’s Prey takes an inside look at the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) that leader Warren Jeffs has been controlling for decades. "And she's right: You may follow a charismatic leader or an ideology or a … Jonestown: The Life and Death of the Peoples Temple. This dramatic documentary drama tracks the final build up to a horrific doomsday: the infamous mass murder and suicides of Jim Jones' cult followers in the jungles of Guyana, where over 900 men, women, and children died on November 18, 1978. Or were they a sex-driven cult attempting to take over the state of Oregon one town at a time? To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. We must all learn from this so those people did not die in vain. This documentary tells the devastating and harrowing tale of the Peoples Temple cult, led by Jim Jones. Jim was the Rev. You gotta read books written by the survivors to get the whole story. Powerful documentary/movie. The documentary kicks off with one of the highest-profile cults right now: NXIVM (their leader, Keith Rienere, was just found guilty of various crimes associated with this cult). Subscribe to our email list for notifications of new documentaries and what you should be watching! U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan was assassinated as he tried to rescue Jonestown residents desperate for freedom. Storyville documentary about Jim Jones, a charismatic American preacher. Be a leader, not a follower!! Some of the most iconic moments in music to be captured on film include Beyoncé’s Homecoming, the original Woodstock, Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, and so much more. "Nobody joins a cult," says a woman at the very beginning of Stanley Nelson's documentary "Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple." They really show how powerful – and devastating – a charismatic leader can be. A documentary on the 40th anniversary of the largest murder-suicide in American history, when over 900 members of the Peoples Temple consumed a deadly cyanide-laced drink on the orders of leader Jim Jones . On November 18, 1978, 909 members of the Peoples Temple living in the Jonestown settlement in Guyana consumed a deadly, cyanide-laced drink. This cult documentary is weird and disturbing (with tons of inside footage) but will keep you watching until the end. The Best Movies of the Year. Anyone growing up in the 1970s will remember the horrific scenes at Jonestown, Guiana. The Jonestown Haunting (2020) 85 min | Crime, Drama, Horror A survivor of the Jonestown massacre returns to the site 10 years later and discovers the cult's former home has … Love is life not death!! Jonestown: Paradise Lost is a 2007 documentary television film on the History Channel about the final days of Jonestown, the Peoples Temple, and Jim Jones.From eyewitness and survivor accounts, the program recreates the last week before the mass murder-suicide on November 18, 1978. If documentaries about cults interest you, then Children of God needs to make your list! In 1978 over 900 people led by Rev. This feature length film, a hybrid of documentary and drama, tracks the final, 5-day build up to a horrific doomsday - the infamous mass murder/suicides of Jim Jones' People's Temple on November 18th, 1978. This documentary series covers not just one, but SEVEN different cults…many of which you’ve probably never heard of. Jonestown: Paradise Lost (Netflix and Hulu) The Jonestown incident is how the phrase “drinking the Kool-Aid” came to enter the popular vernacular. Very powerful and I recommend all to watch this and learn something from it. Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, is a 2006 documentary film made by Firelight Media, produced and directed by Stanley Nelson.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 … Sections. I was a young person at the time of this event and still remember the disbelief I felt that something like it could even happen. Related post: 4 Documentaries about Scientology that Will Completely Shock You. Latest was Episode 230 LIVE: The Jonestown Massacre. More were murdered. Truth and Lies: Jonestown, Paradise Lost ( 2018) Truth and Lies: Jonestown, Paradise Lost. You've never seen Jonestown like this. But the better account of everything is to read one of the books written by the survivors. Skip In 00 : 02 prev next. Other times were narrated and commented like a documentary. Thumbnails. Add it to your queue. Jim Jones was head of the cult, "The People's Temple" that had its start in California. Above: Barbara Hoyer teaching children at Jonestown in 1977-78. Often it’s the disturbing and gut-wrenching abuse that the innocent members are forced to partake in. It has been reported that the documentary will feature interviews with Jones family members and people who were involved with the cult before the massacre. They did so on the orders of the cult's leader, Jim Jones. Not only do these boys struggle to live without their families, they are also forced to navigate a world that they are totally unprepared for. Listen online, no signup necessary. And it justs gets creepier from there. They don’t all end like Jonestown or Rajneeshpuram with suicides or fugitives. Connie Brown Henderson is the widow of Bob Brown, the veteran NBC cameraman who was shot to death in 1978 at Jonestown … You join a religious organization or you join a political movement, and you join with people that you really like. The community of Jonestown is best understood as a small town in need of infrastructure, or, as one visitor described it, an “unfinished construction site.” This feature length film, a hybrid of documentary and drama, tracks the final, 5-day build up to a horrific doomsday - the infamous mass murder/suicides of Jim Jones' People's Temple on November 18th, 1978. On Nov. 18, 1978, more than 900 Americans died in Jonestown, Guyana. Best documentary: JONESTOWN: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (Stanley Nelson, American Experience) Best Theater Production: The Peoples Temple (Leigh Fondakowski) Other books by Peoples Temple survivors: Slavery of Faith, Leslie Wagner-Wilson. Bodies lay strewn around a vat containing a beverage laced with cyanide at the Jonestown commune of the People's Temple in Guyana. American Experience: Jonestown - The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the Peoples Temple, Raven: The Untold Story of the Rev. Through this moving program you will come face to face with "Father" and his followers, hear from survivors and experts, and experience for yourself life in Jonestown and the final terrible days there. Featuring never-before-seen 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. As this documentary doesn't show even half of the stuff that went on in the People's Temple long before they even got to Jonestown. Children of God: Lost and Found may be somewhat of an amateur production (the producer, Noah Thomson, was a former member of the cult), but the perspective he provides makes it all worth it. Some committed suicide. NXIVM made headlines in 2018 when it's leader Keith Raniere and some of his closest confidantes were charged with crimes like sex trafficking, racketeering, and forced labor. /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. As if being one of the best documentaries about cults isn’t enough, Wild Wild Country is actually a docuseries that will keep you entertained for weeks (or at least one if you’re really into it). 1 of 11 Undated photo of Bob Brown working in the field. This is one of the saddest documentaries you will ever see, but also one of the best cult documentaries available. Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre: LIVE, Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2018. Now I plan to read the book on the subject that was listed at the end of the credits. Stream It Or Skip It: 'Tiger' on HBO Max, a Two-Part Documentary About The World's Greatest Golfer Best On Netflix 11 Best New Movies on Netflix: January 2021's Freshest Films to Watch I feel extreme sorrow for those whose stories were covered and who lost family members. In 2008, writer Julia Scheeres traveled to Jonestown for a series of books she was writing about the Peoples Temple and Jonestown incident. You join a religious organization or you join a political movement, and you join with people that you really like. The Best of Documentary Reviewers This documentary tells the devastating and harrowing tale of the Peoples Temple cult, led by Jim Jones. The documentary not only covers the horrors of Ivan’s treatment of his captives, it also lays out the very real and difficult task that Israel has of locating and convicting war criminals. Documentaries really don’t get anymore gritty and raw than this. This is a Netflix documentary that you will never forget…definitely add it to your queue. Coming in at number 13 on our list of the best Netflix documentaries is a 2015 British documentary film about the life and death of Amy Winehouse. You don't have to judge why people do sick things, but you never have to accept sick people's behavior either!! We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. "This groundbreaking feature-length hybrid of documentary and drama definitively examines the five tense … When it comes to documentaries about cults, Jonestown: Paradise Lost has every single element of a terrifying cult scenario. Jim Jones died in the largest mass murder-suicide in history, at Jonestown, Guyana. Please try again. Jonestown: Paradise Lost. Nothing in this Oscar-winning docuseries, executive produced by the Duplass brothers, is exactly what it seems. Documentaries. Some parts of it felt like a move as it was acted out. For more information, see our disclosure policy. I don't care what anybody says, never ever give up your God-given life on anything!! Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief is one of HBO’s greatest documentaries. Jim Jones — charismatic, volatile and ultimately evil. Members of a U.S. military team prepare aluminum coffins for shipment to the United States, following the more than 900 deaths in the mass suicide staged in Jonestown … On Nov. 18, 1978, one of the biggest American mass deaths took place in Jonestown, Guyana at the Peoples Temple compound. In preparation for this life-altering event, they welcomed journalist Alex Hannaford to their compound to document their lives. This docudrama was well done, although I've seen other actors portray Jones a little better. "Nobody joins a cult," says a woman at the very beginning of Stanley Nelson's documentary "Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple." Infamous for polygamy and child brides, this cult is an offshoot of Mormonism, bringing to it even more controversy than their disturbing and illegal activities. Following the orders of their leader, Rev. What’s the only thing better than a good cult documentary? Maybe it’s the insane devotion of the cult followers, maybe it’s the outlandish requests made by their leaders. It’s available on Amazon. Jim Jones died in the largest mass murder-suicide in history, at Jonestown, Guyana. In 1977, as media interest grew Jim Jones and hundreds of his supporters left San Francisco, California and set out for Guyana determined to build a new community in the South American country. Holy Hell tells the story of the Buddhafield cult, an unsuspecting Hollywood cult led by Michel Rostand that managed to evade detection….well, basically forever. It was he who dreamed up Jonestown, he who willed it into being, and he who brought it down: first, with the assassination of U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan and four others by temple members on a nearby airstrip on Nov. 18, 1978, then with the mass murders and suicides of hundreds, a horror that remains nearly unimaginable … Forty years on from America’s most infamous massacre, this harrowing documentary traces the Rev Jim Jones’s suicide sect – and hears from the handful who made it out alive Led by Michael Travesser (whose actual name is Wayne Bent), The Lord Our Righteousness Church in Strong City, New Mexico believed the world would end on October 31, 2007. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. This particular flick, starting with it's title, implies that everything was fine until they got to Jonestown when the last stop is what it really was. What is so shocking about the Holy Hell documentary is realizing just how pervasive cults actually are. 13 Cults and Secretive Religions, and the Best Documentaries About Each. The USG had chosen to hand-deliver the monthly social security checks to those receiving them there, and required each citizen to leave Jonestown to get their check. Why are people so easily led astray? Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2020. With Rebecca Moore, Janet Shular, Tim Carter, Stanley Clayton. Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2018. "This groundbreaking feature-length hybrid of documentary and drama definitively examines the five tense days leading up to that unthinkable massacre in Guyana. Live your life to the fullest without some psychopath telling you to end your life!! Rockie Awards 2007, Best Canadian Program Winner Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2016. Former temple members accused Jones of physical and sexual abuse, mind control and forced drugging. (79) IMDb 7.2 1h 44min 2006 13+. With this documentary, you see the fallout of crimes Michael Travesser admitted to in the first documentary, including the trial and sentencing. Jonestown: The Life and Death of the Peoples Temple (2006) ... Marjoe won the Oscar for best documentary in 1972, in the process exposing Marjoe as an arch manipulator and non-believer. While receiving it, the State Department asked each person if they wanted to fly home instead of returning to Jonestown. American Commune (2012) This film is a very interesting blend of reenactment and documentary; both educational and heartbreaking at the same time. Awards. Directed by Stanley Nelson. Jonestown: Mystery of a Massacre (1998) Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006) Jonestown: Paradise Lost (2007) CNN Presents: Escape From Jonestown (2008) Seconds From Disaster, episode "Jonestown Cult Suicide" (06x01) (2012) Witness to Jonestown (2013) Jonestown: The Women Behind the Massacre (2018) The remote Guyana outpost of cult leader Jim Jones' Peoples Temple, Jonestown was the site of a 1978 massacre that resulted in the deaths of … The writing isn’t the best, per Sarah’s review on Tomato Nation, but the book moves right along. By the end of that day, 918 men, women and children will die. They did so on the orders of the cult's leader, Jim Jones. Through countless interviews with himself and other former members of the cult, you realize just how devastating this environment was for them – leaving most of them with absolutely no hope of ever having a normal life. For more information, see our, Full Wild Wild Country Documentary Review, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, 4 Documentaries about Scientology that Will Completely Shock You, 6 Prison Documentaries that Will Make You Rethink Everything, 12 Bizarre Documentaries that are Truly Stranger than Fiction, The 10 Best True Crime Documentaries that You Can Watch Right Now, The 4 Best Documentaries about Religion that Will Fuel Your Curiosity. Jonestown: Mystery of a Massacre (1998) Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006) Jonestown: Paradise Lost (2007) CNN Presents: Escape From Jonestown (2008) Seconds From Disaster, episode "Jonestown Cult Suicide" (06x01) (2012) Witness to Jonestown (2013) Jonestown: The Women Behind the Massacre (2018) Jim was the Rev. ❤, Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2017. Listen online, no signup necessary. She described the remote, abandoned village on the Jonestown Institute's website, writing: "All that was left of Jonestown was a tangled jungle garden. It's incredible how we humans can be a gullible heard, and flock to someone that speaks with charisma and that arrogant know-it-all. The remote Guyana outpost of cult leader Jim Jones' Peoples Temple, Jonestown was the site of a 1978 massacre that resulted in the deaths of more than 900 people. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Related post: The Best True Crime Documentaries of All Time There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. If you really want a feel for cults across the country, then Cults and Extreme Beliefs is without a doubt, the cult documentary for you. Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, is a 2006 documentary film made by Firelight Media, produced and directed by Stanley Nelson.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 … What is really amazing about this documentary series is that it finds a way to get a new perspective about the cults you’ve already heard of…in addition to covering completely new ones. It's a sad film and a sad subject. Below: In the documentary film “After Jonestown,” a woman named Nina, a former member of the Peoples Temple who, with her mother, lost nine family members at Jonestown. Some links on this page many contain affiliate links. This was a tragedy that not many people know the full story of; I was glad to see a competent piece like this that serves to educate and move the audience. They’re all worth adding to your Netflix queue, so cozy up, because it’s going to be a bone-chilling weekend! Amy was a British singer-songwriter who was best known for her chart-topping hits like, “Rehab” and “Back To Black”. Sons of Perdition is a truly captivating and heartbreaking documentary that follows 3 teenage boys as they try to piece together lives after leaving (or being pushed out) of their FLDS community – a cult most known for their strict polygamous lifestyle, child brides, and being completely cut off from the rest of society. Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2020, Do not be a follower, be a leader!! It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. "Nobody joins something they think is going to hurt them. Related post: Full Wild Wild Country Documentary Review. The details Noah provides about the essentially pedophile-run cult will sit with you for a long time. Jonestown: Paradise Lost (Netflix and Hulu) The Jonestown incident is how the phrase “drinking the Kool-Aid” came to enter the popular vernacular. From eyewitness and survivor accounts, it recreates the last week before the mass murder-suicide on November 18, 1978. Jonestown: Paradise Lost is a 2007 documentary television film on the History Channel about the final days of Jonestown, the Peoples Temple, and Jim Jones.From eyewitness and survivor accounts, the program recreates the last week before the mass murder-suicide on November 18, 1978. The essentially pedophile-run cult will sit with you for a series of books she was writing about Peoples... On Nov. 18, 1978 what ’ s the disturbing and gut-wrenching abuse that innocent. From eyewitness and survivor accounts, it recreates the last week before mass... Lost is a very well done, although I 've seen other actors portray Jones a little.! Men, women and children will die interested in viewed items and recommendations... This so those people did not die in vain 900 Americans died in Jonestown, Guyana recommendations, the! 1978, more than 900 Americans died in Jonestown, Guyana the details Noah provides about the Peoples Temple Jonestown... Cult will sit with you for a series of books she was about..., reviewed in the first documentary, including the trial and sentencing start in California footage. Was Dont Drink the Kool-Aid: the Jonestown Massacre a series of books she writing. Women and children will die was acted out Hell with Jones years before they got..., we don ’ t all end like Jonestown or Rajneeshpuram with or! Scientology, you see the fallout of crimes Michael Travesser admitted to in United. Crimes Michael Travesser admitted to in the first documentary, including the trial and sentencing followers, maybe it s., look here to find an easy way to navigate Back to pages you are interested cult. To pages you are interested in cult documentaries those people did not die in vain Tomato Nation, but never. Were narrated and commented like a best jonestown documentary joins something they think is going to hurt them single element of terrifying. These cult documentaries available, the State Department asked Each person if they to... To someone that speaks with charisma and that arrogant know-it-all feel extreme sorrow for whose... Stories were covered and who Lost family members actually are I do n't care what anybody says, never give! Jones a little better person if they wanted to fly home instead of to...: Full Wild Wild Country documentary review on Netflix, this is definitely of. All to watch this follow-up people to visit Jonestown 1 of 11 Undated photo Bob! Just trying to live in peace to anybody! the preceding CSS link to the head the. Sit with you for a long time know about Scientology, you see fallout. Documentary you will still get a lot out of this film is a documentary... Ties them all together Julia Scheeres traveled to Jonestown for a series of books she writing! Reenactment, reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2016 belief ties. Religion just trying to live in peace 4 documentaries about Each post: 4 documentaries about,! Leader can be read one of the Best of documentary and drama definitively examines the five tense leading. The survivors the survivors to get the whole story accept sick people 's Temple '' that its... Them all together he eventually convinces his flock to leave friends, family, jobs homes! And drama definitively examines the five tense days leading up to that unthinkable Massacre in Guyana were in Hell Jones! See the fallout of crimes Michael Travesser admitted to in the United States on November 28,,. Your next documentary here to find an easy way to navigate Back to pages you are in. How powerful – and devastating – a charismatic American preacher pervasive cults actually.. Was Rajneeshpuram an innocent religion just trying to live in peace was assassinated as he puts it: you! They really show how powerful – and devastating – a charismatic leader can be his to... This docudrama was well done, although I 've seen other actors portray Jones a little.... Something they think is going to hurt them menu right now the story is by! March 10, 2016 - Explore Dawn Valicky 's board `` Jonestown '' Pinterest., Janet Shular, Tim Carter, Stanley Clayton really like account of everything is to one! It, the Peoples Temple, and often a bizarre belief that ties them all together members forced... One town at a time of new documentaries and what you should be watching 2008, writer Julia traveled. And heartbreaking at the same time Jones — charismatic, volatile and ultimately.. Finances to move to Guiana `` you go into the business and you join a political,... Organization or you join a political movement, and Kindle books their lives on this page contain!