JFK REVISITED: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

An official selection of the Cannes Film Festival, this feature-length film presents a fresh look at the vast archive of material that has recently been placed into public record. Thirty years after acclaimed director Oliver Stone’s first examination of JFK’s assassination, Stone reassesses the horrific event that shaped a generation. Using newly declassified and reexamined documents, Stone presents a compelling, thought-provoking documentary narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and Donald Sutherland.

JFK: DESTINY BETRAYED

Subjects covered in this mini-series include the early formation of President Kennedy’s foreign policy worldview, his travels to Vietnam as a senator, his support of fledgling democracies in Africa, and his anti-colonial convictions which put him in opposition to the Eisenhower administration, the CIA, and the Pentagon. Viewers are also given a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the post-assassination actions and initial suspicions of Kennedy’s brother, Robert, as well as his views on the official Warren Commission investigation. The assassination, forensic, and ballistic evidence not covered in JFK Revisited are explored here in greater detail.

For thoughts on JFK Revisited: The Complete Collection, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/ElLVJUALgHE?t=421]

Video Quality

JFK Revisited: Through The Looking Glass and JFK: Destiny Betrayed comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Shout! Factory on two separate discs in one collection featuring a lot of different material in varying degrees of quality. There is no doubt that the movie and series and everything within looks as technically excellent as it can look in high definition. The archival tape footage used seems to be in the best shape possible given the quality of the source material, much of it looking quite ragged but some of which is surprisingly robust. New interview segments look incredibly sleek and clear with natural skin tones and detailed facial features. Even with four hours of material on the Destiny Betrayed disc, this set delivers a great encode and gives the material the care you expect. This company has been so great in this respect, and it is always appreciated. There is no evidence of compression artifacts or other digital nuisances of the sort. I do not see how this set could have been improved visually. It delivers exactly what you want from a modern documentary piece.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray set comes with a wonderful DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track for each project which captures the journey flawlessly. Dialogue is the lifeblood of the film, and it comes through crisp and clear without information being clipped by any competing sounds. Stone does a really great job of capturing the subjects and making sure all this information comes through with supreme clarity. Even audio from the older elements comes through pretty clearly given the age and the format. The rousing score establishes the atmosphere of the film with perfect fidelity that permeates the room. Ambient sounds from some of the environmental elements are precisely placed in the rear channels and provide a nice texture. The audio track is not stretched to the limit with this content, but it nonetheless proves to be the perfect representation of this feature. There are optional English SDH subtitles included for those who desire them.

Special Features

JFK Revisited: Through The Looking Glass – Audio Commentary: Director Oliver Stone And Writer James DiEugenio provide the commentary track you would expect for this film, which is to say they have a grand time expounding on their perceived truths about the assassination and what the material they provided proves. Much like the movie, there are some valid, insightful points about how the investigation was mishandled while also positing some notions that are highly unlikely, to say the least. There are also some other entertaining anecdotes such as the difficulty in securing US distribution and how they connected with certain interview subjects.

Trailer: The two minute trailer for JFK Revisited: Through The Looking Glass is provided here.

Final Thoughts

JFK Revisited: The Complete Collection is an entertaining exploration of one of the most enduring mysteries of our time. Oliver Stone indulges quite mightily in his beliefs by going down the proverbial rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and alternative facts. The movie and series will keep you engaged, but the absence of legitimate “truth bombs” will keep this a curio more than anything. Stone knows how to get you riled up and he does make some worthwhile observations about the manner in which the investigation played out, but there is too much that simply does not track. If you are looking for a documentary purely for entertainment value, this one should do the trick. Shout! Factory has provided these two works with a Blu-Ray release in one collection that sports a strong A/V presentation and a memorable commentary track. If you are a fan of the way Oliver Stone conducts himself, or simply want another perspective on JFK, you are going to love this. Recommended

JFK Revisited: The Complete Collection is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shout! Factory has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.