Guiana - Cult of the Damned

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title Guiana - Cult of the Damned
Original title Guyana, el crimen del siglo
Country of production Mexico ,
Spain ,
Panama
original language English ,
Spanish
Publishing year 1979
length 90 minutes
Rod
Director René Cardona Jr.
script René Cardona Jr.,
Carlos Valdemar
production René Cardona Jr.
music Jimmie Haskell ,
Alfredo Díaz Ordaz ,
George S. Price ,
Nelson Riddle ,
Bob Summers
camera Leopoldo Villaseñor
cut Earl Watson
occupation

Guayana - Cult of the Damned (Original title: Guyana, el crimen del siglo ) is a 1979 film drama from a Mexican-Spanish-Panamanian production. The film is based on the Jonestown massacre on November 18, 1978, in which over 900 followers of the group Peoples Temple of cult leader Jim Jones committed suicide. The names of people and places have been slightly modified for the film.

action

The fanatical sect leader James Johnson moves with his followers of almost 1,000 people to the South American Guyana to escape the corruption of the civilized world. The sect builds their home, which is called Johnsontown. For some cult members, however, life becomes unbearable. Johnson bullies people with brutality and cruelty.

In November 1978, Congressman Lee O'Brien wanted to investigate various reports that sect members were being held against their will in Johnsontown. He makes his way to South America with several reporters.

At the cult camp, Johnson appears to be friendly and righteous to reporters. But O'Brien and the reporters soon noticed various grievances. With some people who want to leave the sect, O'Brien and the reporters make their way to the airfield to take off. Johnson has O'Brien and the reporters murdered and orders the sect to commit mass suicide.

Reviews

The lexicon of the international film wrote: "The authentic event [...] is the plot material for a cheap speculative product prepared in a fictitious documentary - extremely cruel and complacent".

Roger Ebert wrote that the film produced absolutely no knowledge. He took advantage of human suffering for profit. The lender and the distributor should be ashamed.

TimeOut magazine described the work as a pathetic mixture that was uninformative and tiring, and at the same time criticized the emphasis on sensational sex and torture scenes.

The TVGuide described the film as vicious and ugly, as well as a boring description of the tragedy.

background

The film premiered in Mexico on September 20, 1979. It was released in US cinemas on January 25, 1980. In Germany, it was distributed as a video premiere in 1982, including the title Trip to Hell . Compared to the Mexican version, the German version was shortened by 25 minutes (?).

Members of the reporter team include: a. See Armando Calvo and Juan Luis Galiardo . Sect members are u. a. Illustrated by Carlos Riquelme , Edith González .

At the beginning it is stated that the story is true, only the names have been changed. This is the name of the sect community in the film Johnsontown, the real settlement was called Jonestown . In the film, the sect leader is called James Johnson, the original person was called Jim Jones . The name of the congressman was also changed. The original Leo J. Ryan was named Lee O'Brien in the movie. Sect member Sharon Amos became Susan Ames in the film.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Jump up ↑ Guiana - Cult of the Damned. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed May 12, 2019 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  2. ↑ Roger Ebert's review
  3. ↑ Review by TimeOut
  4. ↑ Critique of the TVGuide (Eng.)