Version: U.S.A / Region A, B, C
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
VC-1 BD-50 / Advanced Profile 3
Running time: 3:25:49
Movie size: 38,42 GB
Disc size: 46,01 GB
Average video bit rate: 18.85 Mbps
Subtitles: English SDH / French
Number of chapters: 88

Dolby TrueHD Audio English 1611 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 16-bit / 1611kbps (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48kHz / 640kbps)
Dolby Digital Audio English 640 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 640kbps
Dolby Digital Audio French 640 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 640kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48kHz / 192kbps

# Audio Commentary by Director Oliver Stone
# Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy (90 minutes)
# 12 Deleted & Extended Scenes (55 minutes)
# Multimedia Essays
--Assassination Update - The New Documents (30 minutes)
--Meet Mr. X: The Personality & Thoughts of Fletcher Prouty (11 minutes)
# Theatrical Trailer (2 minutes - SD)
# DigiBook packaging

I have made it pretty clear in the past that Oliver Stone is a director I just don't really get. He is lauded by many and he is considered to be one of the most controversial directors of our time, but every film of his that I have seen has proved to be less controversial and more boring and absurd. He just seems to miss the point. I know that some do not agree, but I also know that I am not the only one to feel this way.

A friend of mine the other day stated that Stone was an `enemy of fun'.

That said; I absolutely adore `JFK'; I mean, utterly and unconditionally flaunt this film as one of the greatest political thrillers of all time. From the first few seconds of footage I was completely engulfed in this film, and Stone's dedicated delivery never let up. I was blown away because I really expected to pass over this as merely decent at best, but I honestly am taken aback by just how brilliant this film really is. From the acting to the script to Stone's masterful art of filmmaking, `JFK' is an unforgettable masterpiece if I do say so myself.

It's safe to say that I really had no idea what this movie was about before I sat down to watch it. I actually thought that Kevin Costner was playing Kennedy himself, that's how `in the dark' I was about the true nature of this film. Instead, Costner plays district attorney Jim Garrison, a man on a mission. After the horrendous murder of John F. Kennedy, Garrison makes it his personal agenda to bring the man (or men) responsible down. When Lee Harvey Oswald is arrested and then murdered Garrison smells foul play and so he, along with his team, pursues the truth at all costs. As Garrison sinks deeper into the seedy underbelly of deceit and betrayal he uncovers a truth that sadly only he can see, and this truth (what is truth really?) causes more problems than good for Garrison and his family.

First and foremost I really need to praise the script, up and down, inside and out because it is pristine on all fronts. Not only is the film informative but it is engaging. It doesn't just throw random facts at you and expect you to follow along. Instead, it lines each commanding sequence of events with facts that melt down off the screen and caress our minds. We never feel like we're being preached to, and we never feel like we're being manipulated. We are merely being told a story, and story that twists itself and morphs into something so much bigger than we ever could have expected. The opening sequences that map out Kennedy's term and his horrific murder are brilliantly constructed, for they immediately engulf you into this tragic tale. The reshot footage of the murder is spellbinding and gut wrenching and totally effective in getting the audience immersed in the film from the very beginning.

Then there is the acting, all of which is superb. I normally find Costner rather dull (except his wildly brilliant turn in `The Upside of Anger') and here he does skirt around to prospect of boring me (he just has a very monotone delivery) but he really pulls it all together when he needs to (his final courtroom monologue is brilliantly delivered).

The rest of the extensive cast though never misses a beat. Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon and Gary Oldman take highest praises from me. Jones (who was Oscar nominated) is sublimely sleazy as Clay Shaw. There is a scene where he is being interrogated by Garrison and as he denies all the allegations he carries this smirk of satisfaction across his face that sent chills down my spine. Kevin Bacon (who I am never fond of) is masterful here and Oldman is just plain chilling as Lee Harvey Oswald. Singling anyone out is very hard though. Joe Pesci is on the top of his game, as is Michael Rooker, and Sissy Spacek is heartbreaking as Garrison's conflicted wife. Jack Lemmon, John Candy and Walter Matthau make the most of their limited screen time, and Donald Sutherland is flawlessly captivating in his cameo as the informant X.

The star of this film is none other than Oliver Stone though. His direction, his complete grasp of subject, is astonishing. Honestly, this was one of the most pleasant surprises in recent memory for me. I really thought that nothing Stone did would ever move me, let alone be one of my favorite films of any given year, but `JFK' is just too perfect not to completely fall for.

There has been a lot said about the truthfulness of the film, many attacking it for manipulating facts and expressing opinion, but honestly, isn't that what film is all about. Stone is able here to give us his own interpretation of truth without ever forcing us to accept what we don't want to. Nothing is presented in a way that conditions us. Instead he delivers a solid thriller than exposes what `could' have taken place without ever telling us what `did' happen.

Quite honestly, this film is a total triumph.

I've rated Stone's 'JFK' 3 stars not because of quality or accuracy but because this movie had a major impact on me. In my first watching of this film, I detected at least one major, and I think deliberate, factual error. One of the characters is handing a Carcano rifle as another character says words to the effect, "The three shots took 7.8 seconds to fire. Let's time it." He then picks up a stopwatch and clicks, "Go." The other character, works the action [once], he works the action again [twice], he works the action a third time [three]. "9.2 seconds," the one man emotes. "Impossible."

Well, from reading over reports of the shooting I knew that this scenario was an untruth. The timing was from the moment of the sound of the first shot--a couple of seconds after the first levering.

Fascinated by such an obvious error and, considering the fact that I am a pathologist and a shooter, I decided to redo the entire shooting scenario--personally--using the same type Carcano-Mannlicher rifle and the same type ammunition that the FBI claimed Oswald used. I performed accuracy, rate of fire, bullet penetration, bullet deformation, head deflection and other studies. By the time I was finished, I probably did as much ballistic work with the Kennedy shooting as anyone in the world, not excluding the FBI and CIA.

If you're interested in the results of my ballistic studies, try my website at www.mexicanconquest.com.

[...]

Ron Braithwaite, MD, author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico

I haven't viewed this movie since it came out, but after tonight's viewing, it still holds up as an engrossing and entertaining experience. Some of it maybe fiction and some not, but as for Oswald being the lone assassin, I just don't believe it. When you hear Mr.X describe his theory, it comes eerily close to what out current President has done with Iraq.
I gave this edition only 4 stars because they really didn't need to fluff this one up by 17 minutes, a reason why it was left on the cutting room floor for theatrical release is quite apparent.
But do watch and decide for yourself...it is up to you and every American to decide and debate amongst yourselves.

So we are lead to believe that the JFK conspiracy was the most complex and perfect assignation that ever took place.
Nothing was over looked every I was dotted . Then how do conspiracy Freaks explain the Zap Film.
The Zapruder Film is the proof that there was no conspiracy
It was the perfect conspiracy nothing was over looked except the Guy with the Movie Camera filming the whole thing.

Why are the only Two conspiracies the United states Government can keep secret are The JFK assignation and the Roswell Saucer crash.

Answer: Because both of the above never happened

A perfect film for dumb dumbs. Will appeal to the same people who believe that the Twin Towers were a controlled demolition.and that Martians live among us.

I have no problem if you like this film because you find it an entertaining , but those who look to this film for accurate history and believe this nonsense they are Morons that should be fixed so there offspring will not pollute the Gene pool.

I implore you young people, Please pick up History books and read them.Please read the real facts about the individuals in this movie.Please ,please ,please read books and stop getting your information from Hollywood Movie directors.

If you jettison the politics of this movie (and Stone's reputation as a muckracker), and simply look at JFK as a film, it's arguably Oliver Stone's best film and it is absolutely rivetting. It's a masterpiece of cinemtography, editing, writing, and performances. I've only seen the initial 189 minute theatrical version, and that film is my favorite Oliver Stone film. Stone's scope of this project is incredible. He not only makes an epic about the JFK assassination, but he makes it so fascinating and enthralling that you marvel as his talents as a filmmaker. The cinematography here is astounding. Robert Richardson shoots in 35mm, 8mm, and 16mm, color, black and white, tinted color, tinted black and white, and it all blends seamlessly. The editing on this monster is also a marvel (it deservedly won an Oscar for editing). The film has a ton of cuts (something in films I don't like), but Stone and his editors do wonders with it. The performances deserve special mention as well. Costner is very effective as Jim Garrison, the New Orleans prosecutor who believed in the conspiracy of JFK's assassination. Costner does a New Orleans accent very well, much better than his rather pathetic "English" one for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. There are numerous cameos in the film, but they don't feel like cameos. Stone manages to make each actor/character unique and interesting. It never feels like star spotting. Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Kevin Bacon, Donald Sutherland, Joe Pesci, and Ed Asner (as a right wing demogagoue, which is funny considering Asner is a very left wing liberal) are standouts in a magnificent cast.

When you watch this film, think of it as "Stone's interpretation of the JFK assassination". There are numerous discrepancies here (such as Garrison meeting with Mr. X, played by Sutherland. That never happened), but if you look at this film strictly as a film, it's remarkable and worthy of the accolades it has received over the years. It's one of Oliver Stone's most memorable films, and a reminder of what a great director he can be when he's on.

Stone, more than just about anyone in hollywood, has taken an assortment of God given talents and sqandered them on a career spent in creating his own version of history. What Stone doesn't understand is that if he would have just stuck with facts - instead of expanding on theories generally accepted as crackpot - this would have been a very good movie. I'd like to give it more stars but can't get past the idea that Stone is spewing out his own agenda.

Good if you don't care about real facts.

This controversial film by Oliver Stone on the JFK assasination has taken on a life all its own. I recently saw it again on HD Net and I was drawn into it all over again by the brilliant performances, Stone's direction and the story itself. Many people have criticized Stone for taking liberties with the story but this is not a documentary this is a drama!! Costner is brilliant in particular and his summation scene in court is belongs to his best work (also counting his role in Eastwood's "A Perfect World"). The aim of an artist is to make us question the truth and Stone has certainly succeeded at that. Remember how many people felt the plot in "The Manchurian Candidate" grows eerily factual as time goes by!! If you are repelled by the current events now unfolding before us--the Iraq war, the recession--do see this film again!!

The real shame of a movie like this is that so many viewers think it has some relationship to reality.

Don't get me wrong. I happen to be one of those people who believes that the Warren Commission version of the Kennedy assassination is full of holes. It's probable that Oswald was part of a large conspiracy, and that, in his own words, he was "a patsy."

That does not mean, however, that Oliver Stone's paranoid fantasies have any basis in reality.

Jim Garrison, the character played by Kevin Costner, is a real person. He was really the DA of New Orleans. He really indicted prominent homosexual businessman Clay Shaw for conspiracy to murder John F. Kennedy. After a legal persecution that lasted for about two years, culminating in a trial that took weeks, a jury of sensible adults acquitted Clay Shaw of all the charges against him. They took less than an hour to review the paltry evidence before deciding in Shaw's favor.

In the years since the trial ended, gay rights organizations in New Orleans have erected plaques in various parts of the city commemorating Shaw's contribution to the city's economic growth. He was a victim, pure and simple. There was almost no evidence against him at all.

Garrison's entire career as DA might be looked at as one long publicity stunt. Right after he got elected, he indicted his predecessor for malfeasance, but the case was dismissed for lack of evidence. He staged a big crackdown on crime in the French Quarter, but got almost no convictions. When he accused a bunch of judges of conspiring against him, they charged him with criminal defamation and won. He accused the state parole board of accepting bribes, but couldn't even get an indictment. Garrison was great at holding press conferences, but not so great at proving his numerous accusations.

In my own mind, there are two ways to view Jim Garrison. One is that he was a glory-seeking opportunist. The other is that he was a glory-seeking nutcase. It is a travesty that any movie should be made about Garrison that features him as a hero. In fact, he was a paranoid manipulator of the legal system who victimized an innocent man. In the hands of an actor better than Costner, with a script that didn't sugar-coat the facts, this story about the wild ravings of a glory hound could have been a great comedy.

The brilliance in this film's production is that, by the artful interweaving of historical footage with the dramatic scenes, the finished product seems like an insightful, revisionist documentary. This is the film's strength and weakness, because it is primarily historical fiction in that Jim Garrison's point of view is presented as incontrovertible fact. I would caution those viewing the film, who may have no familiarity with the Kennedy assasination, that its plot not only presents Jim Garrison (of whom I'd never heard before seeing "JFK") in quite a different light than any Google search would reveal, but even distorts actual individuals with whom the real Garrison had dealings.

If one can detach oneself from the slanted version of the facts, it is a totally rivetting film. Kevin Costner heads a sterling cast - the acting is superb, and so believable that, despite the many familiar faces of fine actors whom one has seen in many roles, one nearly has the impression of having an inside look at 'real people' revealing secret dimensions to the evidence. For example, Ed Asner shows a shocking side to the attitudes towards the assasination which some in Dallas may have held (seeing the murderer as hero, where I'd always thought of Kennedy as an esteemed, well loved president), with a rough but convincing demeanour which is both deep and chilling. Joe Pesci gives a multi dimensional picture, both moving and puzzling, of the bizarre David Ferry.

I've rarely seen a lengthy film (and one in which I recognised significant innacuracy in relation to history) which so totally held my interest.

Oliver Stone, a brilliant liberal film director with a skewed anti-American political agenda, is mildly entertaining at best but usually offensive to reason, truth, and fact. The old saying of 'never letting the facts get in the way of a good story' is certainly applicable here with the JFK film. Costner is great (as usual), but one can't stop thinking that possibly the supporting cast (all leftists by design) have an agenda similar to that of Stone. If you really want the facts and the factual history about the assasination of JFK, do some literary research on your own. Start with Posner's 'Case Closed'. After you've assimilated that, read the Warren Commision Report. The bottom line is this: Lee Oswald was the only shooter; he also killed Ofcr. Tippet; Oswald was a leftist, Lenninist, Marxist communist. The Left simply refuses to believe or consider that one of their own (Oswald) could possibly have commited such a heinous crime. It must have been a Right-wing conspiracy! (sound familiar?)
Anyway, as far as FICITIONAL entertainment goes, this film JFK is every bit as good as 'Wayne's World', 'Animal House', or 'Cabin Boy'. Just don't confuse this film with the truth.

Of the theatrical release, that is. It looks like a lot of it was from the windy, overwrought closing arguments Jim Garrison made in the Clay Shaw trial. They bordered on Shakesperean soliloquy, suppressed tears and all. I found myself waiting for a bailiff or court reporter or someone to come out and offer Garrison a box of kleenex. I can't help but notice that Costner outgrew this type of overacting in later efforts. Still, this cri-de-coeur struck me on reflection as possibly being as much of an opportunity to rant for the pretentiously iconoclastic Oliver Stone as it was Garrison's words. Elsewhere in the story, I found myself wondering at the way Garrison "took his job home with him" by constantly ruminating out loud about the case around his family, or was it just another use of the hackneyed movie cliche about the resentment of cop/ doctor/ whatever spouses at their spouses' tendency to be consumed or endangered by the job. I guess this film had to be this long to tell the story, but it also serves to remind us of who Michael Moore's "daddy" was.

Once Donald Sutherland starts talking he goes on and on. And the first hour of the movie could use a little more action. But the cast is great and the main points are convincingly made. If you choose to believe Oswald acted alone, then the question is why? Just the incoherent act of a madman? Whatever. The bigger question is what happened to the age of assasination? It was over relatively quickly. Could it be because the people responsible finally got the kind of country they wanted? A country where no one gets elected without the backing of big corporate money and Washington acts at the behest of big corporate money or it doesn't act at all.

`Oliver Stone's best filmed historical novel sees Costner bringing the overly aggressive Jim Garrison into the Kennedy assassination plot as a major player, years after his sun had set nationally. In a highly realistic tale, Garrison and wife Spacek weave an intriguing story of mafia-Cuban relations, which many today still believe to be true. Fortunately, the book "Best Evidence", followed by modern forensics seem to have cooled down the hysteria concerning gunman Oswald's need of an accomplice. Meanwhile, even the bit players including Sutherland talking in his eerie manner on a park bench, deliver top rate performances. One has to alert the public however that this film is historical fiction on the screen, not pure history. President Ford went to his grave believing that Oswald had acted alone in Dallas as a "nut",with absolutely no Cuban backing.It's a great movie, just be careful of your objectivity.

During the speech that Jim Garisson, played by Kevin Costner, gives towards the end of this film, he quotes Adolf Hitler: "The greater the lie, the more people who will believe it." I guess he had a point. Recent polls show that almost 80% of the American people believe the story Oliver Stone puts forth in "JFK". This is a film that even major conspiracy theorists such as Mark Lane consider preposterous. Lie after lie, half-truth after half-truth and omission after omission pepper this film throughout. I won't list them all because they are legion but a little digging will turn them up. Consider , for one, that the document signed by LBJ in which "lies the Vietnam war" was actually a reiteration of JFK's removal of troops ordered in a previous document. True story. When JFK is shown saying that he believes that it is South Vietnam's war to win or lose, what is not shown is the rest of the interview where he says he believes it would be a mistake to leave Vietnam. Minor stuff like that.

One interesting note,also. During the aforementioned speech, Garrison says how JFK's body was removed from Dallas in a sinister way, spirited out on Air Force One where a rushed swearing-in takes place (complete with a photo of LBJ taking the oath with Jaqueline kennedy conveniently cropped out) and brought to DC where his brain can be lost and the cover-up perfected. That would have to mean Bobby and Jackie Kennedy were involved, as they would have to be. Mrs. Kennedy wanted out of Dallas quickly, with her husband. Bobby involved even though he is eulogized later in the speech. Is that really credible? Let's not forget that Jackie had Kenny O'Donnell, personal friend and trusted aide of JFK, make sure JFK was removed from Dallas. This is interesting as Kevin Costner played the sainted O'Donnell in the film "Thirteen Days". This must have been a portrayal of O'Donnell before "they" got to him.

Well, I could go on, but I'm not convincing anyone on either side of the issue to switch sides, so I'll just end by saying that I gave it two stars because it is a compelling, well-made and acted film, even though I think it is a load of bunk.

The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 was one of the most shocking historical events in American history, much as Pearl Harbor and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were. Director Oliver Stone does an incredible job of re-creating the events and somber mood of that dark day and its aftermath by using real film footage shot by witnesses in Dealey Plaza, along with his own staged reenactments.

Whether you believe in an alleged vast (in my opinion, Stone's and Garrison's a bit too vast) conspiracy or Lee Harvey Oswald as the "lone nut" shooter, "JFK" should be seen for its historical content more than for its portrayal of real-life New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison's conspiracy-fueled investigation and resulting 1968-69 trial of Clay Shaw.

If nothing else, the film raises some interesting questions about who and what dark forces may have been behind the assassination, all the while keeping your attention with entertaining, fast-paced editing. While telling Jim Garrison's theory of the assassination, the film immerses the viewer into the socio-political mood of the late 1950's and early 60's-era dark and covert Mafia/CIA/FBI liaisons, presenting at times a documentary-style view of Cold War events, the U.S.'s escalating involvement in Vietnam, and its war on Castro's Cuba.

John William's soundtrack is beautiful and moving, and is successful in enhancing the mystery and intrigue of the film's content. The all-star cast with Kevin Costner in the lead role as Jim Garrison helps the characters appear familiar and likable, although I felt as if Stone tried too hard in getting all these familiar faces to appear in the movie because he figured no one would be interested in watching the 3-hour epic if he hadn't. Gary Oldman does an admirable job of emulating the stuttering and nervous Oswald, and Donald Sutherland utterly rivets you the screen with his soft-spoken stories of government black operations. Also noteworthy is Joe Pesci, who puts forth a psychopathic -- almost comedic -- portrayal of David Ferrie, one of the alleged conspirators. Sissy Spacek plays the troubled and frightened, but ultimately supportive wife of Garrison, and Tommy Lee Jones is in the role of the man on trial, Clay Shaw. Last but not least are the cameo-like appearances of huge stars Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, John Candy, and Kevin Bacon.

Watch the movie, maybe a few times. If nothing else you'll walk away more historically enlightened, maybe even asking some interesting questions about the assassination yourself. And, a Hollywood film that stirred a public outcry over alleged government secrecy surrounding the event, ultimately forcing it to release assassination records and form the 1992 Assassination Records Review Board (ARRB) is in itself historically significant. This should make anyone want to see it.

Look, it's a big old bucket full of lies, and one should know this before watching, (Or maybe after, I don't know) but like The Blair Witch Project, the scare comes from it's deception. This COULDN'T be true, could it? If it is, the world is a much darker place than I ever suspected. It's frightening beyond belief.

So while I am a firm believer of the fact that Oswald and Ruby each committed their heinous acts alone, and while I'm somewhat worried about the impact this movie has had on my very suggestible generation, I can't deny that JFK is one of my favorite, most beloved films. It's fascinating, scary, and very well constructed. It's also full of terrific performances, although Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald is a bit overrated. (Did he know anything about Oswald before he took the role? He was inaccurate, putting it kindly.)

The question is, does Oliver Stone have a responsibility to history or not? Films like JFK and NIXON are a strong argument that all he's responsible for is his art, and as long as his art conveys his point of view this well, he's deserving of all the praise he's received.

JFK is a vital, wonderful film.

Conspiracy theories get a workout in Oliver Stone's JFK--he has hit upon every conceivable theory, every point and counterpoint to be made and has produced an absorbing, involving, and ultimately entertaining film that makes you think about which theory you believe is the likeliest. And he has a cast that brings every important character to life, even though the physical resemblances are not always there.

KEVIN COSTNER, for example, is excellent as the doggedly determined D.A. Jim Garrison (but looks nothing like the real Jim Garrison) who will leave no stone unturned in his effort to find the truth behind the killing of JFK--even if it means ignoring his wife and family while he pursues justice. Costner uses his Honest Abe image to give the sort of heartfelt, man-of-integrity intensity that James Stewart and Henry Fonda might have given in their day. He is made to seem like a towering figure of integrity in the script Stone has written from Jim Garrison's point of view--almost like Atticus Finch resurrected, especially in his closing courtroom speech. Was the real Jim Garrison really this noble?

As a note of irony, Stone has the real Jim Garrison playing Earl Warren and defending the Warren Commission Report with a straight face.

Other roles are played with equal validity by Tommy Lee Jones (as Clay Shaw), Kevin Bacon, Sissy Spacek, Ed Asner (infuriating as Guy Bannister), and Joe Pesci as David Ferrie. Pesci is a bit over the top as David Ferrie (and gets on the nerves) but that's the way the role was written and directed.

But the most remarkable moments in the film are provided by the exchange of information between Kevin Costner and Donald Sutherland as the extent of the conspiracy is revealed to come from higher places in the government. Sutherland gives an imposing performance, quietly restrained but chilling as he delivers his insider information.

Special mention must go to Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald. His face, voice and gestures are strikingly similar and blend well with actual footage of Oswald intermittently seen.

Altogether a very competent piece of filmmaking which fulfills its purpose by making the viewer think about what might actually have happened on that awful day in Dallas when the age of innocence officially ended in American politics. Whether it's the Mafia, Castro's Cubans, the FBI, the CIA or LBJ and the Pentagon (with the help of the Warren Commission), it's all there for you to sort out and ponder--perhaps until 2029 when some new suppressed evidence will eventually be released.

Oliver Stone's JFK is an exceptional film. It is probably the most complicated film ever made. The density is overwelming at times. The multitude of characters and events make the film require many, many viewings. For this edition, Oliver Stone included tons of extra scenes and sequences. The additional footage of Donald Sutherland's sequence and the court room sequence add enlightening information and drama. Stone's commentary is also amazing. The documentary is wonderfully fascinating. This is Oliver Stone's "Godfather" and I truly think JFK is one of the best films ever made.

Oliver Stone is known to stir up controversial subjects. His most recent film, World Trade Center, came at a time when the memory of the 9/11 attacks were still painfully fresh in our nation's memory (they still are). Unlike Stone's previous films, however, WTC did not point fingers at anyone (aka "Loose Change") and instead just focused on the human impact of the attacks and chronicled a few people's experiences throughout the event.

Stone's 1991 film "JFK," definately points fingers. Stone's active name calling and muckraking will polarize audiences with differing views on the events of November 22, 1963. People who really believe that the assassination was carried out solely by Mr. Oswald will be incensed at the film's implication of our nation's own government, and those who discount the Magic Bullet theory will be pleased that Stone dares to consider the alternative.

Kevin Costner plays Jim Garrison, the same writer of the autobiography from which the film is based (the film also bases itself from the book Crossfire by Jim Marrs). Garrison is a lawyer who sets out to disprove the then-accepted Magic Bullet theory and other commonly accepted theories revolving around his assassination. The Magic Bullet theory was an explanation issued from the Waren Commission explaining how Oswald miraculously fired 3 rounds in a matter of 5.6 seconds with two of the three shots accurately hitting their marks. On top of that, these bullets waltzed around the cabin of the vehicle ripping multiple entry wounds into Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally. In addition to speculating the Magic Bullet Theory, Stone focuses on the other mysterious figures who stood to gain from Kennedy's death, and there were a lot of them.

There are a number of factors that contribute to the greatness of this film. Aside from the political intrigue that may rouse negative emotions from its audience, the film expertly develops its characters into real, breathing, multi-dimensional characters. On top of that, Stone's inherent storytelling ability shines through in this one. The story may sound bland to someone who cares little of the subject, but Stone tells it in a way that will capture anyone's interest. His fierce and emotional style does well to win the audience over. Stone is a hit-or-miss director. This one is definitely a hit.

JFK was unfortunately too radical for the hardline right wingers of his time. He was a visionary leader who set the needed leadership examples for the presidents to come, and this thrilling account of his final moments with immortalize his memory for ages to come.

Stellar performances throughout, this movie really makes you wonder...possibly my favorite movie!

Really interesting, intriguing movie. Makes you think about what the government hides. I love it.

An Oliver Stone classic, this movie is packed with information, three hours and 20 minutes. Based on the investigation by Jim Garrison that ensued the death of John F. Kennedy, it portrays the lengths that one man was willing to go to bring justice to the American people.

You feel like you are brought back to that period of time when Americans still believed that our politicians were good people, and devoted to the freedoms that this country is based on. The lighting, the quality of footage, the costumes, down to the very innocent yet naïve nature of the American public.

Gradually as Garrison unravels the case, the situation gets ugly and then uglier, unveiling the true intention behind the death of JFK. Garrison is confided in by many, telling him the facts of what they saw that day, evidence that was not only ignored but altered by the Warren Commission. People begin to turn on him, including his wife. This part of the story in particular demonstrates how difficult it was for Garrison, that even though his facts all lined up and the people knew about them, no one wanted to confront the horror of what this meant about our countries' leaders.

Stone illuminates details about the war industry, and the policies that JFK wanted to enforce. It is disturbing even today in 2007, that our government offices were so heavily involved in making certain that our president that wanted to bring about change for the better was assassinated because of it. It brings light to what is happening with our President Bush and his war today.

Most three hour long movies I get bored with part way through, this movie is almost three and a half hours long and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I highly recommend it.

Throughout its run of time,history,as we all know,has served both its very high points and its very low points. And,out of all of the very low points of history,one of those very low points continues to prove itself to be,by far,the assasination of John F. Kennedy. An assasination that left America in shame and grief with a lot of unanswered questions,people continue to ask unanswered questions about the JFK assasination--something that is resolved well throughout this film.

This film is focused around not only around the assasination of John F. Kennedy and the controversy that aroused from the assasination and tore America apart,but also the investigation that New Orleans,LA lawyer/judge Jim Garrison (portrayed brilliantly by Kevin Costner in this film)launched for the assasination. In this film,not only does director Oliver Stone do a brilliant job at showing the obcession that Jim Garrison had with the assasination and solving the assasination,as well as how Garrison's investigation of the assasination kept Garrison apart from his family and the effect that it had on Garrison's marriage to his wife,Liz Garrison (Sissy Spacek). This film portrays both sides of the investigation--the lawyers and politicians who helped Jim Garrison investigate the assasination and how they helped Garrison through his investigation of the assasination,as well as their theories/opinions on the investigation,and the criminals who were happy that the assasination had happened and showed their hatred of President Kennedy,while they were willing to do and say anything to make sure that the investigation was not solved and remained a cover-up. These scenes are as fascinating as they are(mostly)informative,with good information and good chemistry between the actors. For example,in scenes that feauture the character of Jim Garrison with a character like David Ferrie (Joe Pesci)or a character like Willie O'Keefe (Kevin Bacon),good information on the assasination is brought into the conversations in the scene,while ideas about what could have caused the assasination are presented,as well. These scenes make this film as interesting as it is as a good film,with great chemistry in these scenes and great performances. These scenes are good additions in this movie alongside the other theories/facts from the assasination (what lead to Lee Harvey Oswald commiting the assasination,the problems that Jack Ruby's assasination of Oswald caused for the case and the things that happened to Ruby's life out of it,among others)which are fit into this film quite well and do a good job at carrying this film on until its very end,when you are given a depiction of the trial that Clay Shaw (Tommy Lee Jones)faced and not only what got Shaw on trial,but also how Jim Garrison was able to answer some of the unanswered questions about the JFK assasination,and,of course,who murdered Kennedy and why Kennedy was murdered (with all of this being said,it is worth noting that President Lyndon B. Johnson's Warren Commision stated that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman and that the assasination was not part of a conspiracy,but that several people question the accuracy and honesty of that statement to this very day).

Overall,an interesting and good film that does a great job at answering the unanswered questions of the John F. Kennedy assasination,and provides a possible theory with the issues and questions of who was involved with the assasination and why the assasination was committed. This film is VERY long (three hours--just a word of warning to those of you who do NOT like sitting through long movies),but is well lead and followed by Oliver Stone to make itself worth its running time. Kevin Costner is brilliant as Jim Garrison and allows viewers to take a walk through the mind of Mr. Garrison himself with Costner's portayal as Garrison,which shows who Garrison was as a person and how his personality was a large part of the assasination,with a good cast of supporting actors (Gary Oldman,John Candy,Brian-Doyle Murray,among several others) who bring richly executed performances to the screen and help the film come to life,with a good understanding of their character brought into their performance,at the same time. If you are a fan of history and have always wanted to learn more about the John F. Kenendy assasination,"JFK" is the place to be,while this DVD has loads of great bonus feautures on it,as well.

Oliver Stone really bought Garrison's story hook, line and sinker. It seems that Stone is the only person in the country who did. I admit, the film inspired me to do some research on the Kennedy assassination, but all I found was that the film was one lie after another after another. It really spooked me until I found out that it was almost completely created out of whole-cloth. If you really want to watch it, just take it as a piece of fiction, that way it won't be such a let-down when you find out more about the topic later. However, if it inspires you to study the history that it addresses, then it has done a great service.

This movie helped me understand and answer a lot of unanswered questions I had about the death of JFK. I recommend everyone to watch it, it makes you feel like you are in downtown Dallas. I've been there, and you can feel the history by the Texas School Book Depository. This movie encouraged me to take an active role in gov't. Great movie about a Great Person in history.

Oliver Stone's "JFK" was meant to stir up emotions and provoke the viewer, and it certainly does that well.

There are a number of interesting performances in this film - including a very good Kevin Costner performance (this film is pre-outsized ego).

And tons of actors racked-up major "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" links thanks to the large number of solid speaking roles in this film.

A worthy investement - even if you don't like Oliver Stone - this is a good to great film that will definitely get you thinking.

Director Oliver Stone's perhaps most ambitious and controversial work is laden with an all-star cast, including Kevin Costner, Sissy Spacek, John Candy, Jack Lemon, Ed Asner, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman, Michael Rooker, Joe Pesci, Donald Sutherland and Walter Matthau among others. Stone seemingly makes a big deal of this film, and the film captures a grandiose nature intended for such a big moment in American history. Like it or hate it, and there are many reviewers on both sides of this fence, this film is engrossing, fascinating, and captivating in terms of its production. The director doesn't seemingly leave any rock unturned without some type of explanation into what happened before, during and after the assassination of JFK. While many may disagree with the theories depicted in the film, the larger question that the film seemingly asks about not only JFK, but America is "What if?" What if things that were presented after the assassination weren't as crystal clear as we had thought they were? JFK certainly brings to the forefront an important day in American history, and questions the nature of what is real and what is illusion, and, for these reasons, I feel as though this is a film that everyone should see.

Kevin Costner's portrayal of Jim Garrison is outstanding, and he illustrates the very essence of a man who questions why Kennedy died that day in Dallas. While his investigation is momentous in its own right, it also is not a popular one in the public eye. After the assassination, he takes apart piece by piece not only those who might have been present or implicated in some way to that event, but reconstructs the entire time frame beforehand leading up to the assassination. He only manages to make some head way when he begins to "ruffle some feathers", such as an investigation into the CIA, FBI and even those in Congress. He also is able to reconstruct a time table for the whereabouts of Lee Harvey Oswald (Gary Oldman). Garrison works tirelessly and laboriously to the point where it not only affects the support of those around him, but also his family life. As the man obsessed with discovering the truth, Garrison puts it best when talking with reporters, "Let justice be done, though the heavens fall."

Garrison is able to get to question some key figures in this case, such as Clay Shaw (Tommy Lee Jones), David Ferry (Kevin Bacon), and a man who goes by the name "X" (Donald Sutherland). Garrison asserts that things aren't as clear as they should be, and that his staff needs to think on a different level if they want evidence to build this case. Motives for why others would have wanted to kill JFK are questioned, and eventually he is able to get a case against Clay Shaw as being an accessory to the president's murder.

The film seemingly questions many different theories about what could have actually happened that day. For instance, Garrison questions over how 3 shots could have been fired in 6 seconds. He also excavates the shoddy job of investigation immediately after the president was killed. Oswald's role in the crime is debated, whether he could have been a decoy or fall guy for someone else, and Garrison questions some of the testimonies of the witnesses immediately following the shooting, namely Oswald's wife.

The film also depicts the violent and tumultuous times that were the 1960s, and equates them with JFK's assassination. Not only was JFK targeted, but other leaders such as Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King were killed during this era. The chaos and disorder and ultimate disbelief that were experienced by Americans during this time period are a statement as to how our outlooks can change in a relatively brief time when facing difficulties and painful moments.

Oliver Stone's film, as daring and controversial as it is, is quite an engrossing and powerful epic. The larger than life quality of the film is only minimized by the significant event it is investigating, and losing our president on that day was certainly a shocking tragedy to Americans. JFK is one of those rare movies that should be seen by everyone, whether you agree with its theories or not.

As a whole the movie was informative. But some very important information was left out. The press conference film right after Kennedy was killed was not in the movie. This press conference had the speaker talking about and showing the ENTRY wound to the right temple area of the head. They also left out the bullet holes that past from the front through the wind shield and the bullet dent to the frame of the wind shield also from the front. There are a lot more questions that went unanswered or were left out most likely because of the time constraints. But like I said before, all and all the movie was informative.

Ladies and gentlemen,citizens,it is with humble respect that director Oliver Stone presents the investigation of the death of a great American,John Fitzgerald Kennedy,the 35th President of the United States. It was Stone's hope and intention,that this courtroom epic,which runs for approximately three and a half hours,will become a living memory and an inspiration to both current and future generations. Kevin Costner is Jim Garrison,a district attorney who represents Lee Harvey Oswald who was accused of Kennedy's November 22,1963 assassination in Dallas. Sissy Spacek is Jim's wife. This film also features special appearances by Kevin Bacon and the late John Candy. Unlike Kennedy,then-Texas governor(now deceased) John B. Connolly survived the shooting although he was wounded. I dedicate this film to the memory of Kennedy and the surviving members of his family. Stone should make epics about the lives and post-presidency deaths of Lyndon B. Johnson,Richard M. Nixon and Ronald Reagan. I'm sure Nixon and Reagan saw this film(they were both alive in 1991 when this film was theatrically released). I'm also sure that Gerald Ford,Jimmy Carter,Bill Clinton,George W. Bush and Bush's father saw this film also.

Think of this, I am Garrison, in this movie played by Kevin Costner, and my hero JFK has been shot, so what do I do? In my position as a prosicutor I go on a fanciful investigation of this horrible murder of a much beloved president, in which I find no real evidence but, prosicute someone anyway. And then, at the end I run into this guy on the mall in Washington who no one else sees, says he is one of "THEM", wears a dark suit and confirms absolutely everything I already knew but couldn't proove. Thats It I prooved it you must now beleive me! I am now smarter than the Warren Commision. Sorry for the sarcasam, the only thing that can be considered of any historical merit in this movie is the wonderful example of conspiricy theory mythology, which not only exists, but is held very sacred by some.

This is probably the most disturbing film I have ever seen and I don't mean that in a bad way. On the contrary, JFK is a very powerful & captivating film that ALL Americans should be encouraged to watch. I won't try to give the particulars of this movie becuz there are other reviewers here who are much better at that than I. What I will say is that there is alot of info in this movie that you will probably never hear in a history class and for good reason. It simply makes certain factions of our government look downright evil. Oliver Stone may have taken some liberties with the facts(most of hollywood does), but just like he said in an interview once, if even some of what's portrayed in the movie is true, it would be proof that a conspiracy actually existed and should be a huge wake up call to the nation. Any clear thinking individual (whether right or left) who sees this movie, should walk away deeply disturbed by the damning accusations that are made towards our government. If you believe (as I do) that shadowy figures in our intelligence agencies plotted and carried out the assasination of one of the greatest presidents we ever had, you will never again look at your country the same way nor blindly trust your government again. A must watch!

This is a modern masterpiece in film. Not for the special effects or anything of the sort, but for the brilliant blend of who-dun-it, fact, the combination of old and new footage and the well moving script. The honest dialog and the excellent performances of all the actors makes this thought provoking film one you will want to watch over and over again. (each time you will notice something new)

The main story surrounds the efforts of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison,to bring the perpetrators and collaborators of the assassination of JFK to justice. It covers the little publicized "New Orleans" connections to that fateful day and gives insight into the cold war, anti-communist fervor of the day. Oliver Stone has never publicly declared that this plot was "the" theory but rather bits and pieces of of a puzzle that does make sense when you place them side by side. This is an enigma that will probably never be completely solved, due in part to the fact that witnesses are dying off and there is a welcomed want in the American psyche to just let painful things be.

The storyline is a combination of several books written about different theories (not solely Garrison's) which covers a great deal of fascinating possibilities and it is a powerful, emotional script. The stellar cast brings great credibility to the project as a whole. Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ed Asner, Joe Pesci, John Candy, Donald Sutherland, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman and Sissy Spacek, to name a few, grace the film with striking, sensitive and realistic performances. Pesci, who plays David Ferrie, is at his spastic best. Gary Oldman is quirky and unsettling as Lee Harvey Oswald. But besides Kevin Costner, who plays Garrison himself, the most noticeable roles are Sutherland as "X" and Jones as Clay Shaw. Sutherlands fast moving, fact filled recollection of the days leading up to, day of and days after Dallas is rivetingly filled with one little known fact after another. Jones' portrayal of the slickly, southern gentlemanly, secretly homosexual Shaw is eerie and thought provoking. Garrison's final summation, delivered by Costner, is emotionally gripping and its single shot editing, makes it more dramatic-almost mesmerizing.

Like Pearl Harbor, and most recently World Trade Center, my parents and their friends all remember where they were when they heard about the tragedy in Dallas. This is an event that truly changed America forever.
This is a wonderful movie that deals with a lot of "what ifs" and "guess whats". Definitely a modern classic in film.

Metaldiva Sez: Outstanding movie and the special edition is filled with extra scenes, goodies and a great commentary track, along with some interactives you are sure to enjoy. I love the DVD-getting another one today...Add this must have to your collection today...Share it with everyone.

Even 'Red'Asner, a real leftist jerk
in real life, has SERIOUS doubts
about the silly 'Oswald SHOT JFK', per-
iod, believing morons like D.R. Von Pein
(or is it Pinhead?)...Well, anybody who
likes the Cincinnati 'Reds' deserves to
be brainwashed, I guess!