Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman Explore The Assassination of President Kennedy
Historians, politicos & eyewitnesses to history enhance online second screen event
Produced by multiple EMMY® Award-winning executive producers Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman (HBO’s John Adams and The Pacific), and EMMY® Award-winning producer Mark Herzog (History’s Gettysburg) of Herzog & Company (HCO), on Thursday, Nov. 14, CNN will premiere The Assassination of President Kennedy at 9:00pm ET and PT. The two-hour film explores the events on the day that changed the nation – and the world, as well as how the public’s perceptions of what happened that day have changed through the years.
During the telecast, CNN Films will host a live social blog where users can share their personal reflections of the legacy of President Kennedy, memories of the events surrounding the assassination, and their thoughts about the film via Twitter (@CNNFilms), powered by ScribbleLive. Historians, politicos, and others will share their own thoughts via the live blog and respond to user’s questions.
The film reviews the most controversial findings of the Report of the President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, also known as the Warren Commission Report. Through analysis from experts and contributions from eye witnesses, the film appraises the findings – and explores the context of the development of the report. The Assassination of President Kennedy attempts to explain why, five decades later, so many Americans feel the Commission’s investigation was lacking in transparency – which may have inadvertently contributed to the persistent existence of conspiracy theories that surround the assassination of the president.
Online at www.CNN.com/JFK, users will also have access to a tick tock from the events in Dallas, TX, on Nov. 22, 1963, as well as additional reporting about President Kennedy’s assassination. Users will also be able to view Kennedy family photos, read commentary on President Kennedy’s accomplishments in civil rights and foreign policy, and view excerpts from the film via the special section.
Additionally, at CNN iReport, user submissions are being curated that capture the personal reminiscences of people alive at the time of the assassination. Users are responding to the question, “Where were you when you heard the news that JFK was killed?” and are also submitting their own photos from 1963, along with their thoughts about how the assassination changed their lives.
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