Rudolph, You’ll Go Down in History
The assassination of John F. Kennedy is one of the most analyzed events of modern history. Despite the findings of the Warren Commission, many are still skeptical that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. The release of Oliver Stone’s film “JFK” in 1991 brought the assassination back into the public consciousness and opened the floodgates of new speculation. I have always been interested in the various theories surrounding JFK’s assassination. On a business trip to Dallas a few years ago, my wife and I visited both Dealey Plaza and the JFK Museum, which is at the old Texas School Book Depository. The tour culminates with a visit to the sixth floor, with a re-creation of Oswald’s vantage point. It was a sobering and powerful experience to visit a place with such historical significance. After my visit, I began reading a variety of books on the subject. While some books may be dismissed as outlandish conspiracy theories, many are incredibly well-researched and raise legitimate questions. They certainly challenge the history many of us were taught in school. One such book is the excellent “JFK and the Unspeakable” by James Douglass. The basic premise of Douglass’ book is that JFK was assassinated due to his shift from Cold War warrior to pursuer of peace. After the harrowing Cuban missile crisis, the book paints the picture of a man who came to terms with annihilation by nuclear war. Despite enormous pressure to launch an attack on the Soviet Union and Cuba, Kennedy averted a catastrophe and preserved a fragile peace. Douglass also argues that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev was quickly moving toward improved relations between the two superpowers. The book gets into intricate detail about all of the world events that were happening at that time. This included the situation with Cuba and also the escalating conflict in Vietnam. The author makes a strong case that JFK was also looking to end American involvement in Vietnam during his second term. That alone did not sit well with many in the government and military who felt that escalation was the only way forward. The JFK assassination will continue to be hotly debated. Many books and documentaries make compelling arguments for several theories. While the truth may never be known, the arguments that “JFK and the Unspeakable” provide are compelling and thought‑provoking. EYE ON THE BALL Book Reviews With Chris Ball
You know Dasher and Dancer, and you definitely know Rudolph. Everyone’s favorite red-nosed reindeer was first born as a 1939 short story, but he truly shot to fame when his tale was adapted into a song by Gene Autry in 1949. Rivaling even the song’s fame is the Rankin/Bass stop-motion special that airs like clockwork every year around Christmas. Generations have now grown up with Rudolph, so it may be surprising to learn that his journey to the small screen started as a General Electric promotion. The company had a running television special on NBC called the “GE Fantasy Hour,” which they used to market their products directly to viewers. The better the story they told, the more viewers they got — and the more toasters they could sell. The script introduced crucial new characters like Hermey the elf, Yukon Cornelius the prospector, and of course, Bumble the abominable snowman. GE hired innovative Japanese animators to create the film using stop-motion techniques that were highly advanced for the time. GE invested the modern equivalent of $4.5 million into the production of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and the special first aired in 1964. Those who are familiar with the film know that it ends with Rudolph enlisting Santa to save the Misfit Toys from earlier in the movie — but it didn’t originally. The version that aired in 1964 concludes with Rudolph leading Santa’s sleigh but forgetting all about his homeless friends. The backlash was swift, and viewers wrote in to express displeasure at the heartless resolution. GE decided the special had to be corrected and played again with the proper ending in 1965. And so, a tradition of annual airings was born. Today, “Rudolph” is the longest-running Christmas special in history, and our favorite misfit deer shows no signs of slowing down after 57 years. The movie has transformed into a marketing bonanza, with new Christmas decorations, figurines, and toys being produced each year. Though it’s somewhat shocking to our modern sensibilities to see Santa bullying his reindeer employees and their children, fond childhood memories mean that parents continue to pass the special down to their kids. Even as we recognize its flaws, the dazzling animation and famous songs continue to bring joy and Christmas spirit to households around the country. Just as sure as Santa comes every year, so does Rudolph. BEHIND THE EVERGREEN CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
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