09-13-2015, 08:32 AM
Never an explanation about why they call him Whitey . . ..
I'm getting ready for new Johnny Depp movie 'Black Mass' about this same subject material. By doing this I can go over all the difference between movie and actual story and consider myself educated. But we all know that is just a sham.
Right off the bat, I figure I know the story of Whitey. He's the gang member who was also the FBI informer. He disappeared for sixteen years only to be found living quietly in Santa Monica. I was hoping the documentary would give me lurid tales of his exploits.
But this movie is not that. It seems the Whitey story is much more screwed up than I had imagined and some of the worst criminals, according to the documentary, are the FBI.
The story starts with Whitey's first day in the court room, done with voice overs of the testimony and shots of the courthouse. It recounts his crimes. They show relatives of the victims. They talk to Bulger's defense attorneys who have this amazing claim. Bulger was never an informant. He was paying off the FBI so he could operate undetected. My first thought was that is ludicrous. Everyone knows Bulger was an informant. How else could he get away with 19 murders?
Well, the movie builds a powerful case for Bulger on just how corrupt the FBI was in the case of Bulger. And the US prosecuting attorneys were doing themselves no favors. They were combative and argumentative during their interviews. There was a lot of damming evidence and the movie covers a lot of it. The most chilling interviewee was Kevin Weeks, a convicted killer. He talked about his heinous crimes as if they were no big deal and he'd be more than happy to do them again. Yet, to look at him, he looks like some ordinary schlub.
However, in the end, I kept reminding myself Bulger was a criminal of the highest order of which there is no doubt. It is not inconceivable that he might be a liar as well.
I'd put this one on my list of films to see.
I'm getting ready for new Johnny Depp movie 'Black Mass' about this same subject material. By doing this I can go over all the difference between movie and actual story and consider myself educated. But we all know that is just a sham.
Right off the bat, I figure I know the story of Whitey. He's the gang member who was also the FBI informer. He disappeared for sixteen years only to be found living quietly in Santa Monica. I was hoping the documentary would give me lurid tales of his exploits.
But this movie is not that. It seems the Whitey story is much more screwed up than I had imagined and some of the worst criminals, according to the documentary, are the FBI.
The story starts with Whitey's first day in the court room, done with voice overs of the testimony and shots of the courthouse. It recounts his crimes. They show relatives of the victims. They talk to Bulger's defense attorneys who have this amazing claim. Bulger was never an informant. He was paying off the FBI so he could operate undetected. My first thought was that is ludicrous. Everyone knows Bulger was an informant. How else could he get away with 19 murders?
Well, the movie builds a powerful case for Bulger on just how corrupt the FBI was in the case of Bulger. And the US prosecuting attorneys were doing themselves no favors. They were combative and argumentative during their interviews. There was a lot of damming evidence and the movie covers a lot of it. The most chilling interviewee was Kevin Weeks, a convicted killer. He talked about his heinous crimes as if they were no big deal and he'd be more than happy to do them again. Yet, to look at him, he looks like some ordinary schlub.
However, in the end, I kept reminding myself Bulger was a criminal of the highest order of which there is no doubt. It is not inconceivable that he might be a liar as well.
I'd put this one on my list of films to see.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit