Wormwood Netflix documentary

I've just finished this 6 part series and wow. It tells the story of Eric Olsen's life long fight to prove the CIA murdered his father Frank, who was a scientist in the Biological warfare section.

Frank was given LSD as part of the MKUltra project.

Whilst 6 episodes may be seen as dragging the story too thin but it allow the space to tell this story in a very trippy way. In fact this show should come with a Health Warning Some episodes may cause flashbacks.

By using this approach it conveys the paranoia of the time, Frank and the CIA, sometimes it feels like you've gone down the rabbit hole where mirrors reflect mirrors and none of them reflect the truth.

If you're not careful by the end you may believe that Eric's gesticulating arms are telling the truth, this programme is being made by aliens.

Thoroughly recommended.

 

Is no one watching this? I can assure you no one is monitoring in your viewing habits, oh hold on a minute.....

 

I really liked, although it made me angry to know that the government would do something that terrible to somebody.

 

Don't feel guilt, I suspect it's because U.S. counter intelligence has been scrutinised more than many countries, it's a nasty business world wide.

Interestingly Netflix's Unabomber refers to Theodore John Kaczynski being used as a guinea pig in a totally unethical study and possibly of interest to the security services.

 

The story sounded fascinating (had no idea it was true) so we tried to watch the first episode last night.
It's important and worthwhile....but we didn't make it to the end.
The combo doc/dramatization format didn't work IMHO, way too dry to keep me engaged

 

I saw this and I liked getting all the details of the story of his "dosing" ( I had read about it in LSD/CIA history books) and thought the details helped develop the case (Guilt over Korea/CIA actions) trying to understand why it happened.

But I really fell disappointed in the " If I told you, I'd have to kill you" type of ending. Seems like there would be some ways around that.
I don't think there is some sort of deep secret files. All the dirt (family jewels) of that era came out in the Church hearings.

 

I feel bad for the son; he's always going to be looking for answers that he'll never get. Or at least, he won't get all of them (officially).

 

Is this the scientist guy who was dosed and later allegedly jumped out the window?

 

It may not be about what actually happened in Korea but what Frank believed.

 

Yes.

 

I liked it but thought it would have been better as a 90 minute thing. And I found the son pushing his bad collages distasteful

 

Wow, what a blockbuster! One of the best docs I've ever seen, and certainly the most unusual I've ever seen. Yes, maybe it was a little too long, but it had little wasted space. At first the combination of interviews and dramatization but me off, but in the end I felt it was very effective. Excellent production values, acting, and cinematography. The music was very effective, both the original recordings and the night club scenes. I'd like to learn more about this aspect of U.S. history.