Video Reviews

The Best of Alex Jones

D: Kevin Booth (1999); with Alex Jones. The newest project from Booth's Sacred Cow Productions has already necessitated a defensive mass e-mail from him begging, "please, if you find yourself writing me a letter that says 'Alex is no Bill,' please save us both some time & don't send it. Many people think that I'm trying to promote this guy as 'the New Bill' -- believe me, I don't want a 'new Bill.'" Alex Jones is, of course, the upstart young conspiracy theorist who was recently removed from Austin's radio airwaves but who continues to take the country by storm via syndicated radio shows and public access TV. Jones actually looks shockingly similar to Sane Man-era Hicks and is easily as intense a personality, but the resemblance stops there. In fact, this tape, nearly two hours culled from access TV and previous video projects, could've used some visual continuity and a bit of narrative structure. As it is, the viewer is bombarded with image after image of Jones getting arrested for refusing to be thumb-printed at the DPS office, yelling at politicians, ranting at the screen about black helicopters, yelling at more politicians, etc. Put simply, it's not the party video of the year unless you've started your own political party. To be fair, this is clearly intended as an introductory piece for fellow rebels to pass among themselves and for zealous listeners of Jones' radio show to get to put a face to the raging voice. Still, it'll be interesting to see the "real" Alex Jones documentary, if and when it gets made. Maybe in 10 years ...