The Guy with the Knife.
SPECIAL SCREENING ON TUESDAY, April 21st. At Texas Southern University at 2:00pm in the MLK Building Room 104. [update 4/20/2015]
For the DIFF 2015 Review by Truth in Cinema click on the following:
On April 15th & 16th Alison Armstrong's documentary was shown at the Dallas 2015 film Festival. The Theater seated approximately 200 persons. It was a pleasant surprise to see that each showing mostly filled the seating. While not a huge venue those that elected to view the film were at first mostly likely intrigued by the title and written synopsis of the film by Bridgette Poe. Others may have came because they had some familiarity with the crime. For what ever reason they came, to view the film, they came with a certain amount of skepticism, including myself. All of us however left with an uneasiness of how the Justice System could go so wrong.
For the DIFF 2015 Review by Truth in Cinema click on the following:
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DIFF 2015 Review: 'The Guy With The Knife' Digs Into Media .[update 4/23/2015]
On April 15th & 16th Alison Armstrong's documentary was shown at the Dallas 2015 film Festival. The Theater seated approximately 200 persons. It was a pleasant surprise to see that each showing mostly filled the seating. While not a huge venue those that elected to view the film were at first mostly likely intrigued by the title and written synopsis of the film by Bridgette Poe. Others may have came because they had some familiarity with the crime. For what ever reason they came, to view the film, they came with a certain amount of skepticism, including myself. All of us however left with an uneasiness of how the Justice System could go so wrong.
The relationship of the protagonists' of the film Ray Hill and Jon Christopher Buice have long intrigued persons within and outside of the Gay community. Ray Hill who at the onset of this relationship was adversarial and was largely responsible for the lengthy sentencing of Jon Buice. The film begins in retrospect with Ray on a road trip to Colorado City, Texas to see Jon. As the film progresses it makes no excuses for the crime. Neither does Jon. He does not blame his parents, society or the drug crazed night of the crime. Ray also makes no excuses for his part in the sensationalizing of the night of July 4, 1991 within the media. To this day he still does not.
As the documentary progresses one begins to the understand the gravity of how Activists with the unbridled use of Media can create a reality that is greater than the truth. In the end the creation becomes the reality and the truth becomes a quest that must endue the pain of running a gauntlet of extreme biased scrutiny. Those that would rather accept the views of an Activist, with a self-serving interest, gather in their preconditioned view, rather than truth, and line up to strike down any rhetoric to the contrary of their belief.
Alison in no way attempts to place judgement one way or the other on Jon's part in the death of Paul Broussard. Rather she addresses the person that Jon is now in contrast to the 17 year old adolescent who was party to an altercation that got out of control and escalated into the tragedy of Pauls death. It strikes down the aspect of Rays avocation in 1991, that it was a hate crime.
After the opening scenes of Ray inciting the Gay Community locally and Nationally it turns to a more humanistic out-pouring by Ray to Jon and how they over a period of time became the friends they are today. It also develops the turning point for Ray to begin his advocacy to free Jon. One can see Ray's change of heart is largely due to his own conscience once he comes to understand that Jon did not go to the Montrose area of Houston, on July 4, 1991, to murder anyone and that he was not the homophobic killer he promoted.
Jon moves from adolescent to adulthood in the film with recognition and acceptance of the tragedy that he has caused for the families he has harmed. Both Paul's and his own. It becomes apparent that he has reached deep within his soul and cries out for forgiveness from Nancy Roderiguez, Paul's mother. However it is not forthcoming as Ray after his appointment as leader of the GLBT Caucus, keeps the ideal of a hate crime alive with the yearly vigil held to commemorate Paul's death. Nancy is shown suing the families of the assailants for her pain and suffering. Although not disclosed in the film, Jon's family was sued for 2.5 million. She did not prevail in achieving her goal because her legal team was unable to show failure by myself to control the actions of Jon Buice as a minor. She did however cause great financial difficultly over a period of years in monies spent to keep lawyers honest in their endeavors. Eventually an undisclosed settlement by my homeowners policy settled out of court.
Then enters Andy Kahan in 1992, an activist hell bent on keeping the sensational historical untruths promoted by Ray then leader of the GLBT Caucus. A yearly vigil is shown that was held to commemorate Paul's death along with the hate-crime rhetoric re-flamed year after year until Ray reaches out to Jon. Andy comes across in the film as inept in his understanding of the truth and is the self proclaimed leader of those that oppose Jon's parole. As he speaks the audience begins to realize that Jon is not the problem, Andy is with his narcissistic cries for his perverted sense of justice. He even admits that he knows nothing about Jon and continues to promote lies without putting the proof in the public eyes for scrutiny.
As the film nears the end, the plight of Jon's journey to freedom is shown to be besieged by the continual set-offs, by a Justice System that is governed by Activists, Media, the GLBT Caucus and Government Officials meddling with the processes. The audience is moved from the lies and media hype of the past to the truth in the matter of Jon Buice and the death of Paul Broussard. There is sense of agitation within the audience with the likes of Andy Kahan and the meddlesome endeavors of State Elected Officials. This becomes apparent each day with the question and answer period that was conducted after each showing. Alison is very responsive to all questions and the audience is receptive of her answers.
Thank You Alison for your fair and unbiased documentary "The Guy with the Knife" It was a long time coming and I pray that it has some bearing within the days to come with the continued showings next week to the Houston GLBT Caucus and others. Hopefully they too will come to an understanding of the truth in the matters of Jon Buice and will undo the damage they continue do to his parole processes with the control they have over Politicians that govern the Parole Board. It is time that they push the pendulum to a fair and balance view. Jon has a lot to offer to society other than being the poster child of a Texas Hate-Crime that was never was.
James Buice
4/17/2015
