First Trailer for PARKLAND

My favorite segment in Lee Daniels' The Butler was that of seeing our titular character interact with President John F. Kennedy. James Marsden does a terrific job of portraying the young man elected to lead our country under some of the most polarizing moments in this country's history, but his death is an event in itself that has shaped many citizens memories and has left a mark on our history books that is still widely discussed and the circumstances of that day still widely speculated upon. The feature film debut of director Peter Landesman, Parkland, seeks to recount the events from the perspective of some of the more unsuspecting civilians involved that day. Getting its title from the Parkland Hospital in Dallas where Kennedy and both Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby all died the trailer nicely sets up the tone and period piece aspect. The comparisons will certainly come up and be made to Oliver Stone's 1991 film JFK and though I was somewhat tepid to the idea of getting another film based around the death of Kennedy I must admit the trailer pulled me in and made me want to see the film. Taking on the events that occurred that fateful day and opening up the landscape to explore avenues such as the doctor who had to attend to the President with little warning or the man who captured the assassination on his camera who would become a more integral part of the investigation than he ever imagined seems an interesting route to take. Backing this choice up is the casting of actors more than capable of making the everyday person someone we could learn to follow and become invested in. Zac Efron and Paul Giamatti seem as if they should receive special mention as they look to be doing the heavy lifting here while a stellar supporting cast that includes Billy Bob Thornton, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Jackie Earle Haley, Ron Livingston and Colin Hanks as well as being produced by Tom Hanks doesn't hurt the films credentials. I wasn't aware of Parkland before seeing the trailer, but it is certainly on my radar now and I'm eager to hear of the reception it receives when it premieres at the Venice Film Festival and hopefully hits theaters before the end of the year. Hit the jump to check out the trailer.


Synopsis: PARKLAND recounts the dramatic true story of the chaotic events that occurred at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22nd 1963.

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