The Kennedy Mystique - Creating Camelot

Product Description Over forty years ago one extraordinary American family moved into the most famous house in the world and changed the nature of the Presidency forever. With glamorous Hollywood good looks and two camera friendly children, the Kennedys helped to usher in a youth culture that affected every aspect of American life. From behind closed doors in the White House to intimate family vacations, photography and television took the American public behind-the-scenes into the lives of its most regal . . . but just how true were the images projected? Featuring photographs that have never been shown before, and rarely seen home movies, this probing documentary captures private moments with the most well-known First Family as well as recollections from former White House staff, journalists, photographers and biographers. Special Features: Interview with Arthur Schlessinger, Jr. Interview with Ben Bradlee Photo Gallery Weblinks Amazon.com The Kennedy Mystique: Creating Camelot examines the skill with which John F. Kennedy used the media to create and sustain an image of glamour. Under Kennedy, not only was there an official White House photographer (Cecil Stoughton), but Kennedy had his own personal photographer (Jacques Lowe) who captured most of the intimate photos that have defined Kennedy in retrospect. In interviews, Stoughton and journalists of the time like Ben Bradlee discuss how Kennedy deflected attention away from his health and womanizing, focusing the public on a young, vital president and his warm, loving family. As television began to take hold of the country, becoming its dominant medium, Kennedy's photogenic looks became a powerful political tool. The Kennedy Mystique: Creating Camelot doesn't push its analysis too deeply, but it does describe the beginning of an era in which image has become as important to politics as substance. --Bret Fetzer