View source for Waco, the Big Lie

{{Short description|1993 documentary film by Linda Thompson}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Waco, the Big Lie
| image          = Waco Big Lie flamethrower conspiracy theory.png
| alt            =
| caption        = The film claims that footage shows a tank with a flamethrower (circled), however it's been claimed that this footage has been manipulated.
| director       = [[Linda Thompson (attorney)|Linda Thompson]]
| producer       =
| writer         =
| starring       =
| music          =
| cinematography =
| editing        =
| studio         = [[American Justice Federation]]
| distributor    =
| released       =
| runtime        = 31 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         =
| gross          =
}}
'''''Waco, the Big Lie''''' is a 1993 American [[documentary film]] directed by [[Linda Thompson (attorney)|Linda Thompson]] that presents video-based analysis regarding the [[Waco siege]].  The first film made about the Waco siege, ''Waco, the Big Lie'' gained significant notoriety when it was viewed during the trial of American domestic terrorist [[Timothy McVeigh]].  As part of the defense, McVeigh's lawyers showed ''Waco, the Big Lie'' to the jury.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0106/09/pitn.00.html "People in the News: Timothy McVeigh: The Path to Death Row"], transcript of program broadcast on [[CNN]], June 9, 2001, 11:30 p.m. ET.</ref>
In 1994, the film was followed by a feature-length [[sequel]] titled ''Waco II, the Big Lie Continues'', aimed at addressing criticisms of the original.
Thompson's films made a number of controversial allegations, the most famous of which was her claim that footage of an armored vehicle breaking through the outer walls of the compound<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKlsThwd75w Passage of ''Waco, the Big Lie'' showing the tank scene]</ref> showed a [[flamethrower]] attached to the vehicle, setting fire to the building. As a response to Thompson, filmmaker [[Waco: The Rules of Engagement|Michael McNulty]] released footage to support his counter-claim that the appearance of light was a reflection on aluminized insulation that was torn from the wall and snagged on the vehicle. McNulty accused Thompson of "creative editing" in his film ''Waco: An Apparent Deviation''. Thompson worked from a VHS copy of the surveillance tape; McNulty was given access to a beta original. However, McNulty in turn was later accused of having digitally altered his footage, an allegation he denied.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sources of Information: Veracity of American Justice Federation Videos|url=https://wacoholocaustelectronicmuseum.org/cover/c_page05.html#VeracityAJF|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Waco Holocaust Electronic Museum}}</ref>
John Young of the ''[[Waco Tribune-Herald]]'' criticized the film, questioning the evidence behind Thompson's claims.<ref name=lakeland>{{cite news|last1=Young|first1=John|title=Cynical deceit: Waco: The Big Lie dupes many|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19940112&id=fyJOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jfwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6747,291451&hl=en|accessdate=15 July 2015|work=[[Lakeland Ledger]]|date=12 January 1994}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{IMDb title|3385784}}
{{Branch Davidians}}
[[Category:1993 films]]
[[Category:1990s English-language films]]
[[Category:American documentary films]]
[[Category:Waco siege]]
[[Category:Documentary films about conspiracy theories]]
[[Category:Films about religious violence in the United States]]
[[Category:1990s American films]]
[[Category:English-language documentary films]]
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