just give the fact that it be base on the most infamous mass suicide incident of modern time would have be enough to give this 2 part 1980 make for tv film attention . but the fact be that it be a superb recreation of the life of the rev . jim jones and who build a church into a virtual empire and and then encourage it to disintegrate into a sleazy cult in which a congressman and his entourage be assassinate and and 917 cult follower commit suicide by drink kool aid douse with cyanide . do very tastefully but horrify enough and unlike the excruciatingly sadistic cult of the damned and guyana tragedy feature an all star cast and include ned beatty ( a rep. leo ryan ) and meg foster and randy quaid and brad dourif and brenda vaccaro and levar burton and and madge sinclair . but it be power boothe ( in his first big role ) that really stand out a jim jones . he actually become the man and and his performance be rivet and chill . thus and it be no wonder that this film still manage to attract attention after more than twenty year .