“Mission: Mind Control” (1979) is a color investigative documentary from ABC News’ Close-up TV Series (1960-present) exploring the U.S. Army and CIA’s 30-year pursuit of mind control technologies. Hosted by Paul Altmeyer, it reveals experiments under the MKUltra program (1953-1973), including the use of LSD, mescaline, and brain implants on unwitting Americans. Combining archival footage, interviews, and testimony, the film calls into question such experiments in a democracy with reel 2 examining the last ten years of the MKUltra program with a particular focus on brainwashing techniques developed by Dr. Donald Ewen Cameron and their implications for Cold War strategy.

00:00 Gothic-style mansion known as Maison Ravenscrag, Montreal Canada – site of series of CIA experiments and Allen Memorial Institute of Psychiatry of McGill University (0:08). Portrait of Dr. Donald Ewen Cameron, central figure in unethical brainwashing experiments at Maison Ravenscrag; Discussion of three areas of experimentation: Sleep therapy, psychic driving, de-patterning (0:44). Interview with Dr. Maurice Dongier of Allen Memorial Institute (0:51). Interview with Velma Orlikow, patient of Dr. Cameron, describes LSD therapy (1:46). Vehicular traffic along McGregor Avenue near Maison Ravenscrag, Montreal (3:23). Velma Orlikow describes Cameron’s de-patterning work and sleep rooms (4:08). Interview Dr. Robert A. Gellhorn, Dr. Cameron’s successor at Allen Memorial Institute (4:38). Interview continues with Dr. Dongier, reflection on effectiveness of Cameron’s de-patterning technique (5:09). Interview continues with Dr. Gellhorn, reflection on effectiveness of Cameron’s de-patterning technique (5:29). Velma Orlikow emotional response to hearing Dr. Gellhorn’s dismissal of patient hardship; Sends message to CIA (6:00). Images of Cardinal József Mindszenty at trial for conspiring to overthrow of Communist Hungarian Republic, forced confession (8:01). Clip from propaganda film from 1953 during Korean War of fraudulent confessions of American service men (8:12). Interest growing in Communist brainwashing methods, CIA funds research program at Cornell University Medical Center (8:23). Interview with leader of study, Dr. Lawrence Hinkle (8:30). B&W images from Russian “show” trials (8:45). Clip from “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962), American psychological political thriller by John Frankenheimer ft. Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, and Angela Lansbury (10:49). John Gittinger, CIA Chief Psychologist, shares thoughts on film (11:21). Interview with Dr. Milton Kline, consultant for CIA MKUltra program (11:31). Dr. Kline’s voice continues over more scenes from “The Manchurian Candidate” (12:00). Interview with John Gittinger continues, share insight into use of brainwashing in intelligence field (12:53). Interview with Dr. Milton Kline continues (13:06). Fidel Castro on private airplane – CIA candidate for Manchurian Candidate (13:47). More clips from “The Manchurian Candidate” (14:13). Animated film segment emulating LSD-induced hallucinations (14:18). John Gittinger discusses Personality Assessment System (PAS) used to predict human behavior (14:35). Various applications of Gittinger’s method i.e. assessing personalities of world leaders; Archival footage of coronation ceremony of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran (October 1967) in Tehran (14:56). PAS used to help establish police services and intelligence agencies around the world (15:82). Life in Montevideo, Uruguay; Voice of John D. Marks describing Gittinger trip to Uruguay to choose police chief (15:37). Footage of South Korean soldiers (15:50). Unconventional CIA experiments: Young fighting bull with electromagnets implanted by Dr. José Manuel Rodriguez Delgado enters ring (16:43). Footage of electromagnets implanted in bull’s brain (16:59). Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) headquarters in Langley, Virginia (17:33). 1977 Senate Hearing on MKUltra (17:51). Charlie Siragusa “Charlie Cigars,” FBN agent, reflects on censorship during hearing (18:15). CIA chemist Robert V. Lashbrook gives testimony (18:27). Dr. Sidney Gottlieb playing tennis near California home (18:44). Post MKUltra retirement life of program’s chief architect George White in Stinson Beach, California (19:28). Paul Altmeyer closes segment in front of United States Capitol building (19:57). End (21:36).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com