Wild Wild Country

It's great to finally see an in-depth documentary on one of the most bizarre events of the late 20th century. What happened at Rajneeshpuram in the 1980s is so extraordinary it's actually difficult to comprehend. The series is well-presented and thoroughly absorbing.

I was amazed at how much video footage they had from inside the commune- I really had no idea this much material even existed. I was also surprised at how much prime time news coverage the story received. The Way brothers should certainly be commended for how much time and research went into this production.

The major problem with the show, as many others have pointed out, is that it does not tell the whole story. In fact, it doesn't even come close. There are many incredibly disturbing stories about what went on in the commune during this time period, the worst of which involve sexual abuse of children. There is information about this online as well as in published books by former sannyasins and commune members. And while it may not be possible to discern exactly what is true and what isn't, there is enough credible evidence to suggest that some very dark events took place under the watch of Rajneesh and his associates.

The two main interviewees, Phillip Toelkes and Jane Stork, fail to discuss these more serious topics and spend a lot of time marvelling over how great a man Rajneesh was. Toelkes in particular is clearly still obsessed with his former guru, to the point where he cannot stop crying every time he mentions his name. It becomes incredibly tiresome and the amount of airtime he gets in this show is inexcusable.

Sheela, however, is a much more interesting character. By all accounts, she has done some terrible things and is arguably lucky to be a free woman but either way, she is fascinating to watch and listen to- both then and now. The documentary would not have had anywhere near as much impact without her presence.

It's hard to know if the Way brothers produced this show with a slight bias towards Rajneesh and his followers or simply that they looked in the wrong places and only found half the story. Either way, this is a great watch but I would highly recommend doing some of your own research to get a more balanced view of things. Christopher Calder's online articles are a great place to start.

The last two years I've been absolutely astonished about the sheer quality of docu-series Netflix has been bringing out. "Making a murderer", "Flint town", "The Keepers", to name a few.

But this one was especially on some level really emotional for me. As I myself was raised in a Indian cult. Not this one, but many aspects are almost identical. I am now 27 and I still struggle on a daily base with many things that were taught to me at such a young age. What struck me was how well portrayed this guy was. The almost hypnotically way he could look, and even walk, got people in some sort of a trance. I myself experienced many times where we saw our "Guru" talk, and he had the same aura that also Baghwan has. The other aspect that struck me was them talking about following, but you could feel they actually were all deeply in love with him. A cult leader is not someone you follow, you fall deeply and madly in love with him. This happened to my mother and even after leaving almost 15 years ago, she still can't stop looking to this new love. She never became a stable person again in her life.

The docu itself should be an example to future docu makers. The pacing is nearly perfect. The interviews are well paced, just a few people on different sides, and somehow you all get some sort of attachment to their side of the story. You strongly get the feeling from episode one that nothing is black and white. And that all of these people strongly believed in their cause. There is no one who had the complete truth or did the complete right thing. And Baghwan is equal mysterious in this documentary than in real life. Somehow they don't try to explain the person Baghwan, because you simply cannot explain him. In that way his followers were absolutely right. He is a one of a kind person, and to others he was a con man. For me? He is something in between.

Although some of the former members dismiss the term cult when referring to the Rajneesh movement, it undoubtedly shows a range of similarities to what might be referred to as a cult. Nonetheless the documentary series Wild Wild Country proofed surprisingly succesful in offering insights that go beyond the taboos and stigmas normally surrounding the subject. Clearly the Rajneesh movement was something that the world had not seen before and the world, perhaps, hasn't seen since.

Focussing around the Indian guru Rajneesh, later known as Osho, the documentary starts off by exploring the very beginning of the movement. Its unorthodox teachings, controversial beliefs as well as its international reach slowly unfold during the first episode of the documentary series. Gradually the focus of the documentary however shifts towards the individuals who circulated within the inner circles of the movement. This inevitably transforms the documentary into an exposition of 'the individual as part of a cult' rather than an exploration of the deeper beliefs of the movement (which at times seem contradictory).

Nonetheless the documentary continues to captivate the viewer as opposition against the movement arises during the cults relocation in Oregon. It is here where the movement encounters more and more opposition which in return fuels the hostility from members towards outsiders. It is not unlike patterns we've seen with cults like the church of Scientology and the Peoples Temple where, once a stark contrast between in- and outsiders has been established, a cult turns violent. The documentary manages to explore the depths of the criminal activities in which the Rajneesh movement was involved without overtly (or excessively) steering its viewers towards a certain point of view. The result is a story that shocks without excessive dramatization.

What makes this documentary worthwhile is the way the story unfolds. Although spread over six different episodes the documentary could be seen as one climactic film in which tension continues to build until it has reached its inevitable climax. Surprisingly the documentary does not necessarily leave one to wonder how people could ever be part of the group, for it also displays the movements admirable qualities. Rather it leaves you to ask how knowledge about the Rajneesh movement could have been absent for you prior to watching the documentary series. If this is the case indeed, then this is a must-watch.

To me personally the appeal of the movements leader remains unclear. This ofcourse could be explained by the lack of insights the documentary offers regarding his background and the very origine of the movement. So yes, the documentary will leave you with many questions. But rather than leaving you with the illusion of presenting the full story, the documentary ignites within you a thirst for knowledge. I guess that is exactly what one might demand from documentaries: the desire to know more.

The amount of information and perspectives covered is unbelievable

What's great about this show is that it never takes sides, instead shows everyone telling their side and letting you figure out who's lying (lots) and who's honest. I wish there'd been a touch more expansion on the pre and post worlds, but I get that the focus was on the Oregon episode, so it's hardly critical. What was most striking here was how bigoted and clueless the people of Antelope were, how racist and NIMBY. And yet, the cult itself was messed up, so both sides have merit! Find your own truth!