Investigative Journalists Against The Octopus
Yet another tale of the never-ending war between journalists and the clandestine entities that shape international politics and the world.
The first time I learned about the Octopus story must’ve been after I read the book Operation Mockingbird, a few months ago. If I remember correctly, I followed a few events and articles referenced in the book, which led me to a few stories: one about about the mysterious death of Danny Casolaro, an investigative journalist who was working on a story about a clandestine organization—one he referred to as The Octopus—comprised of top government officials. The other one about investigative journalist Carl Bernstein and his Rolling Stone cover story The CIA And The Media.
Intrigued and curious, I went further down the rabbit hole, searching for podcast episodes on the story of The Octopus. I came across the Spotify Original podcast Conspiracy Theories, which had done a two-part episodic series on the Danny Casolaro & The Octopus story. The story is truly a fascinating one. On one hand, it showed the resolve of an individual who was committed to unveiling corruption on a scale that could’ve shifted American politics and intelligence operations forever. On the other hand, it showed the degrees of separation between everyday Americans and their government, and the institutions (media, intelligence agencies, law enforcement, etc.) that help to maintain that separation.
Now Netflix has released a 4-part documentary miniseries American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders on the exact same story, produced by and starring photojournalist Christian Hansen and directed by Zachary Treitz. An absolute thriller, and a nerve-wracking ordeal, it advances the story of a long closed case, retracing the findings of journalist Danny Casolaro to its ends (well, as much as one can without potentially putting one’s own life in the crosshairs).
Given that I’ve now listened to several podcasts on the story and watched this recent documentary, I have to say, it’s one thing to listen to a story about an investigative journalist’s mysterious death in the 90’s just before he’s due to publish a damning exposé—a phenomenon we’re all too familiar with in journalism. It’s another thing to watch a current day photojournalist, in real time, follow the tracks of a deceased journalist in search of closure. At this point, you are no longer engaging with a story that you’re far removed from, that seems almost fictional due to the passage of time. You are engaging with a story that is unfolding in real time, with real revelations, and real consequences. That is scary, to say the least.
An additional layer for me, as a person who was once an aspiring photojournalist, was discovering in one of the scenes in the documentary that Christian Hansen is good friends with a notable photojournalist who I got to know and work with briefly. That revelation makes it even more surreal to me, if that makes any sense.
All of that aside, what remains with me after engaging with this documentary is the notion that you don’t have to be special to do something remarkable. You don’t have to be important to make a difference. You only need the conviction and resilience to follow through on whatever it is you set out to do, no matter how crazy people believe you to be. This documentary was not an overnight turnaround, it was a decade long, slow, all-encompassing, and laborious pursuit. And it is ongoing.
The revelations that Hansen and Treitz’s documentary provide, I believe, are notches on the belt of investigative journalists who have come before him and those who will follow after him. It is a small battle won, on behalf of intrepid journalists and everyday Americans, in the fight against corrupt institutions of power. And right now, that much will do.
If you care enough to understand the inner-workings of American politics, the government, and the nefarious individuals and institutions behind the scenes who shape the world, I couldn’t possibly recommend anything better. Is it all true? Are the witnesses all reliable subjects? That’s going to be for you to decide.
★★★★★ New Outlook Recommends:
American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders a 4-part documentary series.