(no subject)

[olivermoss]

Oh hey there's Netflix doc on DB Cooper! Why is the opening shot San Diego? Oh god is this the Robert Rackstraw theory? Please tell me it's not the Rackstraw theory. I hate the bastards who have been pushing/monetizing that theory for decades.

I will need to find out what POV the doc takes on that group before I watch this. I really want to watch a Netflix doc on DB Cooper, but I need spoilers first!

In the first half of the 2010s, I used to actually sabotage that group's PR attempts on places like reddit by posting some of their earlier interviews were they pretty much gave away how they set him up. I need to find that again at a point.

Hopefully, the doc is just going over all the theories and isn't endorsing any. But if I watch a few hours only to see them endorse them at the end I would be very annoyed.

Comments

[mxcatmoon]

Do tell about Rackstraw, who set him up? Is Colbert in on it, or innocently duped?
Okay, I just took a quick look at this. It claims it's new for 2022, but I could swear I've seen the scenes in the preview. Unless they reused them and packaged them in a new doc. That might very well be the case. I've seen a lot of them over the years. Ever since I saw an ep of some conspiracy show (can't remember the name of it now), I've been fond of Christiansen for Cooper. I know it's not likely him, but it's my pet theory. LOL.

Have you ever seen the episode of Expedition Unknown where they explore the DB Cooper case? I enjoy that show because it's got humor and travel stuff included. They don't have an agenda. It's only an hour episode, but it's in season 4 of the show, if you have one of the streaming services it's on. It's not a heavy-duty type of docu but it's fun and different from the usual.

So what did you think of the Leverage ep about Cooper? I couldn't believe they went there! LOL. To actually have the Leverage crew solve the case! I loved it though.

[olivermoss]

A group in Portland offered him money to claim to be DB Cooper while we was homeless. He responded that he was interested, and they've been misconstruing that conversation and hiding that the group reached out first for decades. They heavily monetize this theory through booksales and appearance fees. They've built a revenue stream off of leaving out that they contacted him first. They are the most prominent Cooperologists because they are the ones who found a way to make money off of it. So, they've wound up as the most established by default. Unfortunately, if anyone is is looking to hire a Cooperologist, that's who they are going to get.

I used to call them out on who contacted who when they'd try to do their little reddit AMAs and things. I've slowed their roll at times, but not since before 2016.

Also, Robert Rackstraw died in 2019 so the footage at the start is probably not new unless there was a long pandemic delay on things.

I don't know if I've seen Expedition Unknown. I'll take a look. I've seen some docs, but haven't kept track. I have been to local exhibits of items from the case and also, uh, went to a DB Cooper burlesque show once?

Uh, yeah, I love Leverage so much but that episode was a mess. There is no way the money could have been spent either per the real facts of the case or what was set up in the episode. It was weird that they portrayed the FBI guy as a lone wolf when there was a massive investigation and Dan Cooper is the one guy keeping them from being able to claim a 100% solve rate on aeronautics crime in US jurisdiction.

It had 70s Action Man Eliot sliding over roofs of cars so I can't be mad at it. I love the whole 'you did bring him to justice' thing. But for a show that loves to lean into real details and research omg it was weird how they approached that.

If they had done a fictional-but-obviously-based-on type thing I'd have loved it. But as a take on the real case.

I really need to do a long write up on my teardown of the Leverage ep and also go into my personal theories. I think the lack of a matching missing persons report is key.

[mxcatmoon]

I'm not really huge into the whole Cooper thing, I just enjoy mysteries, so I liked the Leverage episode as a fictional retelling of the case where they just changed things for the story they wanted. Didn't bother me. And the 70s nostalgia was fun.

That would be interesting, if you did a post about it and your personal theories sometime.

[mistressofmuses]

I just saw that doc show up on the suggested stuff screen when Alex opened Netflix today. HMM. Wonder which angle they're taking.

[olivermoss]

If they are covering the whole phenomena, it makes sense to cover the group. I've just noticed a trend in Netflix docs of giving them structure by only showing the doc's POV right at the end. Hence why I need spoilers because I'd hate it if they went hard on Rackstraw at the end. He's since died so it would make for a nice 'the truth is now lost' ending.

[mistressofmuses]

For sure. It's was a prominent theory even if was bullshit, so it makes sense to talk about it.

You're right about the usual structure, though. A lot of them kind of do an overview of various theories or background info, and only lean on one as the "answer" or "conclusion" or whatnot towards the end.

I haven't watched this one yet. Maybe after we finish Umbrella Academy, ha.

[olivermoss]

I usually like that structure, but in this case I am very *hissing cat*