Manson e la famiglia di Satana

This is one of the best documentaries made on Manson and his cult "Family". There is extensive footage of the most important cult members talking about "the Family" and life with Charlie. In addition, the film includes fascinating footage that the family members apparently took of themselves as they lived communally on the Spahn ranch. The most chilling sections involve 3 young women (Lynette Fromme,Sandra Good, Mary Bruner) who explain their views of Charlie and the Tate/La Bianca murders while each one cradles a rifle and passes a snake between them. This film also has very creative cinematography making extensive use of three-panel screens and bold primary colors saturating the frames. Since the documentary Woodstock was shot in 1970, this film seems to have been influenced by it in the use of quick cutting and the tri-panel screens. As part of the sound track there are many "trippy" folk songs (good .wav material) sung by two ex-Manson family members -Brooks Poston and Paul Watkins. While some of the narration by Pearson and Bugliosi is creaky and dated, the bulk of the documentary, especially the extensive interviews, is disturbing and fascinating at the same time. A very good film.

"Manson" is a sad, disturbing film. It's horrible enough to hear the details of the Tate/LaBianca murders being recounted and to see the vicious, empty look in the eyes of Charlie's girls as they brandish guns and spout their guru's "philosophy"...but that's not all this documentary has to offer. Indeed, it poses a question of even greater importance than Manson's crimes: what happened in the '60s? Why did it all end so badly? The soundtrack, performed by former Family members "Little" Paul Watkins (at one time Manson's right-hand man) and Brooks Poston, consists of slow, slightly corny-sounding, but haunting and utterly apt acoustic songs. "Have you ever wondered what you were here for?" Watkins solemnly intones during the opening theme. "Have you ever wondered, 'Is there more?'" Later, talking about his involvement with Manson, Watkins says frankly, "I thought Charlie was Jesus." It is at this point that the sociological question which meanders its way through the film like a deep, dark river becomes apparent: what made these young people feel so lost and confused that they needed a Christ-figure, and what made them believe that Charles Manson was the messiah they sought? I'm afraid that we lost the last of our innocence and goodwill at the end of the '60s...and that if we do not examine how flower power, peace symbols and the Monterey Pop Festival led to sleaze, the Manson murders and Altamont in the space of just two short years, we'll never get it back.

Disturbing and engrossing documentary about the Manson family as well as the murders they committed. The title's a bit misleading, as the bulk of the docu is about his brainwashed family and other people who crossed paths with him, although clips of interviews with the man himself appear here and there.

Highlights of the film have to be the interviews with Squeaky Fromme and friends where they proclaim Manson is Jesus reincarnated and present their own skewed philosophies on their way of life.

"Manson" is an excellent time capsule from a very different time. It's a bit redundant at times, with all the "shocking" talk about sex and drugs, but the information about the crimes and the casual attitude of Manson's women (considering their backgrounds) toward violence and death is fascinating. The question is: were these people just stupid and extremely vulnerable to a person like Manson or are all of us capable of more than we'd like to think? Or were they really deeply psychologically disturbed to begin with? "Manson" is a beautiful, thought-provoking film.

"Manson" was filmed in the early 1970s, when Charles Manson and several of his followers were in jail (still on death row at the time of filming, though their terms were later commuted to life imprisonment). At that time many members of the "family" were free and still sticking together, and were, amazingly, willing to appear in this documentary.

This documentary offers a fascinating window into their world; at times frolicking, childlike in the wilderness, dancing, singing, laughing, swimming, riding horses ... but at other times looking at the camera, brandishing large rifles, shotguns and hunting knives, talking about love and killing and, of course, Manson.

Perhaps the most mesmerizing of them is Squeaky Fromme, who a few years later would be sent to prison for trying to assassinate President Gerald Ford, though all of them are fascinating. The producers are careful to point out the solid, often highly educated backgrounds of these women.

Also interviewed are a couple of men who fled the family around the time of the Tate-La Bianca murders, who talk about life inside the family. There are also interviews with past cellmates of the women, who tell often harrowing stories of things the murderous women told them.

Underlying the movie is the stark generational divide of those times. While the past and present members of the family are young, expressive and with a loose, casual look, the appearance of the prosecutor who tried the case -- and whose own account of the trial, "Helter Skelter," (also a movie) is the main source of information on the case -- appears in a three-piece suit, an earnest tone of voice, and melodramatic mannerisms.

If you're wondering why the Manson phenomenon happened, don't watch this hoping for an answer. And if you're looking for more information, don't bother. But if you want to see the people involved, hear them speak and find out how they thought, by all means give it a watch.

An excellent documentary, largely forgotten nowadays (alas).