The name Manson immediately evokes images of a wild-eyed, shaggy-haired monster, which in many ways he was. However, that's not the aspect focussed on in this 100-minute documentary. There's very little of the usual morbidity associated with him and his cult followers appearing here. In fact footage from the grotesque murders- a staple of other Manson accounts- is passed over entirely. So folks interested in those grisly moments may be disappointed. Instead, the storyline tracks the ex-con's frustrated attempt to break into the Hollywood music industry and how that influences decisive moments in his life. So, it's the man more than the grisly crimes that unfolds here. Then too, his musical ambitions are shown bringing him into episodic contact with Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys who then becomes an important part of the storyline. Of course, the druggie counter-culture of Haight-Ashbury and LA figures importantly in Manson's rise as a cult leader along with his teenage girl followers. Together, they are showcased in the early part. Adding to the overall insights are live commentaries from his biographer John Stebbins and folks who knew him, like Dianne West an ex-cult follower.
All in all, it's an unusual documentary on the reviled killer, and of real interest in suggesting how his frustrations with a big-time musical career may well have turned an eccentric hippy into an infamous killer.
All in all, it's an unusual documentary on the reviled killer, and of real interest in suggesting how his frustrations with a big-time musical career may well have turned an eccentric hippy into an infamous killer.