Making Manson

The teaser presented by the host of this documentary , who allegedly recorded conversations over an extended period of time with Manson, is plied along the lines of a sensational carnival barker who proclaims that said recordings will blow the doors off of everything we thought we knew about Manson. What, say it again? In reality, this show does nothing more than rehash every single bit of info we've been fed over the years about one of the most notorious figures of the 20th Century, while admittedly emphasizing some of the gorier aspects of the event to feed our salacious collective appetite. Some of the " guests " who were affiliated with the Musical Murder Maestro imply that there's a bigger story lurking but don't hold your breath waiting for that big reveal. This program is either lazily produced or is simply designed to facilitate an urban mythical cover story of a mesmerizing yet evil guru who largely single-handedly brought down the love and peace facade of the entire hippie era. I would recommend that you read " Chaos - Charles Manson the CIA and the Secret History of the Sixties " by Tom O'Neill. This compelling tome is not a conspiracy theory but a thoroughly researched and exhaustively analytical investigation into the machinations behind the story. Apparently the producers of this documentary saw no reason to do anything other than reinforce the same tired tale that's been repeatedly spun for decades, which is unfortunate, because including a more complete narrative would have made for more compelling viewing. Like one of the press commentators said, this is a horrible, sick tragedy that is also a great story. Looks like most of us didn't know half of it and still won't after viewing this film.

I've always known the bullet points of the Manson story, but I'd never been compelled to dig in...until I saw the trailer for Making Manson. I binged the series, fascinated by the nuanced unpacking of someone continuously straddling the line between deranged and delirious, narcissistic and notoriously insecure. Manson is unequivocally a killer, and definitely has blood on his hands (especially as he newly admits to multiple killing in his younger days) -- but how much blood does he have on his hands, and how much of it just splattered near him?

Making Manson is true crime at its best. It doesn't glorify the killer or the crimes, but seeks to present new truths and study the man behind the character and the media circus he performed in.

Watch it, and you'll be enthralled from start to finish.

I've seen in other documentaries, and this one shows the same thing: If a kid is unloved, they grow up with no empathy, and create a sense of protective pride that doesn't make them accept they have made mistakes.

Manson was unloved by his parents, was put into a catholic orphanage that beat him, was never adopted, became a criminal to survive, got arrested multiple times, learned how to become worse in prison, and then all the other things happened.

Let abortions happen, and unwanted babies won't happen. If God existed, and had any problems with abortion, he'd make it impossible for abortions to happen.

What really stood out to me was how the story avoided sensationalism. It took a more factual, straightforward approach to the Manson murders, focusing on the observations and experiences of the people directly involved. That felt refreshing compared to the usual over-the-top portrayals in the media. I hadn't realized just how much the press sensationalized the case at the time or how Bugliosi turned his role as prosecutor into a way to profit from the whole thing-that was eye-opening.

I was also drawn to the way Jones' relationship with Manson evolved over time. It seemed like, as he got to know him, he started to question whether Manson was really as guilty as everyone believed. But that perspective seemed to change completely after their final phone call, like something about that conversation brought everything crashing down for him. It added a really human element to the story, showing how messy and complicated it all was for the people caught up in it.

Not sure what these knuckleheads are complaining about giving it four stars. Probably butt hurt about another documentary that they probably didn't watch that they think is glorifying Manson. Feels like one of the first actual investigative approaches to a story that has been told ad nauseam for 50 years. Doc brings all of the well-worn storytellers of the Manson narrative into the room to interact with the tapes. It's a great documentary for both people who are very familiar with the case as well as people who know nothing about it. Looks great. Well shot. Great interviews and a couple admissions I had not heard before.