The Manson Family (film)
| The Manson Family | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jim Van Bebber |
| Produced by |
Carl Daft David Gregory Mike King Jim Van Bebber |
| Written by | Jim Van Bebber |
| Starring |
Marcelo Games Marc Pitman Leslie Orr |
| Music by |
Philip Anselmo Ross Karpelman |
| Cinematography | Mike King |
| Edited by |
Michael Capone Jim Van Bebber |
Production company |
Mercury Films |
| Distributed by |
Dinsdale Releasing (Theatrical) Dark Sky Films MPI Home Video (DVD) |
Release dates |
|
Running time |
95 minutes 84 minutes (R-rated cut) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $19,140 |
The Manson Family is a 2003 American crime drama horror film. The film covers the lives of Charles Manson and his "family" of followers.
Overview
The Manson Family is a cross between fictional story and documentary, overseeing the crimes of The Manson Family as led by Charlie Manson. The fictional story centers on a Crime Scene-esque TV series of the same name and its host, Jack Wilson (Carl Day). It is filmed in semi-experimental style and focuses on the early days of the Spahn Ranch including Manson's attempts to record a music album, and the Manson family crimes, with little emphasis on courtroom drama regarding the trial, although some scenes depict Manson's followers outside the courthouse.
Cast
- Marcello Games as Charlie Manson
- Marc Pitman as Tex Watson
- Leslie Orr as Patty Krenwinkel
- Maureen Allisse as Sadie Atkins
- Amy Yates as Leslie Van Houten
- Jim Van Bebber as Bobby
- Tom Burns as Clem Grogan
- Michelle Briggs as Linda Kasabian
- Sherri Rickman as Snake
- Nate Pennington as Shorty
- Carl Day as Jack Wilson
- Corral Day as Franklin Riley
Production
The film had a long and troubled production history. Director Jim Van Bebber personally financed the production starting in 1988, and then continued to shoot it sporadically on weekends and off days.
Despite support from various people, including members of the band Skinny Puppy, who provided a musical score (in the form of Download's Charlie's Family album) that was released separately years before the film itself, the film remained incomplete. It screened on video as a work-in-progress at a number of film festivals during that time.
In 2004, Dark Sky Films stepped in with the funds to finish the film properly, and it has since been released theatrically and on home video.
Phil Anselmo of Pantera, Down, and Superjoint Ritual provided his voice as Satan.
Classification
Despite not being banned in any country in the world, it is classified harshly in almost all countries of the world due to its graphic violence and sexuality.
| Country | Classification |
|---|---|
| United States | R[lower-alpha 1] |
| United Kingdom | 18 |
| Australia | R18+ |
| New Zealand | R18 |
| Norway | 18 |
Reception
The Manson Family received mixed to positive reviews; the film currently holds a 68% 'Fresh' rating on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes.[1]
Notes
- ↑ An unrated version is available in the United States, running an extra 11 minutes (95 minutes) to the R-rated cut (84 minutes).
References
External links
- Official website
- The Manson Family at the Internet Movie Database
- The Manson Family at AllMovie
- The Manson Family at Box Office Mojo
- The Manson Family at Rotten Tomatoes