Product Details

• Actors: Maureen Allisse, Michelle Briggs, Tom Burns (III), Marita Clarke, Carl Day
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Mpi Home Video
• DVD Release Date: April 26, 2005
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000784WSG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,313 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Manson Family" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

If you think you know the story of the Manson Family, you are dead wrong. Director Jim VanBebber (Deadbeat at Dawn) delivers an uncompromising snapshot of this cult of personality, hell- bent on executing the brutal vision of its leader, Charles Manson. On a ranch outside of LA the dream of the "Love Generation" is perverting into something evil. What was once an oasis of free love and acid trips has become ground zero for a madman’s paranoid visions. An average group of kids, the "Family", become engulfed in a delusional world where torment and slaughter is considered the path to righteousness. The Manson Family is a dizzying, rapid-fire vision of the sex and violence that unifies the misguided group, and at the direction of their leader, ends in a brutal spree leaving seven people dead in a 48 hours. You’ve seen the story through the eyes of the law. Now witness it through the eyes of THE MANSON FAMILY.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Charlie Don't Surf, April 22, 2005

By 

Sir Jub-Jub (Sir Jub-Jub's Lair, Alaska) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Manson Family (Unrated 2-Disc Special Edition) (DVD)

While it took forever for this film to be finished, the question is if it was worth the wait. My answer is that it was. "The Manson Family" is a very interesting view of the events that preceded the infamous killings and how they culminated in the very murders themselves. Using a multiple time phase structure, the film moves back and forth between the past and present of the main characters involved in the murders. This results in a story that tries to show the killers as being "removed" from the actual crime, as if they were not really there and they comment on it in the third person. Essentially exactly what they do when going up for parole hearings. The film is very rough, scenes are filled with scratches and other defects that bring a documentary feel to the proceedings, as if the Manson Family themselves were behind the camera. The culmination of the film with the multiple murders presents them in a highly graphic and factual way which is to the benefit of the presentation. While all the talk and posturing was peace and love, to see the horrendous murders truly puts things in perspective. This is a great movie for people into true crime stories and for those looking for a realistic portrayal of the Manson story. The DVD also contains an excellent documentary concerning no budget, renegade filmmaking. This documentary interviews many directors of these types of film and is very insightful into the passions of these people. Other extras include a revealing interview with Manson himself which, if nothing else, indicates why he will die in prison. I would recommend this film to people who are fans of independent filmmakers and true crime stories.

31 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome, April 23, 2005

By 

Mark J. Sieber (Hampton, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Manson Family (Unrated 2-Disc Special Edition) (DVD)

Jim Vanbebber proves once again, without a doubt, that he is the baddest mother(...)in indie horror. My Sweet Satan kicked (...), but it was short and it left viewers wanting more. The Manson Family is his greatest achievement to date. It's surely not for everyone, but those not afraid to look real horror in the eye will love this movie. In a time when the term, Underground, is as cliched as words like "alternative" or "hardcore", Vanbebber proves that minuscule budgeted films can be vital and be as effective as anything done on any budget. I watched the Unrated DVD (natch!) last night and I haven't been able to get it out of my head all day today. This movie is a masterpiece.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great indie production, trippy looking and very graphic, February 21, 2005

By 

b.b.king (reykjavik, iceland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Manson Family (Unrated 2-Disc Special Edition) (DVD)

This movie is certenly not for everybody but many people really like it. Maybe it's because it is a true story about a horrendeaus events. the amaturish acting just adds to the realness and rawness of the film.

It starts with life on the Spahn Ranch as told by Sadie, Pat and Tex, the main killers who are talking to an interviewer through prison. The film builds up and leads us through sex orgies and devilo worship untill things are getting paranoid and crazy. Then it explodes in your face with that climatic violance which is so graphic and horrible.

I watched this film with my father and both of us felt really nervus after the film and I was afraid to leave any windows open. I was laying in bed not able to fall asleep, waiting for drugged out, crazed hippies to burge into my bedroom and drag me out of bed and start by viciously stabbing me again and again. It was horrible.

This film is really good and it shows it like it was and what those terrified victims went through and how crazy things went. This film is bound to leave some people outraged, scared, exited and others simply bored. In my opinion this is splatter cinema at it's best.