Manson (2009) (TV)

Director:

Neil Rawles

Writer:

Matthew Broughton

Release Date:

9 August 2009 (Canada)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | History

Plot:

Follows Charles Manson's 'Family' member Linda Kasabian, and her story to what when on at Spahn's Movie Ranch and the final days leading up to the grisly 1969 Tate/La Bianca murders. |

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Adam Kenneth Wilson	...	Charles Manson (as Adam Wilson)
Tamara Hope	...	Linda Kasabian
Ryan Blakely	...	Terry Melcher
Meredith Cheesbrough	...	Lynette 'Squeaky' Fromme
Sascha Cole	...	Abigail Folger
Roger Doche	...	Wojtek Frykowski
Anthony Gerbrandt	...	Bob Kasabian
James Gilbert	...	Charles 'Tex' Watson
Paul Anthony Hardy	...	Stan Shapiro
Morgan Kelly	...	Dennis Wilson
Cora Kennedy	...	Nancy 'Brenda' Pitman
Dave Kiner	...	Bobby Beausoleil (as David Kiner)
Cat McCormick	...	Patricia 'Katie' Krenwinkel
Sarah Podemski	...	Catherine 'Gypsy' Share
Brittany Scobie	...	Susan 'Sadie' Atkins
Melanie Scrofano	...	Leslie Van Houten
Moti Yona	...	Gary Hinman
Josh Young	...	Steven 'Clem' Grogan (as Joshua Young)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vincent Bugliosi	...	Himself
Linda Kasabian	...	Herself
Catherine Share	...	Herself
Debra Tate	...	Herself
Christopher Huron	...	Steve Parent (uncredited)

Directed by
Neil Rawles

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Matthew Broughton

Produced by
Tara Elwood	....	line producer
Nick Godwin	....	executive producer
Greta Knutzen	....	creative producer
Simon Lloyd	....	co-executive producer
Tom Parkhouse	....	producer
John Vandervelde	....	producer

Cinematography by
Jeremy Benning		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Marcus Valentin

Casting by
Millie Tom

Production Design by
Brian Rice

Art Direction by
Adrian Greenlaw

Set Decoration by
Steven Polley

Makeup Department
Tina Del Grande	....	assistant hair stylist
Tina Del Grande	....	assistant makeup artist
Catherine Hughes	....	hair stylist (as Catherine Martin Hughes)
Catherine Hughes	....	makeup artist (as Catherine Martin Hughes)

Production Management
Maria French	....	production executive
Jane Lloyd	....	vice president of production
Jed Metzger	....	production manager (as Jet Metzger)
Allison Todd	....	head of production
Lynn van Rooyen	....	head of post-production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Armen Kazazian	....	second assistant director
Mike Murawsky	....	third assistant director
Javiera Quintana	....	third assistant director
Melinda Ramsay	....	third assistant director
Michael Sinyi	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Sasha Tolstoy	....	props

Sound Department
Brian Barret Collins	....	boom operator
Ryan Henwood	....	sound editorial
Russ Mackay	....	re-recording engineer
Bill McMillan	....	sound mixer
Richie Nieto	....	re-recording engineer
Richie Nieto	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Matthew Scott	....	special effects technician

Camera and Electrical Department
Ryan Acker	....	key grip
Dean Dallas Bentley	....	grip
Bill Hong	....	camera
Edmond Kopp	....	gaffer
Dave Lewis	....	best boy grip
Kelly Taylor	....	best boy electric
Jason Vieira	....	additional steadicam operator
Aaron Wilcox	....	electric

Casting Department
Roisin McGilly	....	background casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark Hiney	....	assistant wardrobe stylist
Ashley Wood	....	wardrobe stylist

Editorial Department
Craig Drikis Barnikis	....	on-line editor
Gwyn Moxham	....	assistant editor
Paula Talesnik	....	post-production coordinator
Charlene Short	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Lana Gorlitz	....	production intern
Allegra Hill	....	production coordinator
Susanne Jespersen	....	archive researcher
Nicolina Lanni	....	researcher
Joe Melton	....	location assistant
Sherri Rufh	....	head of production administration

Production Companies

• Cineflix Productions

Distributors

• History Channel (2009) (Canada) (TV)
• History Channel (2009) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Technicolor Creative Services  title sequence
• Technicolor Creative Services  video post production

Also Known As:

Runtime:

Canada:90 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Frontier Ghost Town, Durham, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Cineflix Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: When Manson is talking to Dennis Wilson about Terry Melcher's refusal to continue recording Manson, the cord from the phone to the receiver changes from being tangled (or kinked) to untangled and back again. (at around 36 mins).

Better than Expected

When I saw that the History Channel was putting together yet another documentary on the Manson Murders, my skepticism was pretty high. Recent attempts to discuss or re-enact the murders and/or trials have added little to the discussion, and in some cases, were downright awful or amateurish at best (see Jim VanBebber's "The Manson Family"). After watching this latest attempt, I was mildly impressed.

The acting is decent, although some of the actors chosen were all wrong for the parts (Terry Melcher as a skinny guy with short brown hair...I mean...REALLY). The re-enactments of the murders were pretty well done, although for some unknown reason, the filmmakers got the clothing wrong AGAIN. It is common knowledge that the killers all wore dark clothing (a mistake also made in the latest TV-movie version of "Helter Skelter" five years ago...WHY???) and the houses used to sub for the Tate and LaBianca residences look all wrong. Surely they could have found houses that looked somewhat like the actual sites? Still, it could have been worse! What made this most intriguing was the participation of star witness Linda Kasabian. She has given few public interviews over the past forty years, so it was interesting to see her here. While some may still disagree with her exoneration due to being the star state's witness, the fact remains that she did not kill anyone either night. Was she an accomplice? Yes...but nowhere as culpable as her colleagues in madness. Vincent Bugliosi and Debra Tate also make appearances in the film, although they add little new to the mix. I really think Bugliosi could do Manson material in his sleep at this point! The program also does a good job of showing Manson's shift from "peace and love" leader to the raving maniac he has since become (partly due to his joy in mocking the mass media by being the madman they want him to be). The scenes of the Spahn Ranch are well done, and for the most part, this is a decent documentary. While few Manson programs will reach the heights of the original TV movie from 1976 (even with its over-the-top moments), this little program does a good job of hitting the primary points of the case.

Classic or definitive? No. A decent introduction to those who do not know the case? Yes.