With some new revelations directly from the female members, Manson: The Women is a great documentary with a specific focus on the psychological aspects behind joining the Manson Family and committing the subsequent murders.
I have watched lots of coverage of the Manson Family over the years. I have always been interested in true crime, and the lead up to the tragic Tate–LaBianca murders was always of interest. Who were these people who committed these awful crimes and why did they do it? I’m not sure that we’ll ever completely understand, although this film did a great job of looking at indoctrination through an alternate lens.
Manson: The Women is a documentary that specifically focuses on the histories and involvement of many of the women who were a part of the Manson Family. Having been gently recruited by Manson when they were between the ages of 13 and 24 years old, these young people were all looking for a place to belong during the years where the Free Love movement was running rampant – and they found one.
While this doesn’t present any new revelations about what happened with the crimes themselves, it takes a deep dive into the psychological aspects of the women that made them vulnerable to Charles Manson’s ways. That is not something that I’ve ever seen focused on quite as vividly and it truly impacts the way that you see the story that you may already know.
There are a number of Manson Family members interviewed in this doc – all as adults, and along with footage and audio tapes of their former statements as young people. Several of the women are currently remorseful and can’t believe that they actually did what they did. Two of the women still consider themselves to be part of the Family and have an undying allegiance to Manson.
There are some fascinating facts that I had not thought about before. Most of the women were orphans, runaways, or rebels whose parents sent them away. They were actively looking for love, acceptance, and something to be a part of. Manson, who apparently could get a read on anyone just by looking at them, said exactly the things that the girls needed to hear to make them feel fully understood in moments. He then invited them to join his little group, and off they went. This was the hippie culture, jumping from one van to the next and touring the country. Why not?
Once he had them, he began to isolate them (so that the only news they got was through him), sleep with them (deepening the connection and dependence on him), and provide a father/lover/brother figure in himself so that they felt safe. He then began to sow paranoia and distrust in the police and outside world, which led to the ultimate murders and arrests.
With the interviews with the ladies themselves, commentary from those deeply familiar with the cases and the women, dramatic recreations of various scenes, and a conversation around who was responsible for the actual murders (Manson was the brains of the operation, but didn’t force anybody to do anything), this is an informative and well edited documentary that I recommend to anyone who is interested in psychology and true crime. It’s a good one.
Runtime: 87 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: Not rated (but I would say PG-13 for subject matter and some crime scene photos)
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? No
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Available: Free on Peacock, NBC, Oxygen, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I have watched lots of coverage of the Manson Family over the years. I have always been interested in true crime, and the lead up to the tragic Tate–LaBianca murders was always of interest. Who were these people who committed these awful crimes and why did they do it? I’m not sure that we’ll ever completely understand, although this film did a great job of looking at indoctrination through an alternate lens.
