When I was approached by Horror Bob to review this film, I was reminded of both the abundance of horror films based on real life killers (DAHMER, ED GEIN, THE HILLSIDE STRANGLER, etc.) and a line quoted by Mickey Knox in NATURAL BORN KILLERS when informed that Manson had beaten his special in the ratings: “Well it’s mighty hard to beat the King.”
The name Charles Manson brings up a firestorm of controversy, and his sickening crimes in the late 1960s still spark controversy to this day. In the tradition of these true crime horror films, which personally I have been on the fence about since they began popping up, MANSON: MY NAME IS EVIL tries to make you think that the film is about the Manson family but it’s really about one member in particular and the odd relationship between her and a juror in her trial. It’s an interesting approach to familiar material but ultimately falls flat.
The film focuses on two characters; Leslie Van Houten (Kristen Hager), who grew up in a Conservative Christian family and rebelled by joining the Manson cult, and Perry (Gregory Smith), who grew up in a similar way than Leslie but became a law abiding, religious man with a beautiful wife and a vow to do right. When Perry is picked to become a juror on the Manson trial, he draws an attraction to Leslie and begins to realize how her life mirrors his own. Through stock footage (and I mean A LOT of stock footage), the turbulent times are shown and show how fucked up the 1960s were.
I mentioned the stock footage before, and it detracts from the film so much that it overshadows the fine cinematography by Jonathon Cliff. At times, the film feels like a time capsule from the 1960s, but mixed in with the black and white clips of riots, the Vietnam War news footage, and some random events, it is effective in some spots, but overall it really distracts from the film’s story. The film isn’t all violent, and the Tate murders are only touched upon in a newspaper headline and stock footage of the crime scene (which wasn’t necessarily needed). The LoBianco murders are shown in an effective scene, probably the best in the movie. The film however is explicit in its sexuality, particularly in Perry discovering his own sexually perverse desires through the acts of the family.
The film does benefit in decent performances from the leads. Gregory Smith (you may remember him oogling Kirsten Dunst in SMALL SOLDIERS) and Perry is an interesting character as with just a few minor changes in his life, he could have easily gone the way that Leslie had, but it draws into dangerous territory as the film paints those around Perry as God loving fear mongers who aren’t much different than the Manson girls himself. At least it doesn’t give any sympathy for Manson himself, but does draw some for Leslie (still a controversial subject to this day). Kristen Hager is very good (and cute) as Leslie, portraying her as a misguided youth and sociopath fallen into the wrong hands. She plays it very well and uses her sexuality to lure Perry with just a smile and some flirtatious looks. Ryan Robbins makes an effective Manson but is not given much screen time.
Director Reginald Harkema is crafty but the narrative is very disjointed. After seeing how it paints the times in a very negative light, and it doesn’t put America in a good light at all. After watching the end credits, it came as no surprise that the film was made entirely in Canada. While I understand that the times were bad, the film’s final image suggests that Perry is no different than Manson at all and it didn’t work for me at all.
The DVD has no extra features at all except for a few trailers from Lionsgate but after seeing the film, I wasn’t particularly interested in the making of the film, especially since half the film is stock footage I’ve seen before in news reels.
Overall, if you are looking for a movie that gives you a violent insight into the Manson family as the box art suggests, prepare to be disappointed. Instead, skip this and view the far superior THE MANSON FAMILY by Jim Van Bebber. At least that movie was made with a purpose. This film didn’t tell me anything about the times that I didn’t know already.
– Alan G. Richter
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
