Whether you were around in the late 1960s, or are just a major true crime buff, you may distinctly recall the horrific story of The Manson Family murders. The tragic incident, which occurred back in 1969, saw a charismatic cult leader named Charles Manson manipulating a coterie of impressionable beatnik youths. Several of Manson’s followers eventually perpetrated the violent slaying of over nine individuals in the Hollywood Hills, leading to an abrupt end to the Los Angeles hippie movement, and sparking an array of conspiracy theories which persist to this day. Some theories are so prevalent, in fact, that they have taken a hold of modern pop culture even half a century later, as demonstrated by the Netflix original Chaos: The Manson Murders. Since the documentary has become so popular amongst young viewers, it only makes sense that we take a moment to examine the film, outline some of the key perspectives provided by the filmmakers and offer a full review of the material therein.
Unpacking ‘Chaos: The Manson Murders’
As is the case for any documentary, Chaos: The Manson Murders isn’t just about dryly establishing the events of the crime as we know it. The film comes with its own specific argument, built around author Tom O’Neill’s long-held theory that Charles Manson was a puppet of the CIA. According to O’Neill, Manson was a victim of the government’s infamous MKUltra program, which saw the CIA experimenting with mind control techniques throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The film presents a litany of circumstantial evidence and unconfirmed theories in order to support this argument, but it’s ultimately fruitless since viewers will never know for certain. By and large, you’ll find that the documentary is an insightful journey into Manson’s psyche, and offers one potential answer as to how the charismatic individual could be so evil.
Regardless of what conspiracy theories you may have heard, we do know a few definitive facts about the Manson Family and the infamous murders. For starters, Charles Manson migrated to San Francisco, California in 1967 after spending more than half of his life in mental institutions and prisons for various crimes. He utilized a combination of drugs, sexual exploitation and religious iconography to garner a following of young, impressionable outcasts, eventually culminating in a commune at the decommissioned Spahn Ranch, which was once used to shoot television and film projects. It has been confirmed that Manson was heavily into LSD and other hallucinogenics, and that he studied hypnosis while in prison. While proselytizing to his captive audience of hippies, Manson would frequently warn of an impending race war, which he sought to accelerate by murdering prominent Black Panthers and known celebrities.
Was Charles Manson Really Part of MKUltra?
There’s no documented evidence to suggest that Charles Manson was involved with the MKUltra program, though it certainly wouldn’t be out of the question. As explained within the runtime of Chaos: The Manson Murders, this CIA program made use of LSD experiments, bizarre sexual exploits and employed prisoners as unknowing test subjects. It’s possible that Manson was one of these prisoners, as the timeline of the project seems to align perfectly with his time in a Los Angeles correctional facility. Manson had very little family and almost no support system on the outside, which would make him an ideal candidate for experimentation.
Still, even with all this circumstantial evidence, the question remains: Does this change anything? Would viewers truly look at Manson and his horrific actions any differently if it were confirmed that he was the victim of a CIA mind control plot, or would it just be another footnote in the bizarre history of a career criminal? At the end of the day, Manson’s alleged involvement with the CIA equates to little more than a pulp fiction story, which provides some added color to a true crime tale nearly old enough to collect social security.
Should You Watch ‘Chaos: The Manson Murders’?
True crime aficionados and conspiracy theorists across the globe will surely find plenty to love about Chaos: The Manson Murders. If you’re young enough to have missed out on the Manson Family’s trial and subsequent cultural response, the Netflix original will serve as a deeply informative snapshot into a key period of Americana. Still, if you already know the details of the slayings, this documentary really doesn’t tread any new ground – at least not in a meaningful way. Both Charles Manson and MKUltra have been depicted in numerous film and television projects over the years, so there are a lot of fiction and non-fiction narratives you can consume to learn more on both fronts.
