THE MANSON FAMILY

Jim VanBebber is a man whose name is synonymous to horror and underground film fans. Loved and loathed in equal amounts, the man who gave us "Deadbeat At Dawn", and his short films "My Sweet Satan" and "Roadkill", has finally managed to complete his magnum opus, after 16 long, frustrating and gruelling years of on-and-off filmmaking.

As VanBebber's work is going to be fairly well known to SGM fans around the world, I won't spend long defining the plot. The basis of the film, is a quasi-docu-drama about the life of cult fanatic, and 1960's guru Charles Manson, and his "family" of followers. Not knowing much about Manson myself, I was able to watch the film through unfettered eyes. And it's a real mindbender!

At first, the movie appears chaotic, and - at times - rambling, However, this is not actually a bad thing. After 90, unflinching minutes, you find that VanBebber has served up an enthralling drama that shows us what the real murders might actually have been like, and portrays Manson neither in a glowing light, nor as a complete and utter psycho, leaving the viewer to make their own mind up. Starting with the Tate-Lo Bianco murders, we see a mix of real-life footage, mixed in with VanBebber's own material starring the actors - many of whom look too uncannily like their real-life counterparts. The blurring between fiction and real-life, is nicely done, as is VanBebber's choice of film-stock, adding even more confusion to things.

Despite my original reservations over this 2-disc release, Anchor Bay has given UK fans a genuinely superlative package, with a disc of extras that are absolute gems in their own right, and are worth the asking price alone! Disc 1 has the film, with a choice of Stereo, DD5.1 or DTS soundtracks. As the film is of low-budget origin, the DTS and 5.1 mixes do well with what they are given, but in comparison to similar modern soundtracks, they do pale in comparison. But this is not a film you'll be watching for an aural experience. This is a visual film, albeit in a grungy, no-holds-barred fashion. There are gore scenes aplenty, and despite the BBFC passing this uncut for UK viewers, the film is pretty grim, ala "Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer". At the end of the film, you may feel very unsettled! (I know I did!) Two UK promotional trailers are also included, which are interesting to view before or after the film itself.

On to disc 2, and the extras here, will blow you away! There are two documentaries, both lasting a combined total of two-and-a-half hours! AB have obviously gone for quality over quantity, and it shows! The first, entitled "The VanBebber Family" explains in detail through cast and crew interviews and clips, how this film came into existence. The interviews are frank, intelligent discussions about working for VanBebber, as well as how some of the cast and crew dealt with the experience of combining their efforts over such a long period of time, even when everything was going against them. (One of the cast members makes an interesting comment, regarding her current job!) If you ever thought that filmmaking was an easy experience, this documentary will set you straight. Unlike many others, the interviews highlight the negative aspects, as well as the positive ones.

Documentary number two, "In The Belly Of The Beast", gives us a brilliant behind-the-scenes picture of the 1991 "Fant-Asia" film festival, for which VanBebber premiered "Charlie's Family". With footage from many of the other films in the festival as well, we get to see material never-before-seen in this country, which is always nice to see in the comfort of your own home! Within this documentary, are interviews with the likes of Richard Standley (Dust Devil), and Chas Balun (Deep Red Magazine), explaining why working in film can offer some of the most unpleasureable experiences ever! There are also interviews with the crew of "A Gun For Jennifer" which I'd really love to see a DVD release for!

Topping things off is the Charles Manson interview, which - at just 10 minutes - is less worthy of your time. Manson appears to have been given free-reign to talk about anything and everything, and frequently does so. If anything, it's more of a monologue than an interview, and he comes across more like an irritating old man, than some fabled inciter of hatred and death. I doubt fans of the film will learn much from Manson's ranting, but it's an interesting if rather fruitless curio.

Overall, a good package, and a great start to 2005 from Anchor Bay, let down only by the inclusion of the Manson interview. Otherwise, this is a must-see film and a must-buy disc!

Review by "Pooch".