Latest news with #andtheSecretHistoryoftheSixties
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Charles Manson's cult killings fueled by 'perfect storm' as theories get new analysis: criminal profiler
The mystery of Charles Manson's motive in notorious cult killings is getting a fresh look as an FBI criminal profiler reveals a "perfect storm" of factors came together for the infamous murders. Countless theories about how Manson managed to convince a group of young adults to kill for him have been dissected, but director Errol Morris is offering a new perspective into the mind of the notorious cult leader in his Netflix documentary "CHAOS: The Manson Murders." Based on the 2019 book "CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties," authored by Tom O'Neill and Dan Piepenbring, the documentary delves into the theory Manson may have been influenced by an external force when directing his followers. New Charles Manson Murder Admissions Could Point To Even Darker Pattern For Psychopath: Experts "I've found myself trapped in a number of different true-crime stories, and the Manson murders are peculiar," Morris told Netflix's Tudum. "You could encapsulate the mystery in just one question: How is it that Manson managed to convince the people around him that killing was OK?" Netflix and Morris did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Read On The Fox News App Morris explores the widely circulated theory suggesting Manson may have been operating under the influence of the CIA's controversial MK-ULTRA program, leaning into the cultural interest surrounding mind control, a widespread fascination throughout the 1950s and 1960s. However, experts have expressed skepticism about the idea that Manson was acting under government control. Hippie Cult Leader Charles Manson Dead At 83 "[Manson] was influenced by what he wanted to do," former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole told Fox News Digital. "He was influenced by the fact that he wanted to become a very well-known musician at the time, which is why he made friends with the influential people that he did. But was there this outside force that compelled him to do that? I don't believe that there was. There was still his personality that was distinct to him [and] was not created by an outside force." The CIA has also discredited the theory, first explored by O'Neill, in recent years. "The author cannot definitively tie Manson to MK-ULTRA or CHAOS; he can only imply it on circumstantial evidence," the CIA said in a review of O'Neill's book. O'Neill did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Danny Trejo Recalls Meeting Charles Manson Behind Bars In New Memoir: He Was A 'Slick Little Wimp' In 1969, the Manson family carried out the brutal murders of seven people under his watchful eye. Pregnant actress Sharon Tate, Wojciech Frykowski, Jay Sebring, Steven Parent, Abigail Folger and Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were massacred by the family in a string of killings. SIGN UP TO GET True Crime Newsletter The group carried out five of its murders inside Tate's home Aug. 9, 1969. One day later, the final victims of the Manson family, the LaBiancas, were fatally stabbed inside their home. Cult Leader Charles Manson Confessed To Additional Murders In Newly Revealed Phone Call "[Manson] met up with a lot of his later-to-be followers in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, which, at that time in the '60s, was known for being a gathering place for people in very formative years," O'Toole told Fox News Digital. "There was the use of drugs and alcohol, and people came together without a lot of external oversight by a parent or a caregiver, so they were very vulnerable at that point. [Then], here comes Charlie Manson, with his personality and his ability to get people — especially young people — to follow him, and that's what I'm talking about in regard to the perfect storm." After the killings, Manson and his "family" moved to Spahn Ranch, located approximately 30 miles north of Los Angeles, where he subjected his followers to outlandish lectures while providing them with drugs and overseeing orgies. Follow The Fox True Crime Team On X Authorities arrested Manson three months later as details of the killings rattled Los Angeles and investigators delved into theories about the murders. During the trial, prosecutors argued Manson was using his status with his all-white followers in an attempt to ignite a race war, citing his supposed misinterpretation of the Beatles' 1968 song, "Helter Skelter." Manson never actually carried out the murders himself, relying entirely on his followers to kill for him. Manson Family Members Speak Out 50 Years Later In Shocking Doc, Recall Meeting Cult Leader: 'I Felt Accepted' "[Manson] really was someone that knew right from wrong," O'Toole said. "He knew the repercussions and the end results of his actions. He took no responsibility for his actions or the actions of his group, and he was very deliberate in his thinking." In 1971, Manson and three followers — Leslie Van Houten, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel — were convicted for their roles in the murders and subsequently sentenced to death. A fourth "family" member, Charles "Tex" Watson, was convicted several months later. The four defendants were resentenced to life in prison after a 1972 ruling from the California Supreme Court abolishing the state's death penalty. California Legal Battle Over Charles Manson's Estate Worth Up To $1M Includes Dna Tests, Signature Comparisons Manson was 83 years old when he died of natural causes Nov. 19, 2017. In 2023, Van Houten walked free after serving more than 50 years in a California prison for the killings of the LaBiancas, making her the only member of the Manson family to be released from prison. While Manson never actually carried out the murders he was imprisoned for, Peacock's 2024 "Making Manson" documentary revealed he may have committed more killings himself. Sharon Tate's Sister Says There Are Unsolved Manson Murders, New Doc Investigates In a teaser clip, Manson can be heard confessing to additional crimes while on a jailhouse phone call. GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE True Crime Hub "There's a whole part of my life that nobody knows about," Manson can be heard saying. "I lived in Mexico for a while. I went to Acapulco, stole some cars." Manson goes on to reveal more details about the supposed murders. "I just got involved in some stuff over my head, man," he added. "Got involved in a couple of killings. I left my .357 Magnum in Mexico City, and I left some dead people on the beach." "I would never draw the line and say Charlie Manson could manipulate people to do his bidding, but he himself would never do it," O'Toole said. "I would never draw that line. You can't simply say that because Charlie hurting other people was part of his repertoire. So, whether he had somebody else do it or he did it himself is certainly something that has to be explored." Fox News Digital's Ashley Papa and Greg Wehner contributed to this report. Original article source: Charles Manson's cult killings fueled by 'perfect storm' as theories get new analysis: criminal profiler
Fox News
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Charles Manson's cult killings fueled by 'perfect storm' as theories get new analysis: criminal profiler
The mystery of Charles Manson's motive in notorious cult killings is getting a fresh look as an FBI criminal profiler reveals a "perfect storm" of factors came together for the infamous murders. Countless theories about how Manson managed to convince a group of young adults to kill for him have been dissected, but director Errol Morris is offering a new perspective into the mind of the notorious cult leader in his Netflix documentary "CHAOS: The Manson Murders." Based on the 2019 book "CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties," authored by Tom O'Neill and Dan Piepenbring, the documentary delves into the theory Manson may have been influenced by an external force when directing his followers. "I've found myself trapped in a number of different true-crime stories, and the Manson murders are peculiar," Morris told Netflix's Tudum. "You could encapsulate the mystery in just one question: How is it that Manson managed to convince the people around him that killing was OK?" Netflix and Morris did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Morris explores the widely circulated theory suggesting Manson may have been operating under the influence of the CIA's controversial MK-ULTRA program, leaning into the cultural interest surrounding mind control, a widespread fascination throughout the 1950s and 1960s. However, experts have expressed skepticism about the idea that Manson was acting under government control. "[Manson] was influenced by what he wanted to do," former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole told Fox News Digital. "He was influenced by the fact that he wanted to become a very well-known musician at the time, which is why he made friends with the influential people that he did. But was there this outside force that compelled him to do that? I don't believe that there was. There was still his personality that was distinct to him [and] was not created by an outside force." The CIA has also discredited the theory, first explored by O'Neill, in recent years. "The author cannot definitively tie Manson to MK-ULTRA or CHAOS; he can only imply it on circumstantial evidence," the CIA said in a review of O'Neill's book. O'Neill did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. In 1969, the Manson family carried out the brutal murders of seven people under his watchful eye. Pregnant actress Sharon Tate, Wojciech Frykowski, Jay Sebring, Steven Parent, Abigail Folger and Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were massacred by the family in a string of killings. SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER The group carried out five of its murders inside Tate's home Aug. 9, 1969. One day later, the final victims of the Manson family, the LaBiancas, were fatally stabbed inside their home. "[Manson] met up with a lot of his later-to-be followers in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, which, at that time in the '60s, was known for being a gathering place for people in very formative years," O'Toole told Fox News Digital. "There was the use of drugs and alcohol, and people came together without a lot of external oversight by a parent or a caregiver, so they were very vulnerable at that point. [Then], here comes Charlie Manson, with his personality and his ability to get people — especially young people — to follow him, and that's what I'm talking about in regard to the perfect storm." After the killings, Manson and his "family" moved to Spahn Ranch, located approximately 30 miles north of Los Angeles, where he subjected his followers to outlandish lectures while providing them with drugs and overseeing orgies. Authorities arrested Manson three months later as details of the killings rattled Los Angeles and investigators delved into theories about the murders. During the trial, prosecutors argued Manson was using his status with his all-white followers in an attempt to ignite a race war, citing his supposed misinterpretation of the Beatles' 1968 song, "Helter Skelter." Manson never actually carried out the murders himself, relying entirely on his followers to kill for him. "[Manson] really was someone that knew right from wrong," O'Toole said. "He knew the repercussions and the end results of his actions. He took no responsibility for his actions or the actions of his group, and he was very deliberate in his thinking." In 1971, Manson and three followers — Leslie Van Houten, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel — were convicted for their roles in the murders and subsequently sentenced to death. A fourth "family" member, Charles "Tex" Watson, was convicted several months later. The four defendants were resentenced to life in prison after a 1972 ruling from the California Supreme Court abolishing the state's death penalty. Manson was 83 years old when he died of natural causes Nov. 19, 2017. In 2023, Van Houten walked free after serving more than 50 years in a California prison for the killings of the LaBiancas, making her the only member of the Manson family to be released from prison. While Manson never actually carried out the murders he was imprisoned for, Peacock's 2024 "Making Manson" documentary revealed he may have committed more killings himself. In a teaser clip, Manson can be heard confessing to additional crimes while on a jailhouse phone call. GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB "There's a whole part of my life that nobody knows about," Manson can be heard saying. "I lived in Mexico for a while. I went to Acapulco, stole some cars." Manson goes on to reveal more details about the supposed murders. "I just got involved in some stuff over my head, man," he added. "Got involved in a couple of killings. I left my .357 Magnum in Mexico City, and I left some dead people on the beach." "I would never draw the line and say Charlie Manson could manipulate people to do his bidding, but he himself would never do it," O'Toole said. "I would never draw that line. You can't simply say that because Charlie hurting other people was part of his repertoire. So, whether he had somebody else do it or he did it himself is certainly something that has to be explored."
CBC
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Errol Morris on Charles Manson, mind control and the CIA
On August 9th and 10th of 1969, a series of brutal murders took place in Los Angeles. Seven people were killed, including actress Sharon Tate, who was married to director Roman Polanski. Members of the Manson family, a kind of cult, were found guilty for the crimes. Manson and four of his followers were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. The prosecutor at the time said that Manson wanted to start a race war and trigger the end of the world. For decades, that was how the story went. But a new film by legendary documentary filmmaker Errol Morris asks the audience to reconsider that. It's inspired by a book called "CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties" by journalist Tom O'Neill, which makes the case that Manson might have been connected to the CIA's mind control program, MK-Ultra. Errol Morris talks to host Jayme Poisson about "Chaos: The Manson Murders", unpacking the many theories about Charles Manson, and the culture of paranoia from that era of American history. The film is out on Netflix now.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This True Crime Documentary Is A Top Movie On Netflix Right Now
'Chaos: The Manson Murders' is currently the third most popular movie on Netflix, according to the platform's public ranking system. Directed by Academy Award winner Errol Morris, the 96-minute documentary is an adaptation of the 2019 book 'CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties.' The film premiered on the streaming service on March 7. As its title suggests, the movie explores the infamous 1969 Tate–LaBianca murders and various theories around the killing spree, including a governmental conspiracy. Read on for more trending movies of the moment across streaming services, including Hulu, Max, Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+. And if you want to stay informed about all things streaming, subscribe to the Streamline newsletter. The most popular movie on Max at the moment is the 2024 horror film 'Heretic,' which began streaming exclusively on the platform on March 7. Starring Hugh Grant, the movie tells the story of a diabolical man's deadly encounter with two young Mormon missionaries, played by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East. Topher Grace also appears as a church elder. 'Picture This' premiered on Amazon Prime Video on March 6. The British rom-com is an adaptation of a 2024 Australian film called 'Five Blind Dates' and follows a young photographer who is told by a spiritual guru that she will find true love in her next five dates. 'Bridgerton' actor Simone Ashley and Hero Fiennes Tiffin star alongside Phil Dunster, Anoushka Chadha, Luke Fetherston, Sindhu Vee and Nikesh Patel. The 2024 sci-fi drama 'Omni Loop' is currently available for streaming on Hulu following a limited theatrical release in September. Mary-Louise Parker plays a quantum physics textbook author who enters a time loop after learning she has only one week left to live. Ayo Edebiri also appears in the film as a research assistant enlisted to help the protagonist work through this time travel mystery. 'Rumours,' a 2024 comedy horror film, is streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime as of March 3. Starring Cate Blanchett, the movie follows G7 world leaders who meet to discuss a global crisis but get lost in the woods, where they encounter surreal beings like reanimated bog bodies and a giant brain. Cue the political satire. The Reviews Of 'With Love, Meghan' Are Scathing. But They're Missing This Blatantly Obvious Point. 'Picture This' Doesn't Work As A Comedy Or Romance This Genre Almost Got The Oscar Recognition It Deserved
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix Charles Manson doc, 'Righteous Gemstones,' 'Heretic': New movies, TV shows to see or skip this weekend
True crime lovers have an entertaining weekend ahead of them with the newly released Charles Manson documentary on Netflix, Chaos: The Manson Murders. Filmmaker Errol Morris uses Tom O'Neill book, "CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties," as the foundation. For more fictional horror lovers, the popular film Heretic will be available to stream this weekend. The Righteous Gemstones enters its final season on Sunday, March 9, and Amanda Seyfried reunited with Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan for the movie Seven Veils, now in theatres. But what will be a best fit for your taste in TV shows and movies? We've scored this week's notable new releases to help you find what you'll most enjoy.I have been a fan of The Righteous Gemstones since Season 1, with creator Danny McBride truly crafting one of the most outrageously funny and unique shows in recent years. But the Season 4 premiere on Sunday marks the beginning of the last season of the series. While I'm not really ready to say goodbye, Season 4 is the most exciting in the series. It's the raunchy, obnoxious fun we've come to love in previous seasons, but McBride also dives deeper into the emotions of the show's character, in a way that makes the comedy feel even grander. This will forever be one of my favourite TV shows. A favourite from last year's the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and its theatrical release in November, Heretic will be available to stream this weekend. Written and directed by Bryan Woods and Scott Beck, starring Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East and Hugh Grant, this religious thriller is incredibly captivating, but more importantly, even this many months later, still feels like unique and truly original storytelling. Yes, there are certain elements, like evaluation of Mormonism (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) that has been intriguing ground for storytelling for decades, but Heretic fully achieves interesting philosophical arguments, mixed with terror and fun. I believe Tom O'Neill book "CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties" is actually a more compelling read than the 1974 book "Helter Skelter," by Vincent Bugliosi, prosecutor of the Manson Family. So I was particularly excited about this documentary. Filmmaker Errol Morris is able to unravel the details of Charles Manson and Manson Family conspiracy theories in a compelling way, but while really leaning into the chaotic battling of possible theories. Questions around mind control should have complex and alive discussions, leaning into our urge to come up with theories to explain what we don't know, and fear. It's not about finding an end to a quest for truth, but rather why things may be accepted as the truth. From Oscar-winning filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, Mickey 17 isn't without its faults, plot lines introduced and then never reconciled, and underusing actors Toni Collette and Steven Yeun, but watching this movie is ultimately fun and enjoyable. Yes, the performances are over-the-top, but it's a satisfying blend with Bong's social criticism. Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Ruffalo, Collette and Yeun make up a great cast and I haven't gotten Pattinson's Mickey 17 accent out of my head since watching this film. While I didn't leave Mickey 17 with the same enthusiasm that I did when I saw Parasite, it was still a satisfying trip to the movie theatre that provided entertainment and critical thinking long after the film concluded. Atom Egoyan is one of Canada's most notable filmmakers and has reunited with Amanda Seyfried for Seven Veils. Seyfried plays Jeanine, a theatre director who is remounting Richard Strauss' opera "Salome," years after she worked on an earlier production under her late mentor Charles, with whom she was having an affair. A film that explores sexual trauma, Seyfried gives an emotionally resonant performance and Egoyan has a clear style in this twisty story. But the film feels like it fizzles out when Seyfried isn't on screen. Voiceover is also used in a way that feels like too much handholding, hearing several details about Jeanine's perspective on her past and present, and it still doesn't make the lesser developed portions of the film any clearer. Seven Veils has the foundation to setup a captivating and gripping evaluation of power and misogyny, but doesn't quite land with the impact I craved.
