No one was clamoring for another depiction of nefarious cult-leader Charles Manson.
His stature as an unfortunate emblem of the counter-cultures perceived failure was even lampooned in Thomas PynchonsInherent Vice.
Manson is a boogyman; Lifetime a bastion of has-beens uttering entendres.
Credit: Jim Fiscus
It somehow almost works.
The Manson Family, portrayed by a coterie of Hollywood legacies, welcomes her with open arms.
Kasabian, who is the only Gemini at the ranch, brings good energy with her.
Writers Matthew Tabak and Stephen Kronish and director Leslie Libman mostly eschew Kasabians backstory.
No matter what insidious things youve done, Charlie will love you anyways, Tex assures her in bed.
Thats what familys about.
With sallow lighting leaking through the windows like an infection, Spahn Ranch has aTexas Chainsaw Massacrevibe to it.
Impressionistic young people laugh and smile and muse on Charlies sapience, but something sinister skulks in their words.
The first 10 or 15 minutes ofMansons Lost Girlshas the nebulous form of weed haze.
Its all dusty feet and acoustic guitars and drugs on the sun-fried farm.
Wreathed around a bonfire, the Family describe Manson (Jeff Ward) seductively.
Hes a sort of psycho sage.
As one of the girls says, the party dont start till Charlie walks in.
This particular party is at Dennis Wilsons house.
When he eventually emerges from light and into the foreground, its as if stepping in from a dream.
The narrative proper begins, more or less, when Manson performs a song for the Family.
Gary will later be stabbed to death by the Family.
Charlie then abruptly calms down and says to Gary, I heard your pa died.
Did he leave you any money?
When one of the family members laughs, he sends her to the wall and picks up a knife.
He tells her to stand still, cocks his arm, and pretends to throw the knife at her.
Its all so impersonal.
The Manson Family paranoia, and the films narrative, culminates, of course, in the Tate-LaBianca murders.
We never see her face, and her cries of My baby!
are muffled by glass, which is promptly sprayed with blood.
The next day, reports of the murders flood the TV.
Susan Atkins reaction That was Sharon Tate?
The girls all meld together, one amorphous clan to be molded by Mansons mania.
Maybe thats the point.
It moves fluidly but passes by without anything lingering.
It comes down fast but doesnt break you.
