Is Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind Trash or Tresaure?
Movie Distributed By: Vision Films / August 13, 2019
When career-criminal Charles Manson was released from prison in 1967 after a ten-year stretch, he headed straight into the heart of San Francisco during the Summer of Love. He had one goal – to become a rock star. The film follows Manson’s journey from the Haight-Ashbury to the Sunset Strip, recording sessions in Hollywood’s most illustrious studios and auditioning for the most powerful figures in the music industry. It reveals the untold story of his musical ambitions, his close friendship with Beach Boys’ drummer Dennis Wilson, and the fear and pain that spread through his Los Angeles contacts once they discovered the darker side of the man they called “The Wizard.” As Manson’s dreams fell apart, it would lead to his descent into violence and chaos.
When career-criminal Charles Manson was released from prison in 1967 after a ten-year stretch, he headed straight into the heart of San Francisco during the Summer of Love. He had one goal – to become a rock star. The film follows Manson’s journey from the Haight-Ashbury to the Sunset Strip, recording sessions in Hollywood’s most illustrious studios and auditioning for the most powerful figures in the music industry. It reveals the untold story of his musical ambitions, his close friendship with Beach Boys’ drummer Dennis Wilson, and the fear and pain that spread through his Los Angeles contacts once they discovered the darker side of the man they called “The Wizard.” As Manson’s dreams fell apart, it would lead to his descent into violence and chaos.
Jimbo’s Take 
(3.5 / 5)
Jimbo’s Take 
When it comes to the topic of Charles Manson, there’s a crowded field of documentaries and books trying to explore, chronicle, and make reason of madness and evil. Now we have Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind which attempts to explore the same topic, but this time (and more specifically) from the perspective of Manson’s musical influences, connections, and original compositions.
This certainly isn’t the first time a movie has explored how music played a critical role in the crimes. Even as a child, my mother had a paperback copy of Helter Skelter on our bookshelf, which directly calls upon the popular Beatles song by the same name. The direct correlation to music has always been known. However, with this film, the filmmakers try to pivot our perspective. Not by retelling the same old story, but rather re-framing it from the perspective of Manson’s musical obsessions.
The first half of the film really takes it’s time outlining the cultural goings-on of the late 60s “summer of love.” The first half spends less time focused on Manson and more time exploring the rise of bands like The Beach Boys and The Byrds. It’s a great lead up to the second half if you’re unfamiliar with the rise of hippie culture and other social/political movements that shaped the decade. But for audiences a bit more knowledgeable, or perhaps lived through the 60s, the real meat of the movie resides in the latter half(ish) of the film.
In my opinion, the second half of the movie is really where Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind gains firm ground. The film begins to go more in depth into Manson’s own recorded songs and you can hear the eerie predictions in the lyrics that will eventually lead to where we know this story ends.
The second half also does a much better job of tying Manson’s connections with the record industry and lays out a plausible motive for how his musical failings enraged him to the point of murder. It strangely (and sickeningly) makes the viewer feel like there’s a skewed logic to the madness.
However, with an almost two-hour run time, I find myself wishing the film went even deeper into Manson’s own compositions. Instead of taking time with the periphery information regarding culture and crime details that have already been explored countless times in other books and documentaries, I would have preferred a deeper psychological profile of the songs Manson composed. But now I’m getting into nit-pick territory.
All in all, Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind is a straight-forward documentary that cleanly lays out the story it’s trying to tell. It’s very akin to the short form documentaries you would see on History and Discover Channel. And frankly, I think this movie might work best in that format.
It’s nothing exceptional, but it’s very well made and palatable for newbies and more seasoned Manson experts alike. It doesn’t stand out as the pinnacle of Manson documentaries but it works as an addendum or companion piece to the more broadly recognized sources materials.
Hidden Treasure/Dumpster Fire?
Jimbo says: Hidden Treasure!
Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind is currently available on all VOD platforms (iTunes, Amazon, GooglePlay, Vudu, Vimeo, and FandangoNow) and US cable platforms (Comcast, Cox, Spectrum, Dish, Verizon, Frontier, and other affiliates). Hit the link below to pre-order the DVD.
