Post by Mark (Webmaster) on Mar 3, 2005 16:47:20 GMT
[glow=red,2,300]The Manson Family
2 Disc Special Edition
(Anchor Bay UK)[/glow]
Purchase from Amazon with 25% off!!
Picture: 1.33:1 Full-Frame (Original aspect ratio)
Sound: Dolby Digital: stereo 2.0, and optional 5.1.
Story: August 9th 1969. In the quiet, secluded canyons above Beverly Hills, the silence of a summer's night is shattered by the terrified screams of a woman begging for mercy. Within 48 hours, Charles Manson and his so-called Family have butchered seven innocent people in a killing spree that shook the world.
The fictitious TV show Crime Scene has conducted new jailhouse interviews with the members of Charlie's Family as they recollect the events of the Summer of '69. Although the participants, Tex, Sadie, Lesley and Bobbie, often contradict one another to either show themselves vaguely as innocents or to sensationalize the story even further, the portrait of the 60's ideals of freedom and expression are twisted beyond recognition. The new interviews are interspersed with devastatingly authentic dramatic recreations of the mythical Manson family movies. It starts with a group of innocent youths forming a commune, smoking pot, dropping acid, making love and making music. But when their leader, Charlie, is rejected as an artist and money starts to become tight, the kids have to turn around their lifestyle in order to survive. The acid trips become darker and the drug-induced rhetoric turns violent. Charlie believes himself to be a Christ figure and starts to get a tighter grip over his followers. The cult will stop at nothing to send their message of evil to the world. Then, over two nights, members of the cult indulge in arguably the most sadistic murders in American history, leading to a major media trial and the creation of the 60's blackest icon; just as Woodstock, long hair and bell-bottoms were symbols of the love generation, so the bearded face and swastika tattoo symbolize the era's poison.
Review: Director/writer/editor/actor Jim VanBebber accurately uses camera technique to facilitate the change in his co-called family. Tones and lighting that start bright and natural suddenly become rich primary colours as the insidious side of Charlie’s communal family comes to light. The feel of the sixties is painstakingly recreated even down to the scratches that blemished the 8mm home movies of the era. It all looks like one big drug induced orgy a la EASY RIDER or THE TRIP.
The acting is pretty solid from an inexperienced cast especially Marc Pitman in the role of Tex who handles the difficult transistion from peaceful hippy to Manson’s most brutal killer with apparent ease. Special mention must also go to Leslie Orr (Patti) and Maureen Allisse (Sadie) whose descent into hedonistic violence is almost too real! Throw in a sedate performance from VanBebber as murder-spree instigator Bobby and an eerie turn by Marcello Games as Manson and you have an eclectic range of characters at peace with each other but at war with themselves.
The film is graphic, intense and gory. The murder scenes are brutally recreated and unpleasant to watch, as murder should be. No glorification or romance is given to anybody or any situation and there isn’t one hint of sympathy to any of the ‘family’ despite their recollections in the fake Crime Scene program that also bookends the film. To sum up it’s gritty, savage and unsettling. It shies away from making any judgements and throws absurdity on Manson phenomenon. Watch it with an art movie head on and judge for yourselves.
The DVD
Picture: Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1 (full-frame) the transfer copes well with the ever-evolving style of its director. Colours are vibrant with no visible bleeding, contrast and brightness levels are excellent and edging isn’t too soft or over harsh.
Sound: 5.1 dolby mix is competently done. The film has a very impressive sound design that becomes increasingly more bombastic as the film progresses and is especially encompassing during the murder and hallucinatory sequences. The mix does justice to the intention with the rear channels well used and the subwoofer well employed. Audio is always audible which is a bonus. Stereo 2.0 mix comes as standard but no DTS track on this one.
Menu: Usual AB fare here. Menus are animated using iconic American imagery/symbols (such as the stars and stripes and national anthem) and twists them with suitable menace to achieve the impression that Manson both twisted the ideals of the free-love sixties whilst unfathomingly becoming an American institution.
Special Features:
Disc 1:
Although the meat of the features is on the additional disc the movie disc rounds out with 2 x theatrical trailers and a Poster and stills gallery. The gallery is a nice addition and nicely compact considering the films 15-year gestation. Considering the film was only made in 2003 the poster gallery seems sadly less glamorous.
Disc 2:
The VanBebber Family[/u] – This is a 74 minute documentary featuring all-new interviews with the majority of the cast and crew. All the important people talk onscreen about their experiences (or tortures) of filming on/off over a 15-year period. Very good retrospective documentary with every major area covered from the real drug taking to get ‘into character’ to desperate financial battle director VanBebber endured to get the movie finished.
In The Belly of the Beast – (documentary from the Fant-Asia festival in Montreal featuring Jim VanBebber and other independent filmmakers (73m 19s))[/u]. There’s a small section on the rough cut for CHARLIE’S FAMILY, as it was known then, which ended up being very distant from the finished version. The rest of the documentary looks at the other films showing at the festival in 1997. This was the first time a rough cut of MANSON had been shown, a cut that bears little resemble to the finished film we have today.
Interview with Charles Manson:[/u] Here’s a ten-minute snippet of incoherent and contradictory rambling from the man himself. He flies off on various tangents making it easy to see how a man like this could manipulate and twist those who dared be close to him. To be honest I couldn’t see much difference between his demeanour and that of a TV evangelist. Clip is taken from a DVD titled CHARLES AMNSON SUPERSTAR. Purchase information is available after the interview.
Summary:
Film: 3.5/5 – Effective and savagely brutal. An uncompromising and often misunderstood piece of independent horror cinema.
Picture: 4/5 – Very crisp and clear. No visible print damage.
Sound: 4/5 – 5.1 mix is nicely done with good distribution between the channels. DTS track is conspicuous by it’s absence.
Extras: 4/5 – Great retrospective documentary. The rest are as standard but all relevant and of interest.
Overall package: 4/5 Possessed Cheryls - A great package from Anchor Bay. The film has been misconstrued as exploitation fodder but I think that’s an unfair swipe to make. It’s certainly not without its flaws but it’s an engaging yet disturbing trip into the ‘family’ who killed for a psuedo-Christ icon by the name of Charles Manson. It’s definitely worth a viewing but see it as an art film with exploitation elements rather than straight-laced entertainment.
2 Disc Special Edition
(Anchor Bay UK)[/glow]
Purchase from Amazon with 25% off!!
Picture: 1.33:1 Full-Frame (Original aspect ratio)
Sound: Dolby Digital: stereo 2.0, and optional 5.1.
Story: August 9th 1969. In the quiet, secluded canyons above Beverly Hills, the silence of a summer's night is shattered by the terrified screams of a woman begging for mercy. Within 48 hours, Charles Manson and his so-called Family have butchered seven innocent people in a killing spree that shook the world.
The fictitious TV show Crime Scene has conducted new jailhouse interviews with the members of Charlie's Family as they recollect the events of the Summer of '69. Although the participants, Tex, Sadie, Lesley and Bobbie, often contradict one another to either show themselves vaguely as innocents or to sensationalize the story even further, the portrait of the 60's ideals of freedom and expression are twisted beyond recognition. The new interviews are interspersed with devastatingly authentic dramatic recreations of the mythical Manson family movies. It starts with a group of innocent youths forming a commune, smoking pot, dropping acid, making love and making music. But when their leader, Charlie, is rejected as an artist and money starts to become tight, the kids have to turn around their lifestyle in order to survive. The acid trips become darker and the drug-induced rhetoric turns violent. Charlie believes himself to be a Christ figure and starts to get a tighter grip over his followers. The cult will stop at nothing to send their message of evil to the world. Then, over two nights, members of the cult indulge in arguably the most sadistic murders in American history, leading to a major media trial and the creation of the 60's blackest icon; just as Woodstock, long hair and bell-bottoms were symbols of the love generation, so the bearded face and swastika tattoo symbolize the era's poison.
Review: Director/writer/editor/actor Jim VanBebber accurately uses camera technique to facilitate the change in his co-called family. Tones and lighting that start bright and natural suddenly become rich primary colours as the insidious side of Charlie’s communal family comes to light. The feel of the sixties is painstakingly recreated even down to the scratches that blemished the 8mm home movies of the era. It all looks like one big drug induced orgy a la EASY RIDER or THE TRIP.
The acting is pretty solid from an inexperienced cast especially Marc Pitman in the role of Tex who handles the difficult transistion from peaceful hippy to Manson’s most brutal killer with apparent ease. Special mention must also go to Leslie Orr (Patti) and Maureen Allisse (Sadie) whose descent into hedonistic violence is almost too real! Throw in a sedate performance from VanBebber as murder-spree instigator Bobby and an eerie turn by Marcello Games as Manson and you have an eclectic range of characters at peace with each other but at war with themselves.
The film is graphic, intense and gory. The murder scenes are brutally recreated and unpleasant to watch, as murder should be. No glorification or romance is given to anybody or any situation and there isn’t one hint of sympathy to any of the ‘family’ despite their recollections in the fake Crime Scene program that also bookends the film. To sum up it’s gritty, savage and unsettling. It shies away from making any judgements and throws absurdity on Manson phenomenon. Watch it with an art movie head on and judge for yourselves.
The DVD
Picture: Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1 (full-frame) the transfer copes well with the ever-evolving style of its director. Colours are vibrant with no visible bleeding, contrast and brightness levels are excellent and edging isn’t too soft or over harsh.
Sound: 5.1 dolby mix is competently done. The film has a very impressive sound design that becomes increasingly more bombastic as the film progresses and is especially encompassing during the murder and hallucinatory sequences. The mix does justice to the intention with the rear channels well used and the subwoofer well employed. Audio is always audible which is a bonus. Stereo 2.0 mix comes as standard but no DTS track on this one.
Menu: Usual AB fare here. Menus are animated using iconic American imagery/symbols (such as the stars and stripes and national anthem) and twists them with suitable menace to achieve the impression that Manson both twisted the ideals of the free-love sixties whilst unfathomingly becoming an American institution.
Special Features:
Disc 1:
Although the meat of the features is on the additional disc the movie disc rounds out with 2 x theatrical trailers and a Poster and stills gallery. The gallery is a nice addition and nicely compact considering the films 15-year gestation. Considering the film was only made in 2003 the poster gallery seems sadly less glamorous.
Disc 2:
The VanBebber Family[/u] – This is a 74 minute documentary featuring all-new interviews with the majority of the cast and crew. All the important people talk onscreen about their experiences (or tortures) of filming on/off over a 15-year period. Very good retrospective documentary with every major area covered from the real drug taking to get ‘into character’ to desperate financial battle director VanBebber endured to get the movie finished.
In The Belly of the Beast – (documentary from the Fant-Asia festival in Montreal featuring Jim VanBebber and other independent filmmakers (73m 19s))[/u]. There’s a small section on the rough cut for CHARLIE’S FAMILY, as it was known then, which ended up being very distant from the finished version. The rest of the documentary looks at the other films showing at the festival in 1997. This was the first time a rough cut of MANSON had been shown, a cut that bears little resemble to the finished film we have today.
Interview with Charles Manson:[/u] Here’s a ten-minute snippet of incoherent and contradictory rambling from the man himself. He flies off on various tangents making it easy to see how a man like this could manipulate and twist those who dared be close to him. To be honest I couldn’t see much difference between his demeanour and that of a TV evangelist. Clip is taken from a DVD titled CHARLES AMNSON SUPERSTAR. Purchase information is available after the interview.
Summary:
Film: 3.5/5 – Effective and savagely brutal. An uncompromising and often misunderstood piece of independent horror cinema.
Picture: 4/5 – Very crisp and clear. No visible print damage.
Sound: 4/5 – 5.1 mix is nicely done with good distribution between the channels. DTS track is conspicuous by it’s absence.
Extras: 4/5 – Great retrospective documentary. The rest are as standard but all relevant and of interest.
Overall package: 4/5 Possessed Cheryls - A great package from Anchor Bay. The film has been misconstrued as exploitation fodder but I think that’s an unfair swipe to make. It’s certainly not without its flaws but it’s an engaging yet disturbing trip into the ‘family’ who killed for a psuedo-Christ icon by the name of Charles Manson. It’s definitely worth a viewing but see it as an art film with exploitation elements rather than straight-laced entertainment.