MovieChat Forums > Manson Discussion > Director murdered by the Family?

Director murdered by the Family?


I read a thread on "Helter Skelter" that Laurence Merrick one of the co-directors and co-producers of this film was shot dead in 1977 possibly by one of the family? Anyone else know anything about this?

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He was murdered I read something about it a couple of years ago, I believe it is unknown whether or not the killer had any Manson/Family associations...

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from what I have read it wasn't really a 'family' memeber per say, just some latter day nut who worshiped charlie and I don't think he had any contact with any of the family members. he supposidly had an x on his forehead, but by then none of the family members were freshining up their x's. he was upset by the documentary. just a nutcase, but not a family nutcase

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Those crazy Manson worshippers should probably be locked up, whether they actually kill or not. It's just for the best. Can't trust them.

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Those crazy Manson worshippers should probably be locked up, whether they actually kill or not. It's just for the best. Can't trust them



wow...that's pretty narrow minded

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wow...that's pretty narrow minded

Well unless we can do something to help them.

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just cause you can't help someone and they believe something, does that mean you should lock them up?

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just cause you can't help someone and they believe something, does that mean you should lock them up?

Well most people who have followed Manson or his teachings have usually done bad things right? I'm not saying like Scientologists should be locked up or anything.

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I'm sure Manson had a plan to be a rock and roll star, then when he freaked out Terry Melcher and he bailed, he sought revenge. Revenge at the whole system, and Helter Skelter was when it went out of control.

I think he wanted to stay in Jail, and didnt trust himself on the outside. This is not to excuse the horrific events of August,1969, but there is a lot more to this story.

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I think actually Charlie Manson would've been a great songwriter/singer. I mean he was bizarre, yes, that's true. But he was in the right place at the right time, with the right motivation. I'm sorry for what he did, it's evil, sure, it was *beep* up I know......but you can't really take away his talent or his intelligence. I just wished he steered his artistic freedom in a more commonplace.

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"I'm not saying like Scientologists should be locked up or anything"

Ha..you have no idea. Try looking into Scientology, The Process: Church Of The Final Judgement, and Charles Manson. They're all connected in very real ways.....happy hunting, I think you'll be surprised at what you find.




http://www.myspace.com/mauro_moe_felipe

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You obviously know nothing about Charles Manson or his pathology. There's no way he would ever have been a great "anything" or capable of functioning in society. He had a horrific childhood, was damaged, abused, abandoned, and locked up by the time he was 14. it would take amazing gifts to overcome his beginnings. He is a perfect combo of psychopathic tendencies thrown into a hellish environment to create one of the ultimate monsters of the 20th century.

He had no talent other than pimping young women with severe low self-esteem. He had learned to hustle and con and spin a web of words that confused people, fascinated some who could not quite follow his logic, especially if they were stoned and music was playing. He sounded "far out", while he jabbered away, reaching into wallets, stealing cash and ID for drugs, or eased clothing off and convinced naive teenage girls to "free themselves" of their antiquated morals and have sex with cowhands and old men.

There are may interviews published [including one from the LA Free Press in 1970 after he was arrested], and taped interviews during the years after Manson was convicted. Read them. He's not intelligent. He's insane.

The baffling perception of "intelligence" is simply that he mimics bits of articles he's read, books he's read, philosophical snippets from songs he's heard, and strings together concepts that sound vaguely interesting until you let him ramble on for a bit. Then you realize he makes absolutely no sense. It's like he's tries to go from point A to B, and suddenly he veers wildly over to Z and back somewhere else. He's 100% sociopath.

I feel bad that young people somehow get sucked into by some dark myth. I lived in LA when these crimes were committed. My best friend lived on Cielo Drive. The entire city was in absolute shock for months. Nothing could prepare us, though, for the killers and the trial. When those girls skipped into court every day holding hands, smiling and laughing it chilled everyone to the BONE. The other girls sat out on the sidewalk all day, every day, for months. with shaved heads and swaztikas carved into their heads. It was horrifying. But when the story unfolded, and we found out the blow-by-blow details of what they did, how they did it, and the senselessness of the horror, it's something no one who lived through can describe. It changed people's lives, whether they knew the victims and hung out with the beautiful people in Bel Air, worked in the music business, smoked pot and participated in the hippie "dream" of free society, or were average working people.

PLEASE don't mythologize one of the most gruesome, cruel, sadistic monsters in the annals of crime.
It's a desecration to the memories of those who suffered and died, and those who suffered and lived through the decimating and demoralizing impact of the horrific crimes of the Manson followers.

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Well gioconda that was lovely put......but if that was aimed at my comment, I wasn't talking about his crimes or his influence of the cult he built.



I was just saying in his songs and writings, he did have a lot of talent.....so much that one of the Beach Boys were about to record a album to his music.



But I understand and respect what you wrote and I don't disagree with you!!!

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They did record one of his songs on the B side of a 45 and changed the lyrics from "Cease to Exist" to "Cease to Resist." Charlie was good and po'd about that one.

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Just because he is a scumbag it doesn't mean he is not intelligent. Just because you're crazy doesn't mean you can't be intelligent either. I can't imagine getting people to kill for you would be easily done.

--Will.

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No Message

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I "follow" Manson to some extent and I agree with a lot of what he has to say, and I've barely done a single illegal thing in my whole 23-year-old life...

Not everything is black and white.

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Merrick was shot and killed in Hollywood in 1977 by a mentally unbalanced man who was stalking him.

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