The film plays like a cheap 70s TV crime drama. Railsback is decent as Manson, but he's way too edgy, jumpy, and freaky. He's either got a stupid wide-eyed grin on his face or is super angry. There's no middle ground in his performance. Although better than the 2004 film, this one is seriously lacking in any kind of atmosphere and does not capture the feeling of the late 1960s. You can tell it's 1976.
shareStill, it was pretty heady for its time. I believe this was shown in 2 parts over consecutive nights back to back and it was one of the most watched movies ever on TV. I saw it first run and trust me it was very compelling must see TV. A few years later I watched it again for a school project and by then it was already dated. However, it was amazingly accurate, especially on how the police and detectives stitched together the entire Manson family, their motives, and all the people they encountered. It was amazing how the local TV crew found the murder weapons that had been thrown out of the car down a hillside the night of the Tate murders. Along with the NAZI's this was the most infamous cult of the 20th century and this TV show was a huge hit.
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