Freddy-Wishing everyone out there a safe and happy Thanksgiving! It's a tough one for a lot of you out there, stuck at home. Hang in there, we'll get through this...Eventually!
I also have three limited 50 year anniversary Blu-rays of the old cult classic on the Manson murders, THE OTHER SIDE OF MADNESS, to give away courtesy of The Film Detective.
THE OTHER SIDE OF MADNESS is an art film at its heart. Filmed almost solely in black and white it aims for a documentary feel. It’s a bit disjointed, spending large chunks of time at a hippie music concert before getting to the Manson family.
When we meet them, they’re planning their visit to Sharon Tate’s.
After a brief but poignant visit into Charlie’s mind of racist paranoia, the family is sent to Sharon’s.
The rest of the film is a recreation of that dreadful night on August 8th, 1969. While it largely portrays the murders as they happened there are definitely artistic liberties taken.
While the TV movie HELTER SKELTER is a better overall film, I really enjoy this one. It’s dark, foreboding and deserves mention.
Does anyone else out there know of this one? I believe it was originally titled THE HELTER SKELTER MURDERS.
Frank Howard directed this 1 h 22 min art expose and then never made another film. I’m surprised, as it’s a decent film for the time. An arthouse remake of the Manson murders that doesn’t flinch. Some scenes shot are shot at the actual Spahn Ranch, there's documentary footage of the trail spliced in and the movie is infused with a song Charles Manson wrote and sang titled “Mechanical Man.”
What do you need to do to win one of these?
Simply send me the serial killer you find the most frightening to freddybeans@gmail.com. Make sure it includes an explanation why this killer affects you so much.
I’ll stop this one Thursday morning. (Dec. 3rd)
Mine is easily Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker. His crimes mixed with his remorselessness affect me in ways I can’t explain. He always comes to mind first, when the topic comes up. He reeks of dark evil and nonchalance.
Though Charles Ng and Leonard Lake might be somehow worse. I guess all those hours spent at Crimelibrary.com weren’t the healthiest.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone, now go stuff your faces!
THE OTHER SIDE OF MADNESS dropped on Blu-ray this week.
Until the next time,
Cheers
Freddy Beans,
