Serial Killers, Profiling the Criminal Mind, Vol. 04: Charles Manson [VHS]

Probably the best known of them all is Charles Manson. He is the bastard son of a prostitute who was pushed toward crime and rebellion at a young age by his uncle, the only role model he had. By the time he began piecing together his plan to instigate global Armageddon, Charles Manson had spent more than half of his life behind bars. Charles Manson: Vol. 4 tells of Manson's childhood, his life in jail, and the development and dynamics of his cultlike "Family" and follows the trial that captivated a nation. But unlike other serial killers, Manson's smart and coercive nature allowed him to keep his hands clean while his Family carried out his vision of Helter Skelter. --Rob Bracco

Of course the music adds the eeriness needed for a story like Dahmer's but hopefully A&E's future documentaries will be more substantive.


Informative But Lacking   June 21, 2000
frisky2000 (smallville)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I wanted to view this documentary as a result of reading author Jason Moss's book, THE LAST VICTIM, which focused mainly on the serial killer, J.W. Gacy. I expected more, but got much less.

This is an A&E original documentary which uses the same stale images frame after frame, sometimes boring the viewer with facts that really don't expose much of what made this psychotic KILLER CLOWN tick.

I was disappointed I purchased this tape rather than just renting it as I doubt I'd pass it on to others interested in the subject of true crime. There are other more informative and well done documentaries out there than this one.


Disturbing and Cool   June 12, 2000
1 out of 6 found this review helpful

It talks about Manson and Dahmer, and the state of their mental status, experiences, and possibly why they did what they did.