Charles Manson True Crime Documentary Makes a Killing on Netflix Debut

Netflix has scored another point in the game of notable true-crime documentaries. The latest true-crime documentary to be released by the platform, CHAOS: The Manson Murders, sits in the third spot on Netflix’s list of most-watched movies at the time of writing.

CHAOS: The Manson Murders presents an alternative theory to the widely known story about the murders that took place in the span of two days in August 1969. The Tate-LaBianca murders resulted in the deaths of seven people in Los Angeles, California. They were perpetrated by several members of the Manson Family, the cult-like group led by Charles Manson.

The film is directed by documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, who goes on a dive into the theory presented by investigative reporter Tom O’Neill. O’Neill’s theories were included in his book CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties (co-written with Dan Piepenbring), and in his version, there’s more to the story of Charles Manson and the mayhem he caused.

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In the early hours of August 9, 1969, four members of the Manson family (Manson was not among them) drove to Benedict Canyon and killed five innocent people. Among the victims was pregnant actress Sharon Tate, the wife of film director Roman Polanski. The next night, Manson joined the group, and they murdered Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. The Manson murders were an era-defining crime at the conclusion of the ’60s, a decade known for its counterculture movements, such as the hippie culture.

The murders were famously “solved” by the lead prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, in his 1974 book Helter Skelter: The True Story of The Manson Murders (co-written by Curt Gentry). But O’Neill, who’s featured in the documentary, doesn’t agree with the theory Bugliosi presents in the book. Instead, the documentary introduces viewers to the idea that Manson and the members of his cult could have been the subjects of brainwashing experiments carried out by doctors who constantly took care of the Manson family. Per the film’s official logline:

“Directed by Errol Morris, ‘CHAOS: The Manson Murders’ untangles a web of conspiracies involving the CIA, LSD, Jack Ruby, the Manson Family, and Vincent Bugliosi, casting doubt on the official story of the 1960’s most infamous killing spree.”

Errol Morris, the famous director behind The Thin Blue Line, The Fog of War and Netflix’s Wormwood, is clever enough to leave space for doubt, but he doesn’t come off as a biased filmmaker who fully supports O’Neill’s version of the story. It’s a compelling and informative movie, but it doesn’t present the alternative theory as a fact that could convince you that Manson or his followers could have been the victims of a major conspiracy related to Project MKUltra.

Netflix Keeps Proving Its Worth in the True Crime Subgenre

CHAOS: The Manson Murders is Netflix’s latest true crime hit. It was released a few days after the streamer added their latest American Murder entry to their catalog. American Murder: Gabby Petito was released on February 17, and the docuseries quickly climbed to the top of the platform’s charts. By the time of writing, it sits in the sixth spot of the streamer’s most-watched TV shows.

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Chaos: The Manson Murders R Documentary Crime Release Date March 6, 2025 Runtime 96 Minutes Director Errol Morris

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