True crime documentaries continue to captivate audiences, especially on Netflix. While themes and subjects vary, most follow a familiar formula: interviews with key figures, dramatic recreations of events, and archival footage. This approach owes its origins to Errol Morris’s groundbreaking 1988 documentary The Thin Blue Line. Morris’s film, which helped exonerate Randall Dale Adams for a murder he didn’t commit, introduced the use of stylish reenactments—a technique now standard in the genre. Despite initial controversy, The Thin Blue Line became highly influential and cemented Morris as a pioneer of true crime storytelling.
Now, Morris is back with a new Netflix documentary, Chaos: The Manson Murders. Rather than retelling the well-known story of Charles Manson and his infamous crimes, Morris focuses on the conspiracy theories presented in Tom O’Neill and Dan Piepenbring’s book Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the 1960s. The film explores shocking theories suggesting Manson’s actions may have been linked to CIA mind control experiments.
The Charles Manson Story… with a Twist
Most are familiar with the horrors of Manson’s crimes: the murders orchestrated by his “Family” in 1969, including the killing of actress Sharon Tate. Manson, though not directly involved in the killings, was the charismatic leader behind the cult. His crimes marked the end of the 1960s counterculture era and became a media sensation, immortalized in books like Helter Skelter and films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Morris’s documentary, however, avoids retreading this well-worn narrative. Instead, it delves into the unanswered questions surrounding Manson’s ability to manipulate his followers. Could there have been more to his influence than mere charisma?
Did CIA Mind Control Have Anything to Do with the Manson Murders?
Tom O’Neill’s book Chaos investigates the possibility that Manson’s actions were connected to the CIA’s MKUltra program, which experimented with mind control using drugs and other methods. O’Neill’s research introduces figures like Dr. Louis “Jolly” West, a psychiatrist linked to CIA experiments who was active in Haight-Ashbury during Manson’s rise. While the book doesn’t conclusively prove a connection, it raises unsettling questions about the broader forces at play.
A Straightforward Approach to a Complex Story
Morris’s documentary, Chaos: The Manson Murders, takes a surprisingly straightforward approach to this complex material. Unlike his innovative Wormwood, which blended documentary and fiction, Chaos adheres to traditional true crime conventions, focusing on the timeline of events rather than diving deep into conspiracy theories. Morris himself remains skeptical of the CIA mind control claims, stating, “Could it be proven? I don’t think so. But can it be refuted? I don’t think it can.”
Despite its more conventional style, Chaos offers a compelling exploration of one of America’s darkest chapters, leaving viewers with unsettling questions about the nature of Manson’s influence.
