Textual Analysis #2

The Manson Family (Jim Vanbebber, 2003)

‘The Manson Family’, directed by Jim Vanbebber is a documentary film, detailing the most ‘notorious mass murderers in American history’. The film combines archive footage of interviews and videos with a basic fictional narrative, resulting in an interesting yet occasionally confusing film. The pacing of the film is fascinating set in 1996, some time after the killings, the opening depicts a fanatical group sending a video to the director of the ‘Charlie Movie’. From here is begins to cut between this narrative, the story of the Manson ‘family’ (from their points of view) and interviews with former members. A slight problem with how the narrative is intergrated is the fact that at certain points it doesn’t seem to have much to do with the point which the documentary is actually trying to make and though it certainly adds a lot to the film it seems only their to take up time. I like the idea of mixing a fictional narrative with factual information and believe it would work extremely well if done slightly better. If I had more time in order to make my documentary I might attempt to include a basic narrative plot in order to enforce a point. Unlike Fahrenheit 911, 'The Manson Family' isn't so much attempting to make a point on any thing rather simply showing people the facts and allowing them to decide for themselves, this also however gives a slightly less personal feel in the directorial style, somthing which I enjoy in Michael Moore's films. 'The Manson Family' does not at any point use a voice over, a common trait of documentary.