Wednesday, September 23, 2015

NEW MOVIE: Manson Family Vacation

Yahoo Movies: 'Manson Family Vacation' Is an Unenviable Bromance (Trailer Exclusive)

Meriah Doty, Editor
September 21, 2015

Jay Duplass and Linas Phillips star as brothers in an upcoming indie comedy that earned solid amount of praise at SXSW earlier this year. (See the original article and watch the exclusive trailer here.) In Manson Family Vacation, Nick Morgan (Duplass) plays the “normal” brother, a successful lawyer and family man in Los Angeles. But when his estranged brother Conrad (Phillips) shows up on his doorstep with nothing more than a backpack, Nick is forced to deal with his rather weird roots. What makes things more peculiar is Conrad’s obsession with Charles Manson — and the sites of his infamous murders in Southern California. Nick reluctantly joins his sibling in a less-than-brotastic road trip through the modern-day world of Manson, witnessing Conrad’s unusual devotion first hand. Produced by the Duplass brothers and written and directed by J. Davis (who wrote Jay’s 2011 documentary, Kevin), Manson Family Vacation is available on iTunes and VOD Oct. 6.





63 comments:

Unknown said...

This has piqued my interest lol I shall find and watch this!

Thanks Patty :)

Unknown said...

let me change that- I just watched the trailer and it has more than Piqued my interest.

I am going to watch this as soon as possible :) This looks like something I HAVE to see!!

MHN said...

Oh Christ - they're using Bugliosi as a guide!? Didn't he, like, invent the whole story of those murders because Charlie was such a threat to the establishment out there at the ranch?

MHN said...

Film looks fun though!

Unknown said...

In my novice film critic opinion lol...

the nest movies about this case will probably be like this. There have been a few attempts to recreate the actual events, but that's a really hard thing to do. With a few exceptions ( the Doors for one) how often do actors really get it right enough to put you in the moment when portraying personalities like Charlie? How often are the facts and the recreations of events satisfying to those who are seriously interested in the minutiae?

but you can make a great movie about the case- where the case is part of the general, overall plot- or is hinted at in the plot- but the movie has its own storylines and unique characters to get personally invested in as well....

The Master was a good movie about Scientology but not an intentional biography of it.

Martha Marcy May Marlene- is a good movie about cults and has similarities to the Manson clan- but is not a direct attempt at portraying it...

These types of movies work much better to me than movies that try to recreate the actual stories for whatever reasons...

anyway- after watching this trailer- this is the most excited about a M related flick I have been in a long time.

I mean I kinds sorta lived this recently lol

Anonymous said...

"...What makes things more peculiar is Conrad’s obsession with Charles Manson — and the sites of his infamous murders in Southern California."

The above quote sounds like the guy was on one of the annual MansonFamilyBlog tours:):) (sorry, Matt!!)

Unknown said...

Lol. That's what I meant by kinda sorta Equinox

Anonymous said...

Hi St Circumstance (my favourite Saint!!)

Hope you are getting on alright. I am sending best wishes to you from the UK.

The film sounds like it's based on Matt's real life:) All you would need is Vera as the love interest!!

MHN said...

St C - exactly. The Master, along with Martha Marcy May Marlene told me more about Manson (I'm guessing than any of the HS-inspired exploitation pics. Charlie is usually nothing more than a limited repertoire of manic demonic facial expressions; they might as well give him a pair of horns. Why would anyone follow such a tiresome little man? Charlie must have been - at least some of the time - fun, cheerful, encouraging, uplifting, stimulating. Maybe that was all a lie, I don't know; but I do know that the constantly creepy little turd portrayed in the HS-inspired movies wouldn't fool even an idiot like Tex. They want you to understand he's hypnotically beguiling, but they don't even have the intelligence to portray him as anything other than a transparently malevolent charlatan.

Unknown said...

Hey guys :) Thanks Equinox!! My exact problem with most bio movies MHN. The larger than life personalities are too hard to act out, so those who know the intimate details of the characters personalities are always left disappointed by the performances- and thus, to some extent, usually the movie as well...

and again - there have been a few exceptions where I only re-watch the movie for those performances such as when Val Kilmer stopped acting and became Jim Morrison lol

Patty is Dead said...

Patty is really interested in seeing this one though of course there are bound to be inaccuracies. Did she really see a black bus in the trailer??

Mr. Humphrat said...

The image of Charlie seems to be purposely distorted-face too wide
on the right side of image. I wonder if that's to skirt copyright
problem.

Robert Hendrickson said...

Back when I first started selling my MANSON DVDS on the internet, I had an irrate customer, because he didn't receive the DVDs, BUT the USPS tracking showed that the postman delivered. I mean this guy was ready to Helter Skelter the post office. So in my communications with him, he openned up about why the DVDs were so important. At some time HE realized HE could have very possibly joined the Family IF he had lived near-by. And HE became obbsessed with that possiblity. I in turn became very intereted in WHY people were still interested in the "case."

MANY folks don't give a damn about who, why, or what the murders were about, BUT they do feel as though THEY fall within the "six degrees of separation" THING (the whole Manson Family, 1960's revlution)

AND if you can be objective and HONEST about it, it's rather obvious that AFTER "Manson" KILLED the 60's and the Vietnam WAR - life in America became BOOOORE-INGGGG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seems to me like the ST and others can identify with this, at least within 6 degrees.

stoner van houten said...

this movie reminds me of another fat guy with a beard who smokes tons of weed and goes around looking at manson sites ..??...LMAO!!!!
holy shit,they made a movie about me..and i was living in my friends backyard in 2012.
i have done everything in this movie,even read my friends kids ''helter skelter''..there parents where pissed..lol..lol...
and the END of this movie he finally gets to talk to manson.??..ummmm.???
well i know i will never talk to manson..lol...but i might have a chance of meeting another member...YOU never know.???..LMAO!..(probably not)
just like this guy in the movie,he stuck with it and in the end it all payed off.
think about it.???
they TOOK my life and made a MOVIE ABOUT IT !!!
they did there homework,they had 4 years of info on me..!!!
CANT WAIT TO SEE IT !!!!

Unknown said...

I got the Manson DVD's online and I think they are really incredible. Still the closest thing most of us will ever get to being around the ranch in the day. Those films are absolutely like turning back time and watching home movies of the family as they were and they are brilliant to me.

I honestly dont know why this case fascinates me so much. Many reasons. It was a life and time I have always dreamed of being around for. I am not really much of a hippy outside of my musical tastes, but for some reason I always wanted to be one lol

Unknown said...

yes black bus in trailer lol

Anonymous said...


Looks like an original concept.

What is the due date for this film? I'd like to take my boy Tommy to see this, but unfortunately he was hit by a train, plane and automobile. He was always the black sheep of the family. Fortunately, I've still got my other boys - Harold & Kumar - what an odd couple those two are.


MHN said...

Stoner: "this movie reminds me of another fat guy with a beard who smokes tons of weed and goes around looking at manson sites ..??...LMAO!!!!"

I give up - do you mean Santa Claus?

Anonymous said...


@MHN & St. Circumstance - I recall hearing that at some point in the 70's a Manson movie was in the works in Hollywood and couple of actors being considered for the part of Manson were Robert Blake and Dennis Hopper. I think Dennis Hopper later said in an interview that he wasn't sure if he wanted to play Manson because Jay Sebring was a good friend of his. I think that either of those actors would have given a more interesting and accurate portrayal of Manson than any of the other actors that I've seen in that role.

Patty is Dead said...

Ziggy, Patty is not sure if it will be released widely. It was shown at SXSW and can be purchased on line.

Patty is Dead said...

Maybe the Colonel knows how that works?

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...
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Patty is Dead said...

Dawes, Stoner recently did one at the Old "Russian Embassy" in SF. Did you see that one too? PS Patty is Stoner's camera woman on the NorCal videoes.

Unknown said...

Thanks Ziggy and Dawes.

I watched Stoners videos for weeks before I met him. Really great guy. His videos are incredible. If you haven't watched - you should. Lol

Unknown said...

I just wish the Eagles would play better for him lol

Anonymous said...
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Matt said...

Ever see his video where he and friends are playing "Get on Home" on the laptop, doing bong hits and choking their brains out? I laughed for days...


Unknown said...

lol- "This is it" is a classic as well...

Chris B said...

Wasnt Johnny Depp up for playing Manson at some point but dropped out? I reckon he could have portrayed the charisma and not just the crazy.

Well before all that Keith Richards mascara pirate acting.

Matt said...

https://media.giphy.com/media/3o85xmnGcpP0WXmxKo/giphy.gif

Thanks, Bagley Artwork!


Anonymous said...

@Robert Hendrickson

Mr H,

Just to let you know I have left a message for you on the previous post (the post about Bruce's parole transcript)

Chris B said...

Mr Hendrickson, I have just read that you are the only US citizen to have had his constitutional right to free speech set aside. Surely this is a hook for your planned mini-series?

orwhut said...

Does Matt's last hot link mean Charlie is endorsing Trump?

Patty is Dead said...

Hot link? You're making Patty hungry, whut!

Unknown said...

Tried to get this movie tonight. Here's what I found...


Netflix has acquired world distribution rights to “Manson Family Vacation,” a comedy produced by the Duplass brothers, Variety has learned.

The film, which premiered at SXSW on Monday night to good reviews, tells the story of two brothers (played by Jay Duplass and Linas Phillips) who embark on a road trip to the site of the Manson Family murders.

J. Davis wrote and directed the movie.

The acquisition is the latest in the streaming service’s aggressive push in feature films. Over the weekend, Netflix closed the first big deal at SXSW — picking up the buzzy relationship drama “6 Years,” which it plans to release later this year.
It wasn’t immediately known when Netflix would release “Manson Family Vacation.”

Anonymous said...


Thanks for researching that, St. C.

I did some googling and apparently the Netflix release date is October 27th (copy/paste below) :


One of the most well known serial killers of all time is the charismatic Charles Manson. While some even question if he was a killer as he had others doing his work for him you can’t deny his impact in pop culture. From t-shirts to albums the Manson legacy is something that those who follow a different past are always aware of. Filmmaker J. Davis looks to display Manson fan fare with his feature MANSON FAMILY VACATION. The film being presented by the Duplass Brothers (CREEP) follows two brothers who decide to visit the infamous Manson Family murder sites. MANSON FAMILY VACATION heads to VOD on October 6th followed by a Netflix release on October 27th. Check out the details on the film ahead.

Written and directed by newcomer J. Davis, MANSON FAMILY VACATION takes two very different siblings on a road trip that tests the limits of brotherly love. From The Duplass Brothers, the film features Jay Duplass, Linas Phillips, Tobin Bell (Jigsaw from the “Saw” movies), Leonora Pitts and Davie-Blue.

A man’s comfortable life in Los Angeles is disrupted when his estranged brother comes to town to visit the infamous Manson Family murder sites. Together, the brothers journey from the Hollywood Hills to the Mojave Desert, and into the modern-day world of Charles Manson.

MANSON FAMILY VACATION premiered at SXSW 2015.



http://horrormoviesuncut.com/2015/09/14/manson-family-vacation-heads-to-netflix-and-on-demand-this-october/

Patty is Dead said...

Thanks you guys

orwhut said...
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orwhut said...

orwhut said...
Patty,
Maybe I should have said hyper link. I was referring to the blue URL that Mat posted. It does sound like something you'd buy from a food cart though. Now I'm hungry too.

SusanB said...

Hi Chris & everyone. Yes, Johnny Depp could do it. I still think Jeremy Davies nailed it in HS 2004.

Anonymous said...


Robert De Niro based some of his Max Cady character in Martin Scorsese's remake of "Cape Fear" on Manson.

An odd bit of trivia : Martin Scorsese was offered the role of Charles Manson in the 1976 TV film Helter Skelter.


Ajerseydevil said...

Saint great to see you back hope things are better for you friend

Unknown said...

Thanks Bud. You as well!

Robert Hendrickson said...

EQ: I am beginning to like YOUR idea. BUT most of these festivals only want a world "premiere" unless they are doing some kind of retrospective. For me it would be a kind'a return to the beginning to make a full circle, because this was going to happen decades ago - EXCEPT the film was "banned" from the UK. AND then I have the newer film "Inside the MANSON Gang" which was shown at the Colonge Conference in Germany just when the "Depression" hit and I couldn't even attend or promote the showing.

So I'm trying to find out all I can about what their restrictions are. If you can learn anymore that would be great and IF I cannot attend, I would still show it there, and you could be my stand-in.

TO EVEYONE: The real problem with ALL the other MANSON Family films is that there is NOT enough time (under 2 hours) to develop the characters from normal human beings into what they became. Thus, writers and directors take the easy way out and make Charlie a monster from the first frame of film to the last.

IE: The Pope is played-up in exactly the smae way and people LOVE him.
The ONLY difference is: we only SEE him in the image he became and NEVER see HIM from how he got to be the second-coming.

WE also have the "I have a dream" factor. Most of us ONLY want to SEE the "good" or "bad" image of a person that reinforces their own favored sterotypes. The "alien" is a perfect example of that situation and whether YOU like "good" aliens or "bad" ones will likely have a strong influence on who becomes the next US President (the world's most powerful leader.)

Of course, that's where real drama is born. Remember the story of the Mexican maid who crushed the "dream" of the rich and powerful Meg Witman to become the govenator of California.


Chris B said...

Mr Hendrickson. I read that Johnny Weissmuller once went from LA to Las Vegas by boat. Essentially a party yacht on the back of a trailer driven along the highway. Why not combine that with with the Apocalypse Now idea of a long journey up river into the heart of darkness.

You can film all the the interiors on the boat at leisure in your driveway and exteriors you only need a boat on a trailer driving from LA to Death Valley. Any additional characters you need are just people getting on the boat.

tell the story from one 'set'. Imagine the scene from Jaws when Quint recalls the sinking of the USS Indianapolis along with exterior shots of characters on deck with the wind in their hair and endless vistas like a classic western.

MHN said...

Christopher, I'm now picturing a hybrid of Fitzcarraldo and Fear and Loathing. I'm very confused. And slightly aroused.

Robert Hendrickson said...

Well CHRIS, what made you KNOW I would understand exactly what you are talking about ? How's this for 6 derees of separation: Years ago TOBY donated her time to the Motion Picture Hospital. Her sole patient was JOHNNY W. and he spent his last months telling her HIS whole life story.

AND Apcokolas Now was written by John Milius. John saw MANSON at a private screening back in the early 70's. Ever wonder who Brando is, Sheen is, and Brando's "rebel" soldiers are ? John even wrote the Jaws scene you mention.

I even wrote a sequel to the Manson Story where adventurist turists go out to the DV desert where the old Manson Family eventually returned to a real Ghost town and set up shop - once again.

Of course, the sequel was meant to be EVERYONE"S "nightmare."

Hippiedoll said...

Love reading all the posts here. I did comment one time about lil' Larry being cute, back in the day. Just wanted to say that I think Steve Railsback did a great Charlie, in the 1976 helter skelter movie . He still scares the hell outta me when I watch it! I won't watch it at night when I'm home alone! LOL...
I guess it's all just a matter of opinion...

Matt said...

Welcome back, hippie doll.

Patty is Dead said...

MHN are you a Kinski fan?!!?

Mr. Humphrat said...

RH did you hear the NPR Fresh Air interview yesterday with the director of the new documentary on the "The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution"? It made me think of you. They interviewed some cops who interacted with the Panthers back in the 60s including ones who were involved in the raid where they killed Fred Hampton and another/others. Also they have footage of the big shootout with police in L.A.

MHN said...

Patty - absolutely! And even more, a Herzog fan. Kinski should've played Manson!

Patty is Dead said...

F**k yeah!!!

Hippiedoll said...

Thanks Matt!
Always reading, just not posting.
Visiting here daily to read what's new is one of my morning usuals. I enjoy seeing the new posts. Sometimes I think I'm trying to understand my interest in this case. I'm just glad to see I'm not alone.

Chris B said...

Klaus Kinski as Manson, or Manson as Klaus Kinski? Degrees of separation is of course Kinski's daughter Natasha was linked to Polanksi until she got old.

MHN yes Fitzcarraldo would be an excellent take on the saga. It also works with Manson as Captain Ahab. More expensive would be to have the boat horse drawn so it's essentially Spahn Ranch on wheels.

All characters can be met on the way, ie. broken down or hitching, etc. Transpose the move from Spahn to Barker to the new scenario and reveal the back story along the way.

GoPro cameras are cheap and broadcast quality, someone on her can knock up a script and Mansonblog can make the filming of it their next tour. The only stumbling block is will Mr Hendrickson lend you his luxury yacht?

starship said...

I don't get it. You mean to tell me there are people out there who think being interested in the Manson saga all these years later are somehow weird?????!!!!???

I have netflix, but I can't wait that long. I'm sure I'll buy it on my roku on 10/6 for sure. I think the Duplass Brothers are excellent too.

Suze said...

starship said...
I don't get it. You mean to tell me there are people out there who think being interested in the Manson saga all these years later are somehow weird?????!!!!???

***

Well I'm weird too then because I enjoy all of your comments each day as sick and twisted as they are. LOL

Robert Hendrickson said...

You guys are getting a good laugh over this, BUT I am actually getting some great ideas.

AND you are apparently missing some very relevant clues.

Yesterday, the POPE "zonked" John Boehner and made HIM "cry" right on national television and NOW Johnny is resigning from Congress. AND we are talking "speaker of the house" here.

Yesterday, the POPE "messmerized" a female Senator to the extent SHE could NOT even speak - when he touched HER.

BUT as powerful as the POPE is, HE could NOT make anyone's watch STOP.

IF you still don't "get it," maybe you NEED some of MY "new and improved" marbles.

HellzBellz said...

Ha Ha Ha LOL.....at the end of the Trailer the Guy says ,,Everybody freaks out if yo bring up Charles Manson !!......
And MY imediate thoughts were....Ohhhhh NO !! WE dont !! Ha Ha Ha Ha LOL

MHN said...

Robert, could Manson cause marbles to stop working or was it only watches? This Pope is nothing but a Marxist in a white dress. Every word he says is so fashionably progressive I'm embarrassed to be Catholic.

Robert Hendrickson said...

MICHAEL: You obviously have a unique perspective on "religion." Perhaps you could share your thoughs on the similarities between Manson and the Pope and also their differences. IE: One likes money and the other likes honey and both like boys.

Unknown said...

Saw it , not bad , kinda groovy