Last weekend, I watched an indie film loosely based on the sensational courtroom escapades of the Manson Family, entitled: Leslie, My Name is Evil. Although it received mostly horrible reviews in mainstream media, I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable parody of the pop culture sensibilities of it's depicted era; a wildly confusing time when free love seemed to collide head-on with ferocity and fear-mongering.
For some time, I have been unsure about how to approach the Manson Girls for the purposes of this blog. If nothing else, this movie (far more arthouse than accurate) has provided me with a convenient segue into one of the darkest corners of American culture.
This morning, I came upon a somewhat surprising critique of Leslie. Legendary film-maker John Waters - also known as the Pope of Trash - decried the film's release. Speaking on behalf of both himself and his friend, ex-Manson Family member and convicted murderer Leslie Van Houten, Waters said:
"Both myself and Leslie were horrified this movie was made, and I will never be able to watch it no matter what the intent."
Waters went on to explain that he, too, is guilty of having contributed to Manson Mania:
"Guilty of using the Manson murders in a jokey, smart-ass way in my earlier films without the slightest feeling for the victims' families or the lives of the brainwashed Manson killer kids who were also victims in this sad and terrible case."
Victims, indeed. While I understand the plight of reformed offenders (really, I do) as I watch them grow old behind bars, such is the unfortunate price of foraying into the realm of ultra-violence. Would any of the ex-Manson Family members ever have come to an understanding of the word "redemption" had they not been forced to contemplate their own brutality from inside an institutional cage?
Back in 2009, Waters contributed a series to the Huffington Post about the unlikely friend he found in Van Houten. Waters has been a fierce advocate for Leslie's parole; her 19th request was denied by the parole board in July 2010. She will be eligible to apply again in 2013.
Whether or not you agree with Waters' position on Van Houten's parole entitlement, the following is a thoughtful, intelligent piece of writing from an undisputed master of the craft:
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