Rating: 
Summary: What A Waste Of Time (And Film)!
Review: If you feel like watching a looney-toon talk gibberish for a little more than an hour and forty-five minutes, then this is the perfect DVD for you! Otherwise, I cannot recommend it. Charles Manson, the mythic architect of the August 1969 "Tate-LaBianca Murders" in Los Angeles, California, is interviewed in prison for this 1989 program, with very little (to none) in the way of what could be termed "useful" or "enlightening" information being revealed. Charlie talks and talks...and talks some more during the program, seemingly coming up with answers off the top of his head...all of which have absolutely no coherence whatsoever. Not a sentence he spoke in this program made a grain of sense. I think it's a safe bet to say, as has been said of him in the past, that Charles Milles Manson (Maddox) is a supreme master of obfuscation and double-talk. This program, overall, has fairly rock-bottom production values too, featuring shrill sound, slow menus, not exactly top-notch video quality, and several errors by the narrator/filmmaker, who was obviously reading his spoken words straight from a written "script" (which I think would have been acceptable if not for the boring-like monotone quality in which its delivered in this presentation). I'm fascinated by the subject of Charles Manson, but I wish I had skipped this program in favor of something more compelling and far less rambling and just plain nutty (which is how Manson comes across here). If you're looking for quality Manson material on video, I'd opt for the A&E Biography on Manson, which is quite good IMO.
Rating: 
Summary: FREE CHARLES MANSON!
Review: In Charles Manson Superstar, Charlie finally gets to tell his side of the story. He lays it on the line. He makes America uncomfortable. The major point is that Charlie never murdered anyone. He was convicted based upon testimony from the murderers that Charlie "told us to do it." Manson is in prison for several reasons, none of which have to do with him being a cold-blooded killer. He was the personification of hippie counter-culture in 1969. He's wild-eyed and speaks his mind. He talks differently than most people. Perhaps Manson's biggest "crime" and the reason he continues to be denied parole is that he got a swastika tattooed on his forehead. It's a very complicated case. Manson ain't no angel. He's a superstar. Watch this film without prejudice and make up your own mind. Perhaps you too will decide that it's time to free Charles Manson!
Rating:
Summary: Schreck uses acquaintance with LaVey for entrée to Manson
Review: It's time the leech Nikolas Schreck's great journalistic acumen be exposed for what it is: sheer pushy opportunism. In the mid-80s, Schreck's motivation for chumming up to Anton LaVey was the hope of prestige and financial gain. (At one point he approached LaVey about taking over his position of High Priest of the Church of Satan!) He used his acquaintance with LaVey to insinuate himself into many peoples' confidences, including Manson. Prior to meeting LaVey, Schreck was known around L.A. as a gay-bashing neo-Nazi. Schreck, used his own brief membership in LaVey's organization to leverage the interviews leading to his book, The Manson File, despite LaVey's ongoing censure of Manson's horrendous crimes, then later induced Manson to allow himself to be videotaped by Schreck for the resultant Charles Manson Superstar video. Schreck has NO originality or creativity, stealing everything and crediting NO one. The CM-Superstar tape is boring and overly long, because Schreck simply set a microphone up and let Charlie interminably ramble and self-aggrandize. We actually learn nothing we didn't already know about Charlie. A good interviewer knows the right questions to ask to effect self-revelation in his subject. He couldn't even think up a an original title, but instead exploits the popularity of Jesus Christ Superstar. If you want to buy into the support of the little creep's ego mania (and Schreck's), then by all means purchase this video, take some No-Doze, and prepare yourself to cry, "Editor, editor." As one famous critic once remarked at the conclusion of a dull screening, "I always know if a film's good by whether my ass starts to itch halfway through." If Schreck is to be credited with anything its for knowing how to brown-nose himself into LaVey's good graces and having the sense to pounce on an opportunity to use LaVey's name to get his foot in the door before LaVey gave him the boot. How did Schreck get close to LaVey? Why, by using one of the age-old methods--he courted the patriarch's daughter. I was "on the scene" during this timeframe and witnessed Schreck in action.
Rating:
Summary: Schreck uses acquaintance with LaVey for entrée to Manson
Review: It's time the leech Nikolas Schreck's great journalistic acumen be exposed for what it is: sheer pushy opportunism. In the mid-80s, Schreck's motivation for chumming up to Anton LaVey was the hope of prestige and financial gain. (At one point he approached LaVey about taking over his position of High Priest of the Church of Satan!) He used his acquaintance with LaVey to insinuate himself into many peoples' confidences, including Manson. Prior to meeting LaVey, Schreck was known around L.A. as a gay-bashing neo-Nazi. Schreck, used his own brief membership in LaVey's organization to leverage the interviews leading to his book, The Manson File, despite LaVey's ongoing censure of Manson's horrendous crimes, then later induced Manson to allow himself to be videotaped by Schreck for the resultant Charles Manson Superstar video. Schreck has NO originality or creativity, stealing everything and crediting NO one. The CM-Superstar tape is boring and overly long, because Schreck simply set a microphone up and let Charlie interminably ramble and self-aggrandize. We actually learn nothing we didn't already know about Charlie. A good interviewer knows the right questions to ask to effect self-revelation in his subject. He couldn't even think up a an original title, but instead exploits the popularity of Jesus Christ Superstar. If you want to buy into the support of the little creep's ego mania (and Schreck's), then by all means purchase this video, take some No-Doze, and prepare yourself to cry, "Editor, editor." As one famous critic once remarked at the conclusion of a dull screening, "I always know if a film's good by whether my ass starts to itch halfway through." If Schreck is to be credited with anything its for knowing how to brown-nose himself into LaVey's good graces and having the sense to pounce on an opportunity to use LaVey's name to get his foot in the door before LaVey gave him the boot. How did Schreck get close to LaVey? Why, by using one of the age-old methods--he courted the patriarch's daughter. I was "on the scene" during this timeframe and witnessed Schreck in action.
Rating:
Summary: Manson, Jesus, Bugliosi, Time and doing time.
Review: manson's "mental difficulties inhibited him from becoming a productive member of society."??? new perspective... society's mental difficulties inhibited manson from becoming a productive member of society.
Rating:
Summary: Manson, Jesus, Bugliosi, Time and doing time.
Review: Nikolas Schreck interviews Mr Charles Manson himself what more do you need to know? This quality work sees a genuinly impartial Schreck tackling the Manson myth and Manson himself in interview with intelligence, gently probing (whenever Charlie stops for a breath) this facinating man. The work is comprehensive, examining Manson's origins, the famous Bugliosi showcase trial, fellow characters in the 'manson family', 'hippies', the 60's and the decades of persistent media hype/myth around the era defining case. As a work of cultural study this stimulating film stands on it's own. The first thing you should be aware of in terms of Charles Manson is his insistence of his personal innocence of the murders he is serving time for. In short he maintains there was no 'family', he did not control others free will, did not order any murders and indeed was not present at any murders. (You may choose to believe or not believe he is white as snow!) The second is that he is either mad, truely enlightened, or both. The lenghty 1989 interview in San Quentin has moments of great revelation (in the purest sense of the concept) and hilarity. The shadowy Schreck seems a little over-awed in the face of Mansons energy and conviction but regardless, Manson himself does an excellent job at debunking 'Charles Manson'. He comes across as a tremendously aware human being and ultimately a true paradox - for all his awareness he seems to be less than capable of making the best of his potential for 'rehabilitation' and all that could concievably bring. This film should give any open-minded and/or inquisitive viewer great insight into life itself - rather than Charles Manson perhaps. That's to say you may feel you know more about yourself rather than more about Manson after viewing. This cannot be a bad thing. You may want to join the Manson fan club after watching this film tho so beware. This review was based on the video. The dvd has a section on Mansons music which is of a surprisingly high quality - the 'family' could really sing.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but....
Review: There is no denying that this is a most interesting documentary...even if it did put me to sleep three times! The best "review" of the film, though, can be found on an insert dated 2002 found within the DVD casing itself: filmmaker Nikolas Schreck writes that, since having made the film in the late 1980s, "I have learned much more concerning the actual facts of the Manson murders than I knew when this film was made. In light of this more accurate information, it is obvious to me that I presented several wrong conclusions in 'Charles Manson Superstar.' Were I to make this film now, I would have asked Manson very different questions than I did at the time. For example, I have heard credible evidence that indicates that Manson may well have been present at the scene of the murders and may have been far more involved in the crimes themselves than even his most vociferous critics have claimed. Therefore, I no longer believe that Mason was the innocent martyr he presented himself to be."
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST DOCUMENTARY YOU WILL FIND ON MANSON!!!
Review: This documentary about Charles Manson and his "family" shows Manson not so much as an overpowering evil moster, but as a rather small insecure little man whose mental difficulties inhibited him from becoming a productive member of society. The film also includes an interview with Manson where he incessantly rambles on about everything from prison life to nature. In the end, you almost feel sorry for this scared little guy. If you want to see the best documentary made about the life of Charles Manson, then this film is definitely your best choice.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but not "good."
Review: This documentary is for people interested in the person Charles Manson, not in actual facts about the case, since they tend to take Manson's word for fact. However, it is fascinating to watch Manson interact with the interviewer & prison guards; it gives a little insight into how he charms and/or frightens people. The video and audio quality are bad (sometimes you can't hear the narration above the booming bad music). The director/narrator/writer says that in researching Manson, "One is usually forced to read between the lines of the author's self-service." I couldn't have said it better myself.
Rating:
Summary: CHARLIE SPEAKS !!!
Review: This film came out a year after Schreck released The Manson File book. Even though that's been about 14 years ago, this is the only video I've seen that devotes the majority of it's running time (90 minutes) to letting Charlie have his say. You may not agree with what he has to say but you finally get a chance to go beyond the famous photos and hear Charlie speak. Before you watch this DVD, be sure to read the accompanying insert (an introduction with correction notes) which was produced for this 2002 rerelease. A must have for Manson fans and curious others.
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