Charlie Says (2018) Movie Script
[film reel ticking]
[instrumental music]
Where are y'all headed?
Well, we're trying to get up
to Santa Susana Pass Road
but however far you can take us.
- Oh, Spahn Ranch?
- Hey, yeah. How did you know?
Yeah, well, not quite, uh,
all the way up there.
My, uh, my aunt lives nearby.
What you got there?
[laughs]
Some money, I guess.
Hey, if you're gonna take us
all the way
we should buy you breakfast.
Right on.
[indistinct chatter]
I don't know.
I thought
"Tiptoe Through The Tulips"
was a pretty far-out song
if you're a little high.
I guess I was a lot high
when I first heard it.
Seems like a fag to me.
Hey, watch it.
Tex here told the army
he was an acid head homosexual
to get out of the war, so..
I'm not actually a homosexual.
I mean, who sings like that?
Guy with his voice
all high like a girl
and his tiny
little whatchamacallit.
It's a put on.
[dramatic music]
Everything's a put on.
Tiny Tim is just having fun.
Hey, we better get out of here.
[birds squawking]
[humming]
Uh, sing that one.
Ride take a free ride
Take my place
Have my seat
It's for free
Ride my see-saw
Ride
Ride
Ride my see-saw
Damn. Okay.
Goodnight, Katie.
Goodnight, Lulu.
Goodnight, Sadie.
Goodnight.
"Lying in your prison bed
"womb straining, sweat pouring
"you deliver your child
within these concrete walls
"and steel bars.
"Because your infant
is born here
"in here,
she is labeled, numbered
"and her mugshot is taken.
"She is called a criminal.
But you and I know she is
another awesome female warrior."
Wow. I thought
it was really powerful, Tina.
- Mm-hmm.
- Thank you.
Pardon me, ladies.
Karlene, can I speak with you?
- Sure.
- Ooh.
You guys, go ahead.
I need your help
with the Manson girls
over
in the Special Security Unit.
Since the death penalty
was lifted
no one knows
what to do with them.
The Governor doesn't want them in general population
so they are on death row
indefinitely.
Just the three of them, stuck in those cells 23 hours a day.
I can't let them rot in there.
Good morning, ladies.
- Hi, Miss Carlson.
- Hello, Miss Carlson.
I'd like you to meet
Karlene Faith.
- Hi, Karlene.
- Nice to meet you, Karlene.
Nice to meet you all.
Karlene is a graduate student
at UC, Santa Cruz
and she teaches
some of the inmates here.
Now that you're gonna be
staying with us
I think it's a good time
to talk about taking
some classes with her.
So that... that means we are
staying in the SSU for good then?
Let's not get ahead
of ourselves.
We're offering college courses
to residents here.
You'd be free to study
just about anything you want.
Literature, Philosophy,
Journalism.
Are we gonna learn about shit
like Women's Lib?
Language, please, Susan.
[laughing]
We don't have to study
Women's Lib, no
although I do teach a Women's
Studies course here in CIW.
Women's Studies.
Far out.
I'll leave you ladies to it.
- Thank you, Miss Carlson.
- Bye, Miss Carlson.
- Bye, Miss Carlson.
- Oh, thank you, Jimmy.
- Thanks, Jimmy.
- Thank you, Jimmy.
Hey, Karlene,
do you want some grape Tang?
Pretty please, Jimmy,
can we have
some grape Tang for our guest?
Thanks, Jimmy.
Jimmy always takes care of us.
And you should hear him sing.
I'll never smile
Our favorite guard should have
been a famous crooner!
Until I smile at you
Ooh!
Thank you.
You're Susan, right?
I'm Sadie. Susan's dead.
Charlie named me Sadie.
- Where are you from?
- I'm from the now.
I'm from everywhere.
Hello. I'm Lulu.
On the list they gave you,
I'm sure it says Leslie
but I'm Lulu.
And I'm Katie.
I think I would be interested in
studying the women of the pioneer.
That's what we were doing
with Charlie.
Learning how to live off
the land and be self-sufficient.
Earth mothers.
[instrumental music]
The only way you're happy
Is not where
you're not free
Your home is where you can be what you are
'Cause you are born free
Now they'll show you
the castle
Hey, Gypsy.
- Who's this?
- I'm Leslie.
Welcome to the ranch.
Welcome to our family.
Come and meet Charlie.
What an absolutely perfect day
for you to come see us.
Charlie says it's not a day
for working.
So we are just being today.
Now they'll show you
their castle
[scatting]
And I want a little smoke
smoke smoke smoke now
Mmm mmm
Well, Jesus, I guess
I'm your best friend.
Play something for me,
Little Paulie.
[guitar music]
I got a blank, Charlie!
Well, well, well, well, well.
Looky, looky here.
Well, hey there,
Brother Bobby?
What do we have here?
Gypsy said Leslie would be happy
with you.
Gypsy, Gypsy, Gypsy,
my baby Gypsy.
You brought someone
just like I asked.
Now that's a good soldier.
[chuckles]
[laughter]
Be my mirror.
[laughs]
[humming]
My name's Charlie.
[laughs]
Where did you find her?
She was hanging around my harem
for a while.
But it was turning into a bad
scene with my old lady.
Beautiful Brother Bobby.
He really knows
how to make love to the girls.
That's what they all tell me.
Sadie's made love to Bobby,
right?
Yeah, we've all made love to him
at this point, huh?
[laughs]
I can't take
another man's woman.
She's not mine, Charlie.
Gypsy told me all about you
and the family.
- I can't take her.
- Charlie.
I think we should let her stay.
She digs us and she's hungry.
She's a seeker.
[guitar music]
Where are your parents?
It doesn't matter to me.
I'm on my own journey.
Well, what do you have for us?
Do you have a car?
- No.
- Well, then we'll get you one.
We'll get you a car.
We'll find you a car.
You know why? Because old ego
is a too much thing.
Old ego is a too much thing.
He'll make you fool yourself.
You'll think
you're somebody else.
You'll ride
that whole subway train.
You like her, you teach her.
You keep an eye on her,
and you see if she belongs with us.
And, you,
Katie is my everything.
Katie is me. You pay attention
to what she does.
If you're even half as good
as her, then you can stay.
[guitar music]
When I first met Charlie,
I just knew.
Hopped on a bus
and I never looked back.
But Charlie's like a... beacon
of light or something.
I mean, look at you,
you're here.
- Hey, Tex.
- Hello there.
How you doing?
Tex hasn't reached
awareness yet.
He's still working
on letting go of his ego.
Charlie says,
"Let go of your ego
and be like a finger
on a hand."
Come on.
I want you to meet George.
George Spahn. It's his ranch.
Hello?
[indistinct chatter on TV]
Squeaky is so kind to him.
- She's a generous soul.
- I'll say.
It's beautiful here.
We don't get hung up about sex.
You get it?
We just be.
We let things happen.
We let go.
I think you're gonna love it.
Hurry up now, everybody.
Come on.
- Dennis.
- Hey, girl.
And who is this pretty thing?
- I'm Leslie.
- Ah, welcome.
I'm not in this family, but..
...I dig this family.
Hi.
Beach Boys Dennis?
That's really Dennis Wilson?
- He's just Dennis to us.
- Time for communion.
You've turned on before,
right?
Millions of times.
Just, uh, wasn't expecting it
right now.
[instrumental music]
I spent my life in jail for you.
So that you could ride
your bicycles.
Have your birthday parties.
I never had a life.
I don't even know what life is.
But you all had a life.
Your parents told you what to do
and you did it.
And for payment, you got what?
You got
little cookie cutter minds.
Look what happened to Sandy.
Spoiled Sandy.
Spoiled Sandy had to come
to her new daddy
to find something real.
Take off your clothes for us,
Sandy.
Do it.
Help her. Come on.
Can't you see she needs help?
Tex.
Get up here.
Go on.
Now you look at how
parents abuse their children.
If they loved her
why did they allow doctors
to cut up her body like this?
And then they felt bad
and then they spoiled her.
And now Sandy can't let go
of her ego.
It's not your fault,
it's your parents' fault.
Would you say that to me?
It's my parents' fault.
And it's not your fault.
[sobs]
It's not my fault.
Now turn around.
It's not your fault.
It's not my fault.
It's your parents' fault.
It's my parents' fault.
Now come and tell her
that she looks beautiful.
- You look beautiful, Sandy.
- You look beautiful.
- You're beautiful.
- Perfect.
You look beautiful.
We love you so much.
You look so beautiful.
[indistinct song]
You are beautiful, Sandy.
[sobbing]
[laughing]
So he led Katie away
and I asked Squeaky
if Katie was Charlie's old lady.
And Squeaky told me
"Nobody belongs
to anybody here
"except Charlie.
We all belong to Charlie."
I thought
that was pretty far out.
Then she says, "If you're lucky,
he'll pick you next."
Every girl should have a daddy
like Charlie.
Something for you to take a look
at for next week.
The Bible is the only book
Charlie let us have around.
Charlie says
that authors are evil.
Trying to play mind tricks
on the reader.
So do you feel like
you'd be doing something bad
by studying with me?
Because if you are going
to do these classes with me
you're going to have
to read books.
I'm also gonna leave
a copy of this.
Have any of you read it?
This book changed my life.
It looks like
it could be interesting.
Can you believe Charles Manson
wouldn't let them read?
It's been three years since
they had any contact with him.
But all they do
is talk about him
and spout his bullshit.
I want you to come talk to them.
You should do
your poetry workshop.
No way.
There are real victims
in this prison.
They're the ones I wanna help.
Maybe these women
are victims too.
Would you be saying that
if it was your sister?
Your pregnant sister
who got stabbed 20 times.
It's Leslie's shower time
so it's your time
in the yard, Pat.
And, Susan, I guess it's just
gonna be you and me for a bit.
Perfect opportunity
for a hand job.
Just teasing, Jimmy.
I know you love your Alice!
Oh, there you go. Wow.
Those tomatoes
are looking great.
We'll give you some
when they are ripe.
Time keeps on flyin'
You think
you're lovin' baby
But all you're doin'
is tryin'
Can you feel?
Are your feelings real?
Look at your game girl
Good morning.
Charlie's sending us
on a garbage run to LA today.
You're coming with me.
He says you can split
at the end of the day
and go on your way
if you want to.
But I don't wanna go.
Charlie is the most
beautiful person I've ever met.
- Does he want me to leave?
- No.
I don't know.
Oh.
Don't go through a big change
about it, okay?
Just get up and let's go.
Come on.
[indistinct whispering]
Wake up, sleepy heads.
Come on.
Welcome to Spahn Ranch,
ladies and gentlemen.
500 acres of gorgeous land
with horses you can rent
and remains
of the famous movie set.
Uh, who here likes
the New Western?
Okay, well, guess what. "Bonanza," "The Lone Ranger.."
- How do you like our bus?
- It's far out.
It's a joke on all the straights we pass on the road.
They think we're a movie crew.
Listen up, girls,
I have a new rule.
No women will ever carry money.
Not even pennies, you dig?
That's why I'm sending Paul
with you.
You give your panhandling money
to him.
You... you still here?
Alright, good.
Well, give your money to Paul.
Come on.
Attagirl.
Don't stay out
too late now, kids.
Bye.
Garbage dump oh garbage dump
Why are you called
a garbage dump?
Oh garbage dump
oh garbage dump
That sums it up
in one big lump
Look, they're not even opened.
Oh, no, no.
We don't eat dead animals.
Charlie says
it's like eating fear.
Hey, man.
You guys can't be in there!
Don't be uptight, friend.
We're not hurting anyone.
O... okay,
but my manager won't...
"But my manager won't."
Oh, be nice to the square.
He doesn't know any better.
Come join us.
You're kind of cute.
Maybe you could just quit
your job and run away with us.
[screams]
I'm... I'm serious.
Y... you guys can't be in there.
Garbage dump
oh garbage dump
Why are you called
a garbage dump?
Oh garbage dump
oh garbage dump
[indistinct chatter]
- Oh, no.
- Men first.
Thank you.
Mother Mary.
Now we can eat.
Does anybody know
what time it is?
No.
I'm just messing with you.
[laughs]
You know what time it is,
it's now.
Look, there's a reason
I asked you to give up
your watches and your clocks
and your calendars.
I know that was difficult,
but where did it get us?
- You, do you feel more free?
- Yes, Charlie.
And why is that, Katie?
- I'm living in the now.
- Mm-hmm.
I don't need a soulless gadget
to tell me how to live.
I don't wanna be
like the plastic people.
Exactly.
That's what our parents
and our schools taught us.
You live by these numbers.
You play by these rules.
That time is over.
I'm here to make the new rules
and the new rules are no rules.
Oh, yeah.
[instrumental music]
I think it's time for us
to give you a name.
Now what is it those, uh,
those people named you
the ones you occupied a house
with and called a family?
- Les...
- No, I don't wanna know.
You're gonna be Lulu.
Welcome, Lulu.
Welcome.
Yeah, what do we think
of that, guys? Lulu.
- Yeah! There we go.
- Lulu.
- Lulu.
- Hi, Lulu.
- Lulu.
- That's far out!
- Hi, little Lulu.
- Hi, Lulu.
See, what we're trying
to do here is
we're trying to break down
inhibitions.
We're trying to live
in our bodies every night.
Touch each other.
Touch yourselves.
See?
It's not a foreign country.
Your body's like a plant.
If you don't give it love,
then... it will die.
A little birdie told me Tex here
doesn't know how to give head.
To me, man,
that's... that's a crime.
- Come on, Charlie.
- Now don't get uptight, man.
I want my family to know
each other in every way.
We got no secrets.
We got no shame.
It's not your fault
that no one taught you.
- You heard of Freud?
- Yeah.
Well, looky here, man.
The dude was always talking
about oral fixations.
I mean, we all got 'em.
Cat was right.
You need to suck on something.
That's why you got a mouth.
That's why women got titties.
You see kids?
They're always sucking
on their thumbs
or their fingers
or they're chewing on suckers
or jawbreakers.
And people are always
sticking pickles
or smokes and zuzus
in their face, you dig?
Point is, Tex, if you're gonna
suck on something
then you better be
fucking good at it, man.
Gypsy, you get your fine ass
up here now. Come on now.
Don't get uptight, man.
Come on.
We got no secrets.
We got no shame.
Now look.
Oh, alright. I see you.
[laughter]
You see this guy? This is
the guy who needs attention.
- Yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
But you gotta be slow,
like you care.
Come on now.
[instrumental music]
Give it to her, Tex.
[moaning]
[cheering]
[moaning]
[crying]
It's okay.
Don't get uptight
about Sandy, man.
She's having an ego death.
What we're trying to do here,
man, is submit. Let go.
Get rid of materialistic culture
of hang-ups. You dig?
We're all about love here.
Except sometimes, there has
to be some death itself.
Changes, tears.
Weird trips.
That's how it is.
That's how it's always been.
[whistling]
Oh, that's cool. You're not
into it. That's okay.
You don't have to do anything
you don't wanna do here.
It's not, that's not
what we're about.
Let's just go back.
No. I... I want to...
stay here with you right now.
What is it you don't like
about your body?
Come on now,
you hate something.
All women do.
What is it, tits too small?
Huh?
Ass too big?
What is it for Lulu?
No, don't you hide for me.
Tell me what it is
that you hate.
My thighs, I guess.
- Too fat.
- No.
You are perfect.
You say it to me.
You say I am perfect.
I am perfect.
I am perfect.
I am perfect.
I am perfect.
I am perfect.
Hey, little girl.
Now listen to me.
If you wanna be free
of all the bad experiences
and inhibitions
that are crushing you
you have to imagine that you are
making love to your daddy, okay?
That's what all the girls want
and can never have.
[moaning]
Ladies, we have our own
special cell for school now.
I'm not sure what you all did
to make Miss Carlson
like you so much,
but she gave the okay.
Thanks, Jimmy.
It's been a long time.
Ah, I'm sorry, ladies.
I'm gonna have to break that up.
- It's not really allowed to..
- Okay.
Ta-da.
- Lovely.
- Yeah.
Okay.
Okay.
Let's talk about this one.
- Did you all read it?
- It was horrible.
It was very depressing.
I felt really bad for the women
in those situations.
A lot of women right here
in this prison
are survivors
of domestic violence.
They defended themselves
and this is where
it landed them.
That is so sad.
That makes me really sad.
Are you friends with them?
Do you help them?
Yes, and yes.
I'm working with a woman now
who's trying
not to let her daughter
be put into foster care.
She killed her abusive husband
she went to prison,
and now her kid has no parents.
- What's her name?
- How long is she in for?
How old is her kid?
I'm not really allowed
to give details like that.
Well, what about you?
Do you have kids?
Yes. I have four kids.
And what does your husband do?
As much as I'd love
to talk about me
I am here to teach you
and I am not a subject
that merits a college class.
I feel so lucky.
We'll have to decorate.
Make things for it.
- It's like being home again.
- Yeah.
The family BC.
- BC?
- Before the crimes.
When everything was about love.
Yeah. Like when Mary gave birth
to Pooh Bear.
And we all witnessed
the miracle.
[groaning]
- You can do it.
- Yeah. You got this, mama.
- One, two, three, push!
- One, two, three, push!
[groaning]
- Charlie's here.
- It's alright, baby.
It's alright. It's alright.
Nice and easy.
Paul, why don't you play
some music?
We want this motherfucker
to come out dancing, right?
You just push, honey.
You take it easy.
Go with the motion.
Go with the motion, Mary.
Somebody get me a razor blade
and sterilize it for me, please?
[groaning]
Come on, darling.
Come on, darling.
You can take it
nice and easy now.
You take it nice and easy now, alright?
Just go with the motion,
darling.
You're gonna go with the motion.
Alright.
Great, I'm gonna make
a little cut now.
- Charlie!
- One, two, three.
Oh, no, you're gonna give it
to me right now.
Give it to me now.
Oh, there we go. There we go.
That's it, come on,
one more, one more time!
One more time! One more time!
One more time now.
[grunting]
Come on, darling!
Here we go, here we go!
Come on! Come on! Come on!
Come on now.
You give me that squeeze!
- Push!
- Come on! Come on! Come on!
Push!
That's alright. That is coming!
Oh, yeah. Oh, we got it!
We got it! Oh!
Dig this. The little
motherfucker, man, he's out!
Woo! Yee-haw!
Alright, we got a baby!
We got a baby!
We got a baby!
Dig this little dude, Mary.
Take this little one.
Alright now, alright.
- Yeah, you did so good, mama.
- Yeah.
- There you go.
- So beautiful.
Alright, darling.
[panting]
Dig this little dude.
[indistinct song on radio]
"And the fifth angel sounded
"and I saw a star fall
from heaven unto the Earth.
"And to him was given the key
of the bottomless pit.
And he opened
the bottomless pit..."
Do you know
about the bottomless pit?
We're gonna find it.
Well, I'm gonna find it
and we're gonna live in it.
The question is your answer.
Keep reading.
That's Charlie.
Hey, Charlie.
Hey, listen, this is Kay.
Well, how do you do?
Welcome, ma'am.
Oh, I see.
You make a man ashamed
to show his pecker.
That's what Eve did.
Look where that got us.
Do I make you uncomfortable,
little girl?
No.
You're just rude.
Is that what daddy taught you,
to be polite?
No. No, my daddy taught me
not to take shit
from men like you.
That's what he taught me.
- Keep reading.
- Charlie, I...
- Go home to daddy, little girl.
You don't belong here.
Shoo.
I'm sorry, Charlie.
"And there came out of the smoke
locusts upon the Earth."
Get her out of here so I don't
have to look at her piggie face.
You see that, Lulu.
Not every stupid hippie girl
can waltz onto my land
and get a free dinner.
I need to see something
in your eyes.
Keep reading.
"And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the Earth."
The Beatles.
"And unto them
was given power.."
Me.
"...as the scorpions
of the Earth have power."
Me.
"And it was commanded them
"that they should not hurt
the grass of the Earth
neither any green thing.."
[instrumental music]
[laughter]
I have wings
and I can fly now.
[laughing]
Charlie says
there's gonna be a revolution
and we're gonna wait it out
in the bottomless pit.
Like it says in Revelations.
And that there will be babies
that are homeless
and they need saving
from all the killings.
And then we'll stay underground
and make music
and make love
until the violence is over.
And then... and then
when it comes time for us
to rise to the surface again,
some of us
will begin to feel budding wings
on our backs.
- Wings?
- Yes.
Some of us want to become
winged elves.
Me and Sandy, Squeaky.
Charlie says it would happen.
Karlene thinks we're crazy.
No.
I would never use that word.
I'm just surprised
to hear some of this stuff.
You've to admit
it's pretty far out.
You must know that elves
are mythical creatures
and therefore human beings
can't turn into elves
or sprout wings?
Well, hey, man, it's no more
far out than heaven and hell.
- Yeah. Charlie says that...
- Yeah, but what do you think?
Pat, do you still think
it's possible
that you will become
a winged elf?
Well, I guess not now.
Not... not when we're in here.
You won't become a winged elf
whether you're in here
or out in the world.
Karlene, tell us
about your kids.
Pretty please?
What are their names?
How old are they?
We spend too much time
talking about us in here.
They are 15, 14, 11 and 7.
You have a 7-year-old?
He must miss you so much.
- I see him every weekend.
- I didn't mean it like that.
I took my family
all around the world.
To Germany, to France,
to Ethiopia.
We've been through a lot
together
and they are always
surprising me.
Mom, I have a new family now.
Leslie,
what are you talking about?
[sobbing]
We're your parents.
Mom, please stop crying.
Listen to me.
I need you to stop loving me.
You're never gonna see me again.
Your home
is where you're happy
It's not where your..
We were all way into our trips
and hanging out inside the bus
when Charlie just decides
he has to go.
He starts running down the road
we all start begging him
to come back to us.
"Charlie! Charlie!"
It was really scary.
We can all laugh about it now.
Right at that moment,
I was probably sitting
in my secretarial school
freaking out
but not even knowing it.
We don't talk about our pasts.
We don't have pasts.
Our lives started
when we met Charlie.
But Charlie talks
about his time in prison...
How dare you question Charlie?
You need to talk less
and listen more.
[music on car stereo]
- Dennis!
- Dennis!
Hi.
Hey.
Hey, beautiful.
Did you miss me?
No, we've been busy.
Lots going on here.
Charlie wants...
Oh, Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.
Let's talk about
what Greg wants.
What does Greg want?
Stand up girls, let's give
the guys what they want.
You're all beautiful
but right now, I just wanna
get high and play music, man.
Come on then,
the girls are always here.
Let's go play.
[guitar music]
I came to tell you something,
Charlie.
I talked the band
into recording your song
"Cease To Exist."
- Everyone likes it, man.
- That's far out.
Yeah. I can't promise
more than that though.
We'll just see
how it works out.
Pretty girl
Pretty pretty girl
I'll cease to exist
I'll be a rock star
Alright, man.
Hey, Charlie. This is Linda.
Well, hey there.
Looky, looky here.
Where's that baby's daddy?
We split. He went sailing
around the world or something.
Take that baby to be with
the other little kiddies here.
Tex tells me
that you have a car?
Alright.
I think we can keep her.
Let me show you around.
Don't worry.
Ruth Ann is great with the kids.
And just think,
if you're loyal to Charlie
she will always
be taken care of.
Here everything
belongs to everyone.
Gypsy tells me you had a far-out
session making it with Tex.
Yeah.
When we came,
my... my fists were clenched
and my sides and arms
were paralyzed.
That's your ego dying.
Is that bad?
To have your ego dying?
No. That's what Charlie's
trying to help us do.
Kill our egos.
Be one consciousness.
- Love you, sweetheart.
- Come on. Let's go.
What... what happened?
Is your mom okay?
Oh, she's fine.
Oh.
[sobbing]
I just can't stand it.
She might think
I ended up in here
because of something they did or the way that they raised me.
No one has visited her
the whole three years.
I told my mother
to stop loving me..
...and she would never
see me again.
She kept loving me, anyway.
[instrumental music]
[indistinct chatter]
Now listen up. I want everyone
to show my good friend Phil here
a lot of love tonight.
He's my jailhouse brother.
We were at San Quentin together.
So Katie, Lulu,
why don't you come
and make the man feel welcome?
I feel much better
on the other
Side
Shit. Well, look at that.
You know, we all thought
he was fucking crazy in prison.
Talked a lot of nonsense, but..
...maybe I should have listened.
Now my good friend Dennis here
has an announcement to make.
Uh, yeah, Charlie's song
"Cease To Exist"
is on the record.
[gasping]
[cheering]
Now all you need to do is
get your friend Terry Melcher
to come up here
and listen to me play
and I know he'll wanna sign us.
I'll do my best
to get him out here, man.
Now that's right.
[screaming]
[cheering]
Alright, man. Thanks.
Now, Katie,
get everyone together.
Tell them just stop what they're
doing right now and come here.
- Okay.
- Soon. Now.
Terry Melcher is coming
to hear me play.
So we need to be ready. I mean,
we need to be more than ready.
Terry Melcher.
Terry Melcher!
Come on.
Dennis' producer,
the guy who can give me
a record deal, goddamn it.
Yeah.
When Terry hears me play,
he's gonna lose his mind
which means the world
gets to hear my music.
And then all the lost
young loves during the mayhem
and the killing
will hear my music
and they will know that
they have a home.
So, guys, make this place
look spotless.
Get rid of all the stuff
that stinks.
And, girls,
you bake some cookies.
Go to the grocery store.
I don't want no garbage run food
for Terry.
And I want a deer skin shirt and
pants held together by laces.
I want him to see my commitment
to going back to the land.
But don't they have to kill
the deer for that?
Lulu has a question. Would you
like to repeat that, Lulu?
Don't they kill the deer...
What we have here..
[laughing]
...what we have here
is a contradiction.
Lulu thinks
she sees a contradiction
and her tiny female brain
is gonna have a freak out.
If you think
I'm going against my own words
then maybe you just aren't
evolved enough yet
to understand what's going on.
Old JC said a lot of things
his followers didn't understand
and they stuck around.
No sense makes sense. You dig?
[indistinct chatter]
You think
you're lovin' baby
But all you're doin'
is tryin'
Can you feel?
Are those feelings real?
Look at your game girl
Look at your game girl
Chorus.
Say l.. Ooh...
No, no, no.
Again, again, again,
again, again.
Until we get it right
on the night.
Again. We need to do it again.
This is Terry Melcher. Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Chorus.
What a mad delusion Ooh
Livin' in that confusion Ooh
Frustration and doubt Ooh
Can you ever live
without the game?
We don't have
enough of a spectacle.
Again.
Sounds good, Charlie.
I didn't ask for your opinion.
I asked for your titties
and your shapes.
I know it sounds good.
Chorus!
What a mad delusion Ooh
Livin' in that confusion Ooh
Frustration and doubt Ooh
Can you ever live
without the game?
Well, hey there, partner.
Hey, man. How you doing?
We got some special zuzus
and food for ya
and of course,
we got the girls.
Thank you, Charlie.
I don't have a lot of time.
We'll just get down
to the music, huh?
- Play me something.
- Alright.
Look, you gotta be all business,
then yo, we'll be all business.
I guess the music's really
the love, anyway, right?
Yeah, man.
Alright. Here we go.
[guitar music]
Thank you for coming,
Mr. Melcher.
Appreciate your time.
Alright.
Here's a time for livin'
Time keeps on flyin'
You think you're lovin' baby
When all you're doin'
is tryin'
Can you feel?
Are your feelings real?
Look at your game girl
Look at your game girl
What a mad delusion Ooh
Livin' in that confusion Ooh
Frustration and doubt Ooh
Can you ever live
without the game?
The sad sad game
My game
Just to say
you love's not enough
Anything can be true
Oh you can tell
those lies baby
But there ain't
no foolin' you
Can you feel?
Are those feelings real?
Look at your game girl
Look at your game girl
Ay ay ay
The sad game
My game
Ay ay ay
[applause]
Alright now.
So what do you think
of our place, man?
I mean, we dig it here,
you know.
We learn it's possible to live
without restrictions.
I mean, dig it, we live
on other people's garbage
and we live well, you know...
Hey, Charlie, man,
let's take a walk.
Talk about the music.
Alright, man.
You know, I mean, look,
we get off into these trees..
...we go walking.
Gotta take the horses out,
you know.
Yeah, so, uh..
That was perfect.
So beautiful.
You girls made me cry.
Your voices were so sweet.
It's all happening.
[indistinct chatter]
That music you were playing..
Finally, the world gets to hear
Charlie's music.
More popular than Jesus.
That suit looks outasight.
He looks like
a rock star already.
Well, man, what did he say?
He looked like
he was really digging it.
Is he gonna sign you
like he should?
I mean, he gave me money.
How much is it?
I couldn't sign a contract
on the spot.
That's just not how
Charlie Manson operates.
My word is my bond. I don't need
no written contract.
What about that money?
Well, it's just hay money.
I'm sure he wanted the horses
to eat well.
[laughing]
You know, let's eat
some of the cookies
those motherfuckers didn't want.
[laughing]
[guitar music]
Who made this salad dressing?
I did.
Well, smells a bit like piss.
Well, that's 'cause
I pissed in yours.
Don't play that shit with me,
woman!
[grunts]
Look at me! Look at me!
[groans]
I will not listen
to that kind of talk.
You take that shit down the
road. You dig what I'm saying?
Look at me. Look at me.
Look at me in the eye.
Look me in the eye.
[groans]
What?
You wanna fucking hit me?
Fuck you!
Get the fuck out of here.
- You wanna fucking hit me?
- Ah, no!
Huh?
I will break
your fucking wrist.
I will break
your fucking fingers!
What? What? Stop fighting!
Stop fighting me.
You stop fucking..
Stop fighting me. Whoa.
Whoa. Whoa.
[moaning]
Quit fighting me.
Get up.
Now you go back in the kitchen
and go, go about your business.
You can go ahead and eat, Sandy.
Hey, are you okay?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I feel good.
Listen.
Getting hit by the man you love
is no different
than making love to him.
Charlie just gives me
what I need.
I brought you gifts.
[laughs]
[sniffs]
I love the way new books smell.
[laughs]
Thank you so much.
We have a Christmas present
for you.
Did you bring it, Katie?
Sadie did this. The sun.
And that's a butterfly.
Lulu did it.
It's just like the one
we made for Charlie.
Ready, baby girl?
I got this.
[instrumental music]
You see that? She trusts me.
She's not afraid.
You'd die for me,
wouldn't you, girl?
Of course, Charlie.
You, uh, got a knife for me?
You're gonna wake up
one morning
As the sun meets the dawn
Girls,
these Straight Satan Gods
I think we need them.
Tex tells me he got
into a little complication
with a black man.
It might come back on us.
So I want you to make them
feel welcome.
Give them your gift.
Show them a good time.
Charlie doesn't like us
to do speed.
Charlie can't see us right now.
When you never need me
You're gonna wake up
wondering
Why'd you sleep all alone
No one's gonna
stop you baby
I'm not coming home
I'm not coming home
- Where you headed?
- Anywhere but here.
This album is a musical roadmap to our future.
Now when he talks
about the piggies
he's talking about the rich
and the powerful
needin' a damn good whacking.
The "Blackbird."
It's the black man's time
to rise.
And "Revolution 1,"
it's a call to arms. It's time.
"Revolution 9,"
it's the soundtrack to the war.
It's guns. Screaming.
Does that make you feel afraid?
No. It's like you always said
it would be.
You're damn straight it's like I always said it would be.
You should feel proud.
You should all feel proud.
And why should you all
feel proud? Lulu, why?
Because we're already living
like revolutionaries.
Yes! Now dig this.
In Revelations, in the Bible
it talks about the locusts
coming to Earth.
Now that's the Beatles.
And he talks about
the locusts having scales
like iron breastplates.
That's the Beatles' guitars.
And dig this.
He talks about five angels
coming to Earth.
Now this five angels,
four of them are the Beatles
the other one is me.
And the other one is me
because I am given the key
to the shaft
of the bottomless pit.
And where is
the bottomless pit?
The one you told us about
in Death Valley?
- The one we're going to find.
- Yes!
So "Helter Skelter"
is the thing, man.
It's what
the black man's gonna do
to start the race war.
But just like the Bible says
I will lead my family
to the bottomless pit
and we will live out the war
underground
and we will expand to 144,000
and then we will come back
like the 12 tribes of Israel.
And when we come back,
the black man will not know
how to act or how to be
or how to govern
or what to do.
And so, we cannot leave!
We cannot leave
because you're white people
and you will be murdered.
You will be made
into black slaves.
And Tex, Tex!
Tex is gonna be sorry
that he ever left our tribe.
- Thanks for coming out here.
- That's okay.
Hey, look,
my wife just wants to know
all about these
crazy Manson girls.
Yeah.
I get asked
about them a lot too.
Yeah.
Um, okay,
now you were all just kids
when the Watts Riots happened,
but it's a perfect example.
Here you have black Americans
oppressed for generations,
at the end of their rope.
You know, things got
out of hand back then
but the message was sent.
Yeah, Charlie said that
Watts was the beginning.
I really think that
a race war would have started
if they hadn't put us in here.
The black man is rising up
and his time is coming.
Do you think it's still coming?
Um..
Well, Bobby Seale was bound
and gagged in a courtroom
but last year they let him go,
so..
We don't know who that is.
Black Panthers?
Y'all don't get any news
in here at all?
Oh, yes.
We know the Black Panthers.
Charlie said that
black people wouldn't be able
to lead themselves
after the revolution
that they would need his help.
Yeah, I heard that he said that.
It's okay, he said
you wouldn't understand now
but that you would thank him
later.
But..
You don't think that's true?
I find that to be
a deeply racist idea.
That black people would need
a white man
to tell them what to think.
When black people
take their power back
there's no chance
in hell that...
Charlie said...
Let's listen to what
Bill has to say.
There's no chance in hell
that we would turn
to a white person
for leadership.
And black people were
brought here as slaves in 1619.
And even after slavery
and the eventual abolishment
of slavery
we are still
getting crushed by racism.
We don't trust the white men
and we certainly don't need one
to lead us.
You hear me?
[no audio]
The trouble with blackie is
he wants to fuck
all the white women
turn all the white babies
brown.
We can't have that.
That's what makes whitey mad.
Well, we're gonna
help blackie out.
We're gonna start a race war
called Helter Skelter.
And we start this war
by killing some white people
and making it look like
the black man's work.
Blackie's been waiting
for this. Blackie is waiting.
And then the piggy cops
will come down on blackie
when they find
the rich dead piggies.
Then the revolution will begin.
You understand me?
Helter Skelter is upon us.
[sobbing]
Lulu, what's wrong?
Did you ever start to think
that maybe Helter Skelter
isn't coming down at all?
That Charlie was wrong?
No. No.
Don't let this place
get to you.
It would be happening right now if we weren't in here.
Please don't give up now.
- Okay.
- Please, I need you.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to upset you.
Lulu, this knife might be
the only thing
between you and blackie
slitting your throat.
Thrust and jab
like you mean it.
Thrust. Jab. Lift.
Stab the chair.
Good, Mary.
I know everyone thinks
we're these scary creatures
who committed
these horrible crimes
but we were just engaging
in the dance of life and death.
Charlie says there is no death.
So you're saying it's okay
to take someone's life?
Leslie, Susan,
is that what you think?
No.
I'm saying
that I'm starting to think
that the devil took a hold of me
so I could find my way to God.
So Charlie is the devil?
No, Charlie is Charlie
and the devil is the devil.
So you all still believe
that thing he was talking about
Helter Skelter?
[sighs]
The other night, I started
to doubt it and I got shaky.
You felt doubt.
What made you feel that doubt?
That was just for a minute,
right, Lulu?
She doesn't doubt anymore.
[clears throat] Sorry to
interrupt your studies, ladies.
I am afraid I have bad news.
The decision has come down
and you will remain here in SSU
for the duration
of your sentences.
Fucking motherfuckers!
They can't fucking
do this shit to us!
We're fucking human beings!
You are considered
an escape risk
and too well known.
No!
I'm never gonna
see Charlie again.
[sighs]
We don't know
what's gonna happen.
There's always parole.
You could get out.
No, you. You could get out.
They'll never let me
out of here.
It's my fault you're in here.
Charlie said make sure everyone
does something that night
and I made sure you did.
You must hate me.
I could never hate you.
Good afternoon, ladies.
Special treat for you today.
No school.
Just a mini concert.
Ladies, I brought Robin
to play for you..
Ladies, why would you do this?
Charlie spoke to us last night.
He told us to.
He told us to protest.
Jesus fucking Christ.
How the hell
did they get razors?
The guards love them.
They have all kinds of things
in their cells.
Are you okay?
It's just as long as
they're stuck alone together
in that unit just repeating their
brainwashing back to each other..
I mean, they're never gonna see
the real world again
so what is it
we can really do for them?
I just wanna remind them
if I can..
...of who they were before
they ever met Charles Manson.
I just wanna give them back
themselves.
[instrumental music]
Let's go take a walk.
Where's Charlie?
He went somewhere with Paul.
Seems like
he's been gone forever.
- You like living here?
- Yeah. You should join us.
- Nah, I need my freedom.
- Freedom?
That's all we have here.
I like you.
You should come away
on adventures with me.
I have a lot
of responsibilities here.
We're preparing for a war.
Well, if we're all gonna die
we better get
to making love, huh?
Well, I don't know about that.
Come on.
You might be my last chance,
baby.
[chuckles]
Hey. Who the fuck are you?
Sorry, man. I came..
I came with Danny and them guys.
- I thought you...
- Get the fuck out of here.
And don't you come back
unless you're invited
which you wont be.
Get up. Get out.
You want me to help
get your dick in your pants?
Get the fuck out of my barn!
You guys got a weird scene
going on up here, man.
You ask me first!
You don't just whore around.
That is it.
No more hippie kids looking
for a free ride and a quick lay.
Nobody has any visitors
unless it goes through me.
We need to stay focused
on our scene.
No more outsiders.
[whistles]
I'm gonna go on an adventure.
You can come.
Bring Lulu.
Bring that Linda girl.
We'll use her car.
We get
in the rich people's houses
and we get in their heads,
you dig?
You just, you get in
and get out. Don't be afraid.
Mess things up a bit,
but don't break anything.
Alright, take a wallet
here and there
but mostly just let them know
that they're not safe.
But what if they wake up?
Don't allow them to. Use your
training, man. Be invisible.
[instrumental music]
He'll wake up and say, "Honey,
where did I put my wallet?"
And he'll say, "Why did you put
the portraits upside down?"
[laughing]
What's in the wallet?
Uh, uh, sixty bucks
and three credit cards.
Well, that's nothing.
Next time we tie some piggies up
and we scare them to death.
[instrumental music]
Lulu, I think
you should leave here.
I came to help you do that.
It looks like you're being made
to stay here against your will.
I can take you right now.
You can drop that broom, get on
my bike and we'll be gone.
Nobody will stop us.
No.
I'm staying here.
I want to be here. I-I mean..
Thank... thank you.
Are you sure about this?
I ain't expecting nothing
from you.
I mean,
we... we ain't gotta ball
just 'cause I get you
out of here.
You just look like you need
rescuing, that's all.
I'm sure.
[instrumental music]
Let's go.
You wanna leave me?
Jump.
That's my Lulu.
I knew you weren't going
anywhere.
Hi.
How are you?
I've realized
if I succeed in making them
really accept what they did..
...then they will have to live
with that horror.
Isn't that what prison's for?
Atonement?
Taking responsibility
for one's actions?
They will have to live
with that horror every day
for the rest of their lives.
I'm opening the door
to that torment.
To the place where
their punishment truly begins.
- I like the 9-11.
- Yeah, me too.
I like the little guy though.
That's, uh, that's personal.
Personal?
[dramatic music]
I mean, it was just like
you said it'd be out there.
Plastic people everywhere.
But I belong here with you.
Well, then get ready to fight.
Now we put the piggy
in the chair.
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Kill the piggy.
- Kill the piggy!
- Kill the piggy.
- Kill the piggy!
- Kill the piggy.
- Kill the piggy!
Now imagine we just yanked
this piggy out of his car.
I want you to look at him and I want you to stare at him
and I want you to scare him
to death!
Now we could tie him up
and we could scare the piggy
into willing us
all of his money.
We could kill his family
in front of him
but I need you
to give this gift to me.
Are you willing
to die for me, Tex?
Are you willing
to let me kill you?
Yeah, Charlie.
Charlie, you can kill me.
You can kill me. I'm ready.
I'm ready.
We put the piggy in the chair.
You can kill me, Charlie.
- I can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me!
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me!
- We can kill you!
- You can kill me!
- We can kill you!
- You can kill me!
- We can kill you!
- You can kill me!
Tex Watson's gone.
He doesn't exist anymore.
Now there's just this.
A body named Tex
that carries around
a little piece of Charlie.
A little piece of the infinite.
It's Charlie Manson, baby.
Yeah, for Terry.
Yeah, well, I can call back,
but..
Yeah, man, I dig.
That's cool. I can call back.
That's no problem. Alright.
You think I don't know
you're there, Terry?
You think I don't know
you're there?
I'll burn your fucking eyes out
with this fucking cigarette.
You fucking weasel fuck.
[dramatic music]
[indistinct music]
[indistinct chatter]
[knocks]
Oh.
Hello. Welcome. Do I know you?
Uh, no, no,
I'm just looking for Terry.
Terry Melcher.
I've been to a few parties here.
- Hey, have I met you before?
- No.
Well, um..
...Terry moved to Malibu,
so he's not here.
But are you a friend of Terry's?
- Please come in if you want.
- No, no, thank you.
Okay. Goodnight.
Goodnight.
[humming]
- Thank you.
- Well, of course.
...world-famous director
Roman Polanski.
Beautiful Sharon Tate
had no way of knowing
the horrific tragedy
that would soon befall her.
I can feel very alone
at a party
on the set or in general
if I'm not in harmony
with the things around me.
I'm very sensitive
to ugly situations.
I'm quick to read people
and I pick up
if someone's reacting to me
as just a sexy blond.
Times like those, I freeze.
Lord Jesus..
Who would you like to be
in your next life?
I open up the door to my heart.
Please come in
and forgive my sins.
[sniffing]
No!
Dig.
The time is now, man.
Helter Skelter.
You go into Terry Melcher's
old house
and you make it look like
blackie's work.
Couple of weeks ago, me and Mary went on an acid run
in Hollywood, you know.
Even though they gave us this,
this really special stuff
called Orange Sunshine.
And when we got outside
we were convinced
that we were invisible.
Yeah. So we hitched a ride
over the Canyon, right
and the driver, all of a sudden,
he just jerks around
and he starts screaming
at us, you know, like
"Who are you? What the fuck
are you doing to my car?"
[scoffs]
So we realized
that we actually were invisible
and what Charlie said was true.
Once you burn every thought
out of your head..
...there's nothing left
for anyone else to see.
So we were staring
into the setting sun..
...and..
...it felt like we were looking
right at God.
And I realized..
...I realized that the closer
the sun got to setting
the closer I knew
the end of the world was.
What Charlie said was true.
The apocalypse is at hand
and the present world is dying.
From then on, I haven't had
a trace of doubt in my mind.
It's coming down
and it's coming down fast.
[dramatic music]
[sobbing]
Please.
Please, just take me with you.
Please just let me live
to have my baby.
[sobbing]
Please.
Kill her.
[sobbing]
No, no, no.
Adorned with bright,
shiny things
I see that as something
totally pure and beautiful.
And what do you make
of some of the dark subjects
in your husband's films?
Everything that's realistic
has some sort
of ugliness in it.
Even a flower is ugly
when it wilts..
Sadie, can you, please,
turn it down?
The ocean
when it becomes violent.
Was informative
interesting
but so graphic.
I saw Lulu blushing
when she was reading it.
I wasn't.
Karlene, don't take this
the wrong way
but are you a lesbian?
This seems kind of like
a lesbian book.
No, I'm not, Susan.
Oh. I'm sorry.
And glad.
It's against the Lord's way
and I would worry for you.
Well, we will have to agree
to disagree there.
You can tell us if you are.
I won't pass judgment on you.
It's just that
you dress that way
and you never talk
about your husband, so..
My husband and I split up
a year ago.
I don't like... talking
about him much.
He's not a good man.
I never saw you as someone
who would be with a bad man.
There are a lot of things
about all of you
that I would never guess
from looking at you.
Like, did you really believe
that you were going to find
an underground cave
and live that way
during the revolution?
So much of what you've told me
doesn't make logical sense.
How would you survive in a cave?
We wanted to believe
something big was gonna happen.
I mean..
Do you remember in 1969..
...it really felt like
there was gonna be
a huge cosmic shift
and things were never
gonna be the same?
Like there was
gonna be some big thing
that was gonna
change everything?
Come on, Karlene..
...you were there.
Didn't it feel that way to you?
Yeah, it did.
It felt that way
to most people I know.
But it didn't make them
kill strangers.
But we had to.
It was for..
For what?
What was it for?
My hand hurts.
The... the knife didn't have
a proper handle
and it just kept hitting
the bone.
So it's all going down
like Charlie said?
Yeah..
It's pretty heavy.
But... but it's like
Charlie said.
"If you love everything
then you don't have to think
about things." Right?
- Right on.
- Okay.
- What was it like?
- The people were very young.
It didn't seem right.
But it was the right thing
to do.
[sniffles]
Charlie asked me to do it
and I did it.
No ego. No trip.
Charlie taught us that death
and life are the same thing
so there's nothing
to be afraid of.
You can't be afraid
if you don't exist.
Yeah.
[sighs]
Honey, can you rub my feet
just for a minute?
It's always just for a minute.
[telephone ringing]
That will be Cory letting us
know she got in okay.
Get up.
Stand over here.
Last night was too messy.
Tonight we're gonna go out
and we're gonna get it right.
Uh-huh?
I wanna go.
You come along then.
[dramatic music]
Well..
...there's two people in there.
I got them ready for ya.
They're calm.
Don't freak them out.
Do something witchy.
And find your own way home.
What are you gonna do?
You're gonna kill us,
aren't you?
Did he say to kill them?
- You're gonna kill us.
Please, don't do this.
Where's my wife?
I have a chest full of money
at the store.
Please. No! No! No! No! No!
No! Come on. Rosemary! Rosemary!
No! No! I got money!
I got money!
I got money! I got money!
[muffled screaming]
What are you doing?
Go take care of her.
Go!
[muffled groaning]
Get away from me!
[crying]
Get away! Get away!
[grunting]
Somebody help us!
Somebody help!
[crying]
No! No! No! No!
No! No! No! No!
No!
Get away!
Tex!
No! No!
Tex!
[screaming]
[screaming]
[groaning]
Come on now, Lulu.
Charlie says
everyone has to do something.
[screaming]
[panting]
[screaming]
It was all for nothing.
We did those horrible things
for nothing.
Lulu, we did what we had to do.
Call me Leslie now, please.
My name is Leslie.
We didn't have to do any of it.
But we did.
And why?
Do you know why, Katie?
Sadie?
Why did we do those things?
Jimmy?
Jimmy, can I get out, please?
[sobbing]
[instrumental music]
[bikes revving]
[instrumental music]
Peace of mind
To find is not easy
When the one you love
You don't trust
When I picture the image
Of someone else beside her
I see a reflection
of violence
And emotion of life
that is used
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
I see a reflection
of violence
And emotion of life
that is used
You will see
That the mind
cannot furnish
Things that you want
were gone
What can I see
When the one thing
That you had had passed
Is not pretty
You want to love so hard
But you bleed through
every time
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
You want to love so hard
But you bleed through
every time
[instrumental music]
Frankincense and eucalyptus
Bring me
into my mother's kitchen
With rosaries
and crystal beads
Her pink heart bleeds out
Green money
that she'll give to me
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me dying
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me living too
Rosemary cotton dry linen
My mother's body
is the only one
That I've ever lived in
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me dying
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me living too
Coffee toast
jam with butter
I hear every word
she utters
And I can't wait
To taste
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me dying
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me living too
[instrumental music]
Where are y'all headed?
Well, we're trying to get up
to Santa Susana Pass Road
but however far you can take us.
- Oh, Spahn Ranch?
- Hey, yeah. How did you know?
Yeah, well, not quite, uh,
all the way up there.
My, uh, my aunt lives nearby.
What you got there?
[laughs]
Some money, I guess.
Hey, if you're gonna take us
all the way
we should buy you breakfast.
Right on.
[indistinct chatter]
I don't know.
I thought
"Tiptoe Through The Tulips"
was a pretty far-out song
if you're a little high.
I guess I was a lot high
when I first heard it.
Seems like a fag to me.
Hey, watch it.
Tex here told the army
he was an acid head homosexual
to get out of the war, so..
I'm not actually a homosexual.
I mean, who sings like that?
Guy with his voice
all high like a girl
and his tiny
little whatchamacallit.
It's a put on.
[dramatic music]
Everything's a put on.
Tiny Tim is just having fun.
Hey, we better get out of here.
[birds squawking]
[humming]
Uh, sing that one.
Ride take a free ride
Take my place
Have my seat
It's for free
Ride my see-saw
Ride
Ride
Ride my see-saw
Damn. Okay.
Goodnight, Katie.
Goodnight, Lulu.
Goodnight, Sadie.
Goodnight.
"Lying in your prison bed
"womb straining, sweat pouring
"you deliver your child
within these concrete walls
"and steel bars.
"Because your infant
is born here
"in here,
she is labeled, numbered
"and her mugshot is taken.
"She is called a criminal.
But you and I know she is
another awesome female warrior."
Wow. I thought
it was really powerful, Tina.
- Mm-hmm.
- Thank you.
Pardon me, ladies.
Karlene, can I speak with you?
- Sure.
- Ooh.
You guys, go ahead.
I need your help
with the Manson girls
over
in the Special Security Unit.
Since the death penalty
was lifted
no one knows
what to do with them.
The Governor doesn't want them in general population
so they are on death row
indefinitely.
Just the three of them, stuck in those cells 23 hours a day.
I can't let them rot in there.
Good morning, ladies.
- Hi, Miss Carlson.
- Hello, Miss Carlson.
I'd like you to meet
Karlene Faith.
- Hi, Karlene.
- Nice to meet you, Karlene.
Nice to meet you all.
Karlene is a graduate student
at UC, Santa Cruz
and she teaches
some of the inmates here.
Now that you're gonna be
staying with us
I think it's a good time
to talk about taking
some classes with her.
So that... that means we are
staying in the SSU for good then?
Let's not get ahead
of ourselves.
We're offering college courses
to residents here.
You'd be free to study
just about anything you want.
Literature, Philosophy,
Journalism.
Are we gonna learn about shit
like Women's Lib?
Language, please, Susan.
[laughing]
We don't have to study
Women's Lib, no
although I do teach a Women's
Studies course here in CIW.
Women's Studies.
Far out.
I'll leave you ladies to it.
- Thank you, Miss Carlson.
- Bye, Miss Carlson.
- Bye, Miss Carlson.
- Oh, thank you, Jimmy.
- Thanks, Jimmy.
- Thank you, Jimmy.
Hey, Karlene,
do you want some grape Tang?
Pretty please, Jimmy,
can we have
some grape Tang for our guest?
Thanks, Jimmy.
Jimmy always takes care of us.
And you should hear him sing.
I'll never smile
Our favorite guard should have
been a famous crooner!
Until I smile at you
Ooh!
Thank you.
You're Susan, right?
I'm Sadie. Susan's dead.
Charlie named me Sadie.
- Where are you from?
- I'm from the now.
I'm from everywhere.
Hello. I'm Lulu.
On the list they gave you,
I'm sure it says Leslie
but I'm Lulu.
And I'm Katie.
I think I would be interested in
studying the women of the pioneer.
That's what we were doing
with Charlie.
Learning how to live off
the land and be self-sufficient.
Earth mothers.
[instrumental music]
The only way you're happy
Is not where
you're not free
Your home is where you can be what you are
'Cause you are born free
Now they'll show you
the castle
Hey, Gypsy.
- Who's this?
- I'm Leslie.
Welcome to the ranch.
Welcome to our family.
Come and meet Charlie.
What an absolutely perfect day
for you to come see us.
Charlie says it's not a day
for working.
So we are just being today.
Now they'll show you
their castle
[scatting]
And I want a little smoke
smoke smoke smoke now
Mmm mmm
Well, Jesus, I guess
I'm your best friend.
Play something for me,
Little Paulie.
[guitar music]
I got a blank, Charlie!
Well, well, well, well, well.
Looky, looky here.
Well, hey there,
Brother Bobby?
What do we have here?
Gypsy said Leslie would be happy
with you.
Gypsy, Gypsy, Gypsy,
my baby Gypsy.
You brought someone
just like I asked.
Now that's a good soldier.
[chuckles]
[laughter]
Be my mirror.
[laughs]
[humming]
My name's Charlie.
[laughs]
Where did you find her?
She was hanging around my harem
for a while.
But it was turning into a bad
scene with my old lady.
Beautiful Brother Bobby.
He really knows
how to make love to the girls.
That's what they all tell me.
Sadie's made love to Bobby,
right?
Yeah, we've all made love to him
at this point, huh?
[laughs]
I can't take
another man's woman.
She's not mine, Charlie.
Gypsy told me all about you
and the family.
- I can't take her.
- Charlie.
I think we should let her stay.
She digs us and she's hungry.
She's a seeker.
[guitar music]
Where are your parents?
It doesn't matter to me.
I'm on my own journey.
Well, what do you have for us?
Do you have a car?
- No.
- Well, then we'll get you one.
We'll get you a car.
We'll find you a car.
You know why? Because old ego
is a too much thing.
Old ego is a too much thing.
He'll make you fool yourself.
You'll think
you're somebody else.
You'll ride
that whole subway train.
You like her, you teach her.
You keep an eye on her,
and you see if she belongs with us.
And, you,
Katie is my everything.
Katie is me. You pay attention
to what she does.
If you're even half as good
as her, then you can stay.
[guitar music]
When I first met Charlie,
I just knew.
Hopped on a bus
and I never looked back.
But Charlie's like a... beacon
of light or something.
I mean, look at you,
you're here.
- Hey, Tex.
- Hello there.
How you doing?
Tex hasn't reached
awareness yet.
He's still working
on letting go of his ego.
Charlie says,
"Let go of your ego
and be like a finger
on a hand."
Come on.
I want you to meet George.
George Spahn. It's his ranch.
Hello?
[indistinct chatter on TV]
Squeaky is so kind to him.
- She's a generous soul.
- I'll say.
It's beautiful here.
We don't get hung up about sex.
You get it?
We just be.
We let things happen.
We let go.
I think you're gonna love it.
Hurry up now, everybody.
Come on.
- Dennis.
- Hey, girl.
And who is this pretty thing?
- I'm Leslie.
- Ah, welcome.
I'm not in this family, but..
...I dig this family.
Hi.
Beach Boys Dennis?
That's really Dennis Wilson?
- He's just Dennis to us.
- Time for communion.
You've turned on before,
right?
Millions of times.
Just, uh, wasn't expecting it
right now.
[instrumental music]
I spent my life in jail for you.
So that you could ride
your bicycles.
Have your birthday parties.
I never had a life.
I don't even know what life is.
But you all had a life.
Your parents told you what to do
and you did it.
And for payment, you got what?
You got
little cookie cutter minds.
Look what happened to Sandy.
Spoiled Sandy.
Spoiled Sandy had to come
to her new daddy
to find something real.
Take off your clothes for us,
Sandy.
Do it.
Help her. Come on.
Can't you see she needs help?
Tex.
Get up here.
Go on.
Now you look at how
parents abuse their children.
If they loved her
why did they allow doctors
to cut up her body like this?
And then they felt bad
and then they spoiled her.
And now Sandy can't let go
of her ego.
It's not your fault,
it's your parents' fault.
Would you say that to me?
It's my parents' fault.
And it's not your fault.
[sobs]
It's not my fault.
Now turn around.
It's not your fault.
It's not my fault.
It's your parents' fault.
It's my parents' fault.
Now come and tell her
that she looks beautiful.
- You look beautiful, Sandy.
- You look beautiful.
- You're beautiful.
- Perfect.
You look beautiful.
We love you so much.
You look so beautiful.
[indistinct song]
You are beautiful, Sandy.
[sobbing]
[laughing]
So he led Katie away
and I asked Squeaky
if Katie was Charlie's old lady.
And Squeaky told me
"Nobody belongs
to anybody here
"except Charlie.
We all belong to Charlie."
I thought
that was pretty far out.
Then she says, "If you're lucky,
he'll pick you next."
Every girl should have a daddy
like Charlie.
Something for you to take a look
at for next week.
The Bible is the only book
Charlie let us have around.
Charlie says
that authors are evil.
Trying to play mind tricks
on the reader.
So do you feel like
you'd be doing something bad
by studying with me?
Because if you are going
to do these classes with me
you're going to have
to read books.
I'm also gonna leave
a copy of this.
Have any of you read it?
This book changed my life.
It looks like
it could be interesting.
Can you believe Charles Manson
wouldn't let them read?
It's been three years since
they had any contact with him.
But all they do
is talk about him
and spout his bullshit.
I want you to come talk to them.
You should do
your poetry workshop.
No way.
There are real victims
in this prison.
They're the ones I wanna help.
Maybe these women
are victims too.
Would you be saying that
if it was your sister?
Your pregnant sister
who got stabbed 20 times.
It's Leslie's shower time
so it's your time
in the yard, Pat.
And, Susan, I guess it's just
gonna be you and me for a bit.
Perfect opportunity
for a hand job.
Just teasing, Jimmy.
I know you love your Alice!
Oh, there you go. Wow.
Those tomatoes
are looking great.
We'll give you some
when they are ripe.
Time keeps on flyin'
You think
you're lovin' baby
But all you're doin'
is tryin'
Can you feel?
Are your feelings real?
Look at your game girl
Good morning.
Charlie's sending us
on a garbage run to LA today.
You're coming with me.
He says you can split
at the end of the day
and go on your way
if you want to.
But I don't wanna go.
Charlie is the most
beautiful person I've ever met.
- Does he want me to leave?
- No.
I don't know.
Oh.
Don't go through a big change
about it, okay?
Just get up and let's go.
Come on.
[indistinct whispering]
Wake up, sleepy heads.
Come on.
Welcome to Spahn Ranch,
ladies and gentlemen.
500 acres of gorgeous land
with horses you can rent
and remains
of the famous movie set.
Uh, who here likes
the New Western?
Okay, well, guess what. "Bonanza," "The Lone Ranger.."
- How do you like our bus?
- It's far out.
It's a joke on all the straights we pass on the road.
They think we're a movie crew.
Listen up, girls,
I have a new rule.
No women will ever carry money.
Not even pennies, you dig?
That's why I'm sending Paul
with you.
You give your panhandling money
to him.
You... you still here?
Alright, good.
Well, give your money to Paul.
Come on.
Attagirl.
Don't stay out
too late now, kids.
Bye.
Garbage dump oh garbage dump
Why are you called
a garbage dump?
Oh garbage dump
oh garbage dump
That sums it up
in one big lump
Look, they're not even opened.
Oh, no, no.
We don't eat dead animals.
Charlie says
it's like eating fear.
Hey, man.
You guys can't be in there!
Don't be uptight, friend.
We're not hurting anyone.
O... okay,
but my manager won't...
"But my manager won't."
Oh, be nice to the square.
He doesn't know any better.
Come join us.
You're kind of cute.
Maybe you could just quit
your job and run away with us.
[screams]
I'm... I'm serious.
Y... you guys can't be in there.
Garbage dump
oh garbage dump
Why are you called
a garbage dump?
Oh garbage dump
oh garbage dump
[indistinct chatter]
- Oh, no.
- Men first.
Thank you.
Mother Mary.
Now we can eat.
Does anybody know
what time it is?
No.
I'm just messing with you.
[laughs]
You know what time it is,
it's now.
Look, there's a reason
I asked you to give up
your watches and your clocks
and your calendars.
I know that was difficult,
but where did it get us?
- You, do you feel more free?
- Yes, Charlie.
And why is that, Katie?
- I'm living in the now.
- Mm-hmm.
I don't need a soulless gadget
to tell me how to live.
I don't wanna be
like the plastic people.
Exactly.
That's what our parents
and our schools taught us.
You live by these numbers.
You play by these rules.
That time is over.
I'm here to make the new rules
and the new rules are no rules.
Oh, yeah.
[instrumental music]
I think it's time for us
to give you a name.
Now what is it those, uh,
those people named you
the ones you occupied a house
with and called a family?
- Les...
- No, I don't wanna know.
You're gonna be Lulu.
Welcome, Lulu.
Welcome.
Yeah, what do we think
of that, guys? Lulu.
- Yeah! There we go.
- Lulu.
- Lulu.
- Hi, Lulu.
- Lulu.
- That's far out!
- Hi, little Lulu.
- Hi, Lulu.
See, what we're trying
to do here is
we're trying to break down
inhibitions.
We're trying to live
in our bodies every night.
Touch each other.
Touch yourselves.
See?
It's not a foreign country.
Your body's like a plant.
If you don't give it love,
then... it will die.
A little birdie told me Tex here
doesn't know how to give head.
To me, man,
that's... that's a crime.
- Come on, Charlie.
- Now don't get uptight, man.
I want my family to know
each other in every way.
We got no secrets.
We got no shame.
It's not your fault
that no one taught you.
- You heard of Freud?
- Yeah.
Well, looky here, man.
The dude was always talking
about oral fixations.
I mean, we all got 'em.
Cat was right.
You need to suck on something.
That's why you got a mouth.
That's why women got titties.
You see kids?
They're always sucking
on their thumbs
or their fingers
or they're chewing on suckers
or jawbreakers.
And people are always
sticking pickles
or smokes and zuzus
in their face, you dig?
Point is, Tex, if you're gonna
suck on something
then you better be
fucking good at it, man.
Gypsy, you get your fine ass
up here now. Come on now.
Don't get uptight, man.
Come on.
We got no secrets.
We got no shame.
Now look.
Oh, alright. I see you.
[laughter]
You see this guy? This is
the guy who needs attention.
- Yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
But you gotta be slow,
like you care.
Come on now.
[instrumental music]
Give it to her, Tex.
[moaning]
[cheering]
[moaning]
[crying]
It's okay.
Don't get uptight
about Sandy, man.
She's having an ego death.
What we're trying to do here,
man, is submit. Let go.
Get rid of materialistic culture
of hang-ups. You dig?
We're all about love here.
Except sometimes, there has
to be some death itself.
Changes, tears.
Weird trips.
That's how it is.
That's how it's always been.
[whistling]
Oh, that's cool. You're not
into it. That's okay.
You don't have to do anything
you don't wanna do here.
It's not, that's not
what we're about.
Let's just go back.
No. I... I want to...
stay here with you right now.
What is it you don't like
about your body?
Come on now,
you hate something.
All women do.
What is it, tits too small?
Huh?
Ass too big?
What is it for Lulu?
No, don't you hide for me.
Tell me what it is
that you hate.
My thighs, I guess.
- Too fat.
- No.
You are perfect.
You say it to me.
You say I am perfect.
I am perfect.
I am perfect.
I am perfect.
I am perfect.
I am perfect.
Hey, little girl.
Now listen to me.
If you wanna be free
of all the bad experiences
and inhibitions
that are crushing you
you have to imagine that you are
making love to your daddy, okay?
That's what all the girls want
and can never have.
[moaning]
Ladies, we have our own
special cell for school now.
I'm not sure what you all did
to make Miss Carlson
like you so much,
but she gave the okay.
Thanks, Jimmy.
It's been a long time.
Ah, I'm sorry, ladies.
I'm gonna have to break that up.
- It's not really allowed to..
- Okay.
Ta-da.
- Lovely.
- Yeah.
Okay.
Okay.
Let's talk about this one.
- Did you all read it?
- It was horrible.
It was very depressing.
I felt really bad for the women
in those situations.
A lot of women right here
in this prison
are survivors
of domestic violence.
They defended themselves
and this is where
it landed them.
That is so sad.
That makes me really sad.
Are you friends with them?
Do you help them?
Yes, and yes.
I'm working with a woman now
who's trying
not to let her daughter
be put into foster care.
She killed her abusive husband
she went to prison,
and now her kid has no parents.
- What's her name?
- How long is she in for?
How old is her kid?
I'm not really allowed
to give details like that.
Well, what about you?
Do you have kids?
Yes. I have four kids.
And what does your husband do?
As much as I'd love
to talk about me
I am here to teach you
and I am not a subject
that merits a college class.
I feel so lucky.
We'll have to decorate.
Make things for it.
- It's like being home again.
- Yeah.
The family BC.
- BC?
- Before the crimes.
When everything was about love.
Yeah. Like when Mary gave birth
to Pooh Bear.
And we all witnessed
the miracle.
[groaning]
- You can do it.
- Yeah. You got this, mama.
- One, two, three, push!
- One, two, three, push!
[groaning]
- Charlie's here.
- It's alright, baby.
It's alright. It's alright.
Nice and easy.
Paul, why don't you play
some music?
We want this motherfucker
to come out dancing, right?
You just push, honey.
You take it easy.
Go with the motion.
Go with the motion, Mary.
Somebody get me a razor blade
and sterilize it for me, please?
[groaning]
Come on, darling.
Come on, darling.
You can take it
nice and easy now.
You take it nice and easy now, alright?
Just go with the motion,
darling.
You're gonna go with the motion.
Alright.
Great, I'm gonna make
a little cut now.
- Charlie!
- One, two, three.
Oh, no, you're gonna give it
to me right now.
Give it to me now.
Oh, there we go. There we go.
That's it, come on,
one more, one more time!
One more time! One more time!
One more time now.
[grunting]
Come on, darling!
Here we go, here we go!
Come on! Come on! Come on!
Come on now.
You give me that squeeze!
- Push!
- Come on! Come on! Come on!
Push!
That's alright. That is coming!
Oh, yeah. Oh, we got it!
We got it! Oh!
Dig this. The little
motherfucker, man, he's out!
Woo! Yee-haw!
Alright, we got a baby!
We got a baby!
We got a baby!
Dig this little dude, Mary.
Take this little one.
Alright now, alright.
- Yeah, you did so good, mama.
- Yeah.
- There you go.
- So beautiful.
Alright, darling.
[panting]
Dig this little dude.
[indistinct song on radio]
"And the fifth angel sounded
"and I saw a star fall
from heaven unto the Earth.
"And to him was given the key
of the bottomless pit.
And he opened
the bottomless pit..."
Do you know
about the bottomless pit?
We're gonna find it.
Well, I'm gonna find it
and we're gonna live in it.
The question is your answer.
Keep reading.
That's Charlie.
Hey, Charlie.
Hey, listen, this is Kay.
Well, how do you do?
Welcome, ma'am.
Oh, I see.
You make a man ashamed
to show his pecker.
That's what Eve did.
Look where that got us.
Do I make you uncomfortable,
little girl?
No.
You're just rude.
Is that what daddy taught you,
to be polite?
No. No, my daddy taught me
not to take shit
from men like you.
That's what he taught me.
- Keep reading.
- Charlie, I...
- Go home to daddy, little girl.
You don't belong here.
Shoo.
I'm sorry, Charlie.
"And there came out of the smoke
locusts upon the Earth."
Get her out of here so I don't
have to look at her piggie face.
You see that, Lulu.
Not every stupid hippie girl
can waltz onto my land
and get a free dinner.
I need to see something
in your eyes.
Keep reading.
"And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the Earth."
The Beatles.
"And unto them
was given power.."
Me.
"...as the scorpions
of the Earth have power."
Me.
"And it was commanded them
"that they should not hurt
the grass of the Earth
neither any green thing.."
[instrumental music]
[laughter]
I have wings
and I can fly now.
[laughing]
Charlie says
there's gonna be a revolution
and we're gonna wait it out
in the bottomless pit.
Like it says in Revelations.
And that there will be babies
that are homeless
and they need saving
from all the killings.
And then we'll stay underground
and make music
and make love
until the violence is over.
And then... and then
when it comes time for us
to rise to the surface again,
some of us
will begin to feel budding wings
on our backs.
- Wings?
- Yes.
Some of us want to become
winged elves.
Me and Sandy, Squeaky.
Charlie says it would happen.
Karlene thinks we're crazy.
No.
I would never use that word.
I'm just surprised
to hear some of this stuff.
You've to admit
it's pretty far out.
You must know that elves
are mythical creatures
and therefore human beings
can't turn into elves
or sprout wings?
Well, hey, man, it's no more
far out than heaven and hell.
- Yeah. Charlie says that...
- Yeah, but what do you think?
Pat, do you still think
it's possible
that you will become
a winged elf?
Well, I guess not now.
Not... not when we're in here.
You won't become a winged elf
whether you're in here
or out in the world.
Karlene, tell us
about your kids.
Pretty please?
What are their names?
How old are they?
We spend too much time
talking about us in here.
They are 15, 14, 11 and 7.
You have a 7-year-old?
He must miss you so much.
- I see him every weekend.
- I didn't mean it like that.
I took my family
all around the world.
To Germany, to France,
to Ethiopia.
We've been through a lot
together
and they are always
surprising me.
Mom, I have a new family now.
Leslie,
what are you talking about?
[sobbing]
We're your parents.
Mom, please stop crying.
Listen to me.
I need you to stop loving me.
You're never gonna see me again.
Your home
is where you're happy
It's not where your..
We were all way into our trips
and hanging out inside the bus
when Charlie just decides
he has to go.
He starts running down the road
we all start begging him
to come back to us.
"Charlie! Charlie!"
It was really scary.
We can all laugh about it now.
Right at that moment,
I was probably sitting
in my secretarial school
freaking out
but not even knowing it.
We don't talk about our pasts.
We don't have pasts.
Our lives started
when we met Charlie.
But Charlie talks
about his time in prison...
How dare you question Charlie?
You need to talk less
and listen more.
[music on car stereo]
- Dennis!
- Dennis!
Hi.
Hey.
Hey, beautiful.
Did you miss me?
No, we've been busy.
Lots going on here.
Charlie wants...
Oh, Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.
Let's talk about
what Greg wants.
What does Greg want?
Stand up girls, let's give
the guys what they want.
You're all beautiful
but right now, I just wanna
get high and play music, man.
Come on then,
the girls are always here.
Let's go play.
[guitar music]
I came to tell you something,
Charlie.
I talked the band
into recording your song
"Cease To Exist."
- Everyone likes it, man.
- That's far out.
Yeah. I can't promise
more than that though.
We'll just see
how it works out.
Pretty girl
Pretty pretty girl
I'll cease to exist
I'll be a rock star
Alright, man.
Hey, Charlie. This is Linda.
Well, hey there.
Looky, looky here.
Where's that baby's daddy?
We split. He went sailing
around the world or something.
Take that baby to be with
the other little kiddies here.
Tex tells me
that you have a car?
Alright.
I think we can keep her.
Let me show you around.
Don't worry.
Ruth Ann is great with the kids.
And just think,
if you're loyal to Charlie
she will always
be taken care of.
Here everything
belongs to everyone.
Gypsy tells me you had a far-out
session making it with Tex.
Yeah.
When we came,
my... my fists were clenched
and my sides and arms
were paralyzed.
That's your ego dying.
Is that bad?
To have your ego dying?
No. That's what Charlie's
trying to help us do.
Kill our egos.
Be one consciousness.
- Love you, sweetheart.
- Come on. Let's go.
What... what happened?
Is your mom okay?
Oh, she's fine.
Oh.
[sobbing]
I just can't stand it.
She might think
I ended up in here
because of something they did or the way that they raised me.
No one has visited her
the whole three years.
I told my mother
to stop loving me..
...and she would never
see me again.
She kept loving me, anyway.
[instrumental music]
[indistinct chatter]
Now listen up. I want everyone
to show my good friend Phil here
a lot of love tonight.
He's my jailhouse brother.
We were at San Quentin together.
So Katie, Lulu,
why don't you come
and make the man feel welcome?
I feel much better
on the other
Side
Shit. Well, look at that.
You know, we all thought
he was fucking crazy in prison.
Talked a lot of nonsense, but..
...maybe I should have listened.
Now my good friend Dennis here
has an announcement to make.
Uh, yeah, Charlie's song
"Cease To Exist"
is on the record.
[gasping]
[cheering]
Now all you need to do is
get your friend Terry Melcher
to come up here
and listen to me play
and I know he'll wanna sign us.
I'll do my best
to get him out here, man.
Now that's right.
[screaming]
[cheering]
Alright, man. Thanks.
Now, Katie,
get everyone together.
Tell them just stop what they're
doing right now and come here.
- Okay.
- Soon. Now.
Terry Melcher is coming
to hear me play.
So we need to be ready. I mean,
we need to be more than ready.
Terry Melcher.
Terry Melcher!
Come on.
Dennis' producer,
the guy who can give me
a record deal, goddamn it.
Yeah.
When Terry hears me play,
he's gonna lose his mind
which means the world
gets to hear my music.
And then all the lost
young loves during the mayhem
and the killing
will hear my music
and they will know that
they have a home.
So, guys, make this place
look spotless.
Get rid of all the stuff
that stinks.
And, girls,
you bake some cookies.
Go to the grocery store.
I don't want no garbage run food
for Terry.
And I want a deer skin shirt and
pants held together by laces.
I want him to see my commitment
to going back to the land.
But don't they have to kill
the deer for that?
Lulu has a question. Would you
like to repeat that, Lulu?
Don't they kill the deer...
What we have here..
[laughing]
...what we have here
is a contradiction.
Lulu thinks
she sees a contradiction
and her tiny female brain
is gonna have a freak out.
If you think
I'm going against my own words
then maybe you just aren't
evolved enough yet
to understand what's going on.
Old JC said a lot of things
his followers didn't understand
and they stuck around.
No sense makes sense. You dig?
[indistinct chatter]
You think
you're lovin' baby
But all you're doin'
is tryin'
Can you feel?
Are those feelings real?
Look at your game girl
Look at your game girl
Chorus.
Say l.. Ooh...
No, no, no.
Again, again, again,
again, again.
Until we get it right
on the night.
Again. We need to do it again.
This is Terry Melcher. Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Again.
- Chorus.
What a mad delusion Ooh
Livin' in that confusion Ooh
Frustration and doubt Ooh
Can you ever live
without the game?
We don't have
enough of a spectacle.
Again.
Sounds good, Charlie.
I didn't ask for your opinion.
I asked for your titties
and your shapes.
I know it sounds good.
Chorus!
What a mad delusion Ooh
Livin' in that confusion Ooh
Frustration and doubt Ooh
Can you ever live
without the game?
Well, hey there, partner.
Hey, man. How you doing?
We got some special zuzus
and food for ya
and of course,
we got the girls.
Thank you, Charlie.
I don't have a lot of time.
We'll just get down
to the music, huh?
- Play me something.
- Alright.
Look, you gotta be all business,
then yo, we'll be all business.
I guess the music's really
the love, anyway, right?
Yeah, man.
Alright. Here we go.
[guitar music]
Thank you for coming,
Mr. Melcher.
Appreciate your time.
Alright.
Here's a time for livin'
Time keeps on flyin'
You think you're lovin' baby
When all you're doin'
is tryin'
Can you feel?
Are your feelings real?
Look at your game girl
Look at your game girl
What a mad delusion Ooh
Livin' in that confusion Ooh
Frustration and doubt Ooh
Can you ever live
without the game?
The sad sad game
My game
Just to say
you love's not enough
Anything can be true
Oh you can tell
those lies baby
But there ain't
no foolin' you
Can you feel?
Are those feelings real?
Look at your game girl
Look at your game girl
Ay ay ay
The sad game
My game
Ay ay ay
[applause]
Alright now.
So what do you think
of our place, man?
I mean, we dig it here,
you know.
We learn it's possible to live
without restrictions.
I mean, dig it, we live
on other people's garbage
and we live well, you know...
Hey, Charlie, man,
let's take a walk.
Talk about the music.
Alright, man.
You know, I mean, look,
we get off into these trees..
...we go walking.
Gotta take the horses out,
you know.
Yeah, so, uh..
That was perfect.
So beautiful.
You girls made me cry.
Your voices were so sweet.
It's all happening.
[indistinct chatter]
That music you were playing..
Finally, the world gets to hear
Charlie's music.
More popular than Jesus.
That suit looks outasight.
He looks like
a rock star already.
Well, man, what did he say?
He looked like
he was really digging it.
Is he gonna sign you
like he should?
I mean, he gave me money.
How much is it?
I couldn't sign a contract
on the spot.
That's just not how
Charlie Manson operates.
My word is my bond. I don't need
no written contract.
What about that money?
Well, it's just hay money.
I'm sure he wanted the horses
to eat well.
[laughing]
You know, let's eat
some of the cookies
those motherfuckers didn't want.
[laughing]
[guitar music]
Who made this salad dressing?
I did.
Well, smells a bit like piss.
Well, that's 'cause
I pissed in yours.
Don't play that shit with me,
woman!
[grunts]
Look at me! Look at me!
[groans]
I will not listen
to that kind of talk.
You take that shit down the
road. You dig what I'm saying?
Look at me. Look at me.
Look at me in the eye.
Look me in the eye.
[groans]
What?
You wanna fucking hit me?
Fuck you!
Get the fuck out of here.
- You wanna fucking hit me?
- Ah, no!
Huh?
I will break
your fucking wrist.
I will break
your fucking fingers!
What? What? Stop fighting!
Stop fighting me.
You stop fucking..
Stop fighting me. Whoa.
Whoa. Whoa.
[moaning]
Quit fighting me.
Get up.
Now you go back in the kitchen
and go, go about your business.
You can go ahead and eat, Sandy.
Hey, are you okay?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I feel good.
Listen.
Getting hit by the man you love
is no different
than making love to him.
Charlie just gives me
what I need.
I brought you gifts.
[laughs]
[sniffs]
I love the way new books smell.
[laughs]
Thank you so much.
We have a Christmas present
for you.
Did you bring it, Katie?
Sadie did this. The sun.
And that's a butterfly.
Lulu did it.
It's just like the one
we made for Charlie.
Ready, baby girl?
I got this.
[instrumental music]
You see that? She trusts me.
She's not afraid.
You'd die for me,
wouldn't you, girl?
Of course, Charlie.
You, uh, got a knife for me?
You're gonna wake up
one morning
As the sun meets the dawn
Girls,
these Straight Satan Gods
I think we need them.
Tex tells me he got
into a little complication
with a black man.
It might come back on us.
So I want you to make them
feel welcome.
Give them your gift.
Show them a good time.
Charlie doesn't like us
to do speed.
Charlie can't see us right now.
When you never need me
You're gonna wake up
wondering
Why'd you sleep all alone
No one's gonna
stop you baby
I'm not coming home
I'm not coming home
- Where you headed?
- Anywhere but here.
This album is a musical roadmap to our future.
Now when he talks
about the piggies
he's talking about the rich
and the powerful
needin' a damn good whacking.
The "Blackbird."
It's the black man's time
to rise.
And "Revolution 1,"
it's a call to arms. It's time.
"Revolution 9,"
it's the soundtrack to the war.
It's guns. Screaming.
Does that make you feel afraid?
No. It's like you always said
it would be.
You're damn straight it's like I always said it would be.
You should feel proud.
You should all feel proud.
And why should you all
feel proud? Lulu, why?
Because we're already living
like revolutionaries.
Yes! Now dig this.
In Revelations, in the Bible
it talks about the locusts
coming to Earth.
Now that's the Beatles.
And he talks about
the locusts having scales
like iron breastplates.
That's the Beatles' guitars.
And dig this.
He talks about five angels
coming to Earth.
Now this five angels,
four of them are the Beatles
the other one is me.
And the other one is me
because I am given the key
to the shaft
of the bottomless pit.
And where is
the bottomless pit?
The one you told us about
in Death Valley?
- The one we're going to find.
- Yes!
So "Helter Skelter"
is the thing, man.
It's what
the black man's gonna do
to start the race war.
But just like the Bible says
I will lead my family
to the bottomless pit
and we will live out the war
underground
and we will expand to 144,000
and then we will come back
like the 12 tribes of Israel.
And when we come back,
the black man will not know
how to act or how to be
or how to govern
or what to do.
And so, we cannot leave!
We cannot leave
because you're white people
and you will be murdered.
You will be made
into black slaves.
And Tex, Tex!
Tex is gonna be sorry
that he ever left our tribe.
- Thanks for coming out here.
- That's okay.
Hey, look,
my wife just wants to know
all about these
crazy Manson girls.
Yeah.
I get asked
about them a lot too.
Yeah.
Um, okay,
now you were all just kids
when the Watts Riots happened,
but it's a perfect example.
Here you have black Americans
oppressed for generations,
at the end of their rope.
You know, things got
out of hand back then
but the message was sent.
Yeah, Charlie said that
Watts was the beginning.
I really think that
a race war would have started
if they hadn't put us in here.
The black man is rising up
and his time is coming.
Do you think it's still coming?
Um..
Well, Bobby Seale was bound
and gagged in a courtroom
but last year they let him go,
so..
We don't know who that is.
Black Panthers?
Y'all don't get any news
in here at all?
Oh, yes.
We know the Black Panthers.
Charlie said that
black people wouldn't be able
to lead themselves
after the revolution
that they would need his help.
Yeah, I heard that he said that.
It's okay, he said
you wouldn't understand now
but that you would thank him
later.
But..
You don't think that's true?
I find that to be
a deeply racist idea.
That black people would need
a white man
to tell them what to think.
When black people
take their power back
there's no chance
in hell that...
Charlie said...
Let's listen to what
Bill has to say.
There's no chance in hell
that we would turn
to a white person
for leadership.
And black people were
brought here as slaves in 1619.
And even after slavery
and the eventual abolishment
of slavery
we are still
getting crushed by racism.
We don't trust the white men
and we certainly don't need one
to lead us.
You hear me?
[no audio]
The trouble with blackie is
he wants to fuck
all the white women
turn all the white babies
brown.
We can't have that.
That's what makes whitey mad.
Well, we're gonna
help blackie out.
We're gonna start a race war
called Helter Skelter.
And we start this war
by killing some white people
and making it look like
the black man's work.
Blackie's been waiting
for this. Blackie is waiting.
And then the piggy cops
will come down on blackie
when they find
the rich dead piggies.
Then the revolution will begin.
You understand me?
Helter Skelter is upon us.
[sobbing]
Lulu, what's wrong?
Did you ever start to think
that maybe Helter Skelter
isn't coming down at all?
That Charlie was wrong?
No. No.
Don't let this place
get to you.
It would be happening right now if we weren't in here.
Please don't give up now.
- Okay.
- Please, I need you.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to upset you.
Lulu, this knife might be
the only thing
between you and blackie
slitting your throat.
Thrust and jab
like you mean it.
Thrust. Jab. Lift.
Stab the chair.
Good, Mary.
I know everyone thinks
we're these scary creatures
who committed
these horrible crimes
but we were just engaging
in the dance of life and death.
Charlie says there is no death.
So you're saying it's okay
to take someone's life?
Leslie, Susan,
is that what you think?
No.
I'm saying
that I'm starting to think
that the devil took a hold of me
so I could find my way to God.
So Charlie is the devil?
No, Charlie is Charlie
and the devil is the devil.
So you all still believe
that thing he was talking about
Helter Skelter?
[sighs]
The other night, I started
to doubt it and I got shaky.
You felt doubt.
What made you feel that doubt?
That was just for a minute,
right, Lulu?
She doesn't doubt anymore.
[clears throat] Sorry to
interrupt your studies, ladies.
I am afraid I have bad news.
The decision has come down
and you will remain here in SSU
for the duration
of your sentences.
Fucking motherfuckers!
They can't fucking
do this shit to us!
We're fucking human beings!
You are considered
an escape risk
and too well known.
No!
I'm never gonna
see Charlie again.
[sighs]
We don't know
what's gonna happen.
There's always parole.
You could get out.
No, you. You could get out.
They'll never let me
out of here.
It's my fault you're in here.
Charlie said make sure everyone
does something that night
and I made sure you did.
You must hate me.
I could never hate you.
Good afternoon, ladies.
Special treat for you today.
No school.
Just a mini concert.
Ladies, I brought Robin
to play for you..
Ladies, why would you do this?
Charlie spoke to us last night.
He told us to.
He told us to protest.
Jesus fucking Christ.
How the hell
did they get razors?
The guards love them.
They have all kinds of things
in their cells.
Are you okay?
It's just as long as
they're stuck alone together
in that unit just repeating their
brainwashing back to each other..
I mean, they're never gonna see
the real world again
so what is it
we can really do for them?
I just wanna remind them
if I can..
...of who they were before
they ever met Charles Manson.
I just wanna give them back
themselves.
[instrumental music]
Let's go take a walk.
Where's Charlie?
He went somewhere with Paul.
Seems like
he's been gone forever.
- You like living here?
- Yeah. You should join us.
- Nah, I need my freedom.
- Freedom?
That's all we have here.
I like you.
You should come away
on adventures with me.
I have a lot
of responsibilities here.
We're preparing for a war.
Well, if we're all gonna die
we better get
to making love, huh?
Well, I don't know about that.
Come on.
You might be my last chance,
baby.
[chuckles]
Hey. Who the fuck are you?
Sorry, man. I came..
I came with Danny and them guys.
- I thought you...
- Get the fuck out of here.
And don't you come back
unless you're invited
which you wont be.
Get up. Get out.
You want me to help
get your dick in your pants?
Get the fuck out of my barn!
You guys got a weird scene
going on up here, man.
You ask me first!
You don't just whore around.
That is it.
No more hippie kids looking
for a free ride and a quick lay.
Nobody has any visitors
unless it goes through me.
We need to stay focused
on our scene.
No more outsiders.
[whistles]
I'm gonna go on an adventure.
You can come.
Bring Lulu.
Bring that Linda girl.
We'll use her car.
We get
in the rich people's houses
and we get in their heads,
you dig?
You just, you get in
and get out. Don't be afraid.
Mess things up a bit,
but don't break anything.
Alright, take a wallet
here and there
but mostly just let them know
that they're not safe.
But what if they wake up?
Don't allow them to. Use your
training, man. Be invisible.
[instrumental music]
He'll wake up and say, "Honey,
where did I put my wallet?"
And he'll say, "Why did you put
the portraits upside down?"
[laughing]
What's in the wallet?
Uh, uh, sixty bucks
and three credit cards.
Well, that's nothing.
Next time we tie some piggies up
and we scare them to death.
[instrumental music]
Lulu, I think
you should leave here.
I came to help you do that.
It looks like you're being made
to stay here against your will.
I can take you right now.
You can drop that broom, get on
my bike and we'll be gone.
Nobody will stop us.
No.
I'm staying here.
I want to be here. I-I mean..
Thank... thank you.
Are you sure about this?
I ain't expecting nothing
from you.
I mean,
we... we ain't gotta ball
just 'cause I get you
out of here.
You just look like you need
rescuing, that's all.
I'm sure.
[instrumental music]
Let's go.
You wanna leave me?
Jump.
That's my Lulu.
I knew you weren't going
anywhere.
Hi.
How are you?
I've realized
if I succeed in making them
really accept what they did..
...then they will have to live
with that horror.
Isn't that what prison's for?
Atonement?
Taking responsibility
for one's actions?
They will have to live
with that horror every day
for the rest of their lives.
I'm opening the door
to that torment.
To the place where
their punishment truly begins.
- I like the 9-11.
- Yeah, me too.
I like the little guy though.
That's, uh, that's personal.
Personal?
[dramatic music]
I mean, it was just like
you said it'd be out there.
Plastic people everywhere.
But I belong here with you.
Well, then get ready to fight.
Now we put the piggy
in the chair.
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Who's the piggy?
- Kill the piggy.
- Kill the piggy!
- Kill the piggy.
- Kill the piggy!
- Kill the piggy.
- Kill the piggy!
Now imagine we just yanked
this piggy out of his car.
I want you to look at him and I want you to stare at him
and I want you to scare him
to death!
Now we could tie him up
and we could scare the piggy
into willing us
all of his money.
We could kill his family
in front of him
but I need you
to give this gift to me.
Are you willing
to die for me, Tex?
Are you willing
to let me kill you?
Yeah, Charlie.
Charlie, you can kill me.
You can kill me. I'm ready.
I'm ready.
We put the piggy in the chair.
You can kill me, Charlie.
- I can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me.
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me!
- We can kill you.
- You can kill me!
- We can kill you!
- You can kill me!
- We can kill you!
- You can kill me!
- We can kill you!
- You can kill me!
Tex Watson's gone.
He doesn't exist anymore.
Now there's just this.
A body named Tex
that carries around
a little piece of Charlie.
A little piece of the infinite.
It's Charlie Manson, baby.
Yeah, for Terry.
Yeah, well, I can call back,
but..
Yeah, man, I dig.
That's cool. I can call back.
That's no problem. Alright.
You think I don't know
you're there, Terry?
You think I don't know
you're there?
I'll burn your fucking eyes out
with this fucking cigarette.
You fucking weasel fuck.
[dramatic music]
[indistinct music]
[indistinct chatter]
[knocks]
Oh.
Hello. Welcome. Do I know you?
Uh, no, no,
I'm just looking for Terry.
Terry Melcher.
I've been to a few parties here.
- Hey, have I met you before?
- No.
Well, um..
...Terry moved to Malibu,
so he's not here.
But are you a friend of Terry's?
- Please come in if you want.
- No, no, thank you.
Okay. Goodnight.
Goodnight.
[humming]
- Thank you.
- Well, of course.
...world-famous director
Roman Polanski.
Beautiful Sharon Tate
had no way of knowing
the horrific tragedy
that would soon befall her.
I can feel very alone
at a party
on the set or in general
if I'm not in harmony
with the things around me.
I'm very sensitive
to ugly situations.
I'm quick to read people
and I pick up
if someone's reacting to me
as just a sexy blond.
Times like those, I freeze.
Lord Jesus..
Who would you like to be
in your next life?
I open up the door to my heart.
Please come in
and forgive my sins.
[sniffing]
No!
Dig.
The time is now, man.
Helter Skelter.
You go into Terry Melcher's
old house
and you make it look like
blackie's work.
Couple of weeks ago, me and Mary went on an acid run
in Hollywood, you know.
Even though they gave us this,
this really special stuff
called Orange Sunshine.
And when we got outside
we were convinced
that we were invisible.
Yeah. So we hitched a ride
over the Canyon, right
and the driver, all of a sudden,
he just jerks around
and he starts screaming
at us, you know, like
"Who are you? What the fuck
are you doing to my car?"
[scoffs]
So we realized
that we actually were invisible
and what Charlie said was true.
Once you burn every thought
out of your head..
...there's nothing left
for anyone else to see.
So we were staring
into the setting sun..
...and..
...it felt like we were looking
right at God.
And I realized..
...I realized that the closer
the sun got to setting
the closer I knew
the end of the world was.
What Charlie said was true.
The apocalypse is at hand
and the present world is dying.
From then on, I haven't had
a trace of doubt in my mind.
It's coming down
and it's coming down fast.
[dramatic music]
[sobbing]
Please.
Please, just take me with you.
Please just let me live
to have my baby.
[sobbing]
Please.
Kill her.
[sobbing]
No, no, no.
Adorned with bright,
shiny things
I see that as something
totally pure and beautiful.
And what do you make
of some of the dark subjects
in your husband's films?
Everything that's realistic
has some sort
of ugliness in it.
Even a flower is ugly
when it wilts..
Sadie, can you, please,
turn it down?
The ocean
when it becomes violent.
Was informative
interesting
but so graphic.
I saw Lulu blushing
when she was reading it.
I wasn't.
Karlene, don't take this
the wrong way
but are you a lesbian?
This seems kind of like
a lesbian book.
No, I'm not, Susan.
Oh. I'm sorry.
And glad.
It's against the Lord's way
and I would worry for you.
Well, we will have to agree
to disagree there.
You can tell us if you are.
I won't pass judgment on you.
It's just that
you dress that way
and you never talk
about your husband, so..
My husband and I split up
a year ago.
I don't like... talking
about him much.
He's not a good man.
I never saw you as someone
who would be with a bad man.
There are a lot of things
about all of you
that I would never guess
from looking at you.
Like, did you really believe
that you were going to find
an underground cave
and live that way
during the revolution?
So much of what you've told me
doesn't make logical sense.
How would you survive in a cave?
We wanted to believe
something big was gonna happen.
I mean..
Do you remember in 1969..
...it really felt like
there was gonna be
a huge cosmic shift
and things were never
gonna be the same?
Like there was
gonna be some big thing
that was gonna
change everything?
Come on, Karlene..
...you were there.
Didn't it feel that way to you?
Yeah, it did.
It felt that way
to most people I know.
But it didn't make them
kill strangers.
But we had to.
It was for..
For what?
What was it for?
My hand hurts.
The... the knife didn't have
a proper handle
and it just kept hitting
the bone.
So it's all going down
like Charlie said?
Yeah..
It's pretty heavy.
But... but it's like
Charlie said.
"If you love everything
then you don't have to think
about things." Right?
- Right on.
- Okay.
- What was it like?
- The people were very young.
It didn't seem right.
But it was the right thing
to do.
[sniffles]
Charlie asked me to do it
and I did it.
No ego. No trip.
Charlie taught us that death
and life are the same thing
so there's nothing
to be afraid of.
You can't be afraid
if you don't exist.
Yeah.
[sighs]
Honey, can you rub my feet
just for a minute?
It's always just for a minute.
[telephone ringing]
That will be Cory letting us
know she got in okay.
Get up.
Stand over here.
Last night was too messy.
Tonight we're gonna go out
and we're gonna get it right.
Uh-huh?
I wanna go.
You come along then.
[dramatic music]
Well..
...there's two people in there.
I got them ready for ya.
They're calm.
Don't freak them out.
Do something witchy.
And find your own way home.
What are you gonna do?
You're gonna kill us,
aren't you?
Did he say to kill them?
- You're gonna kill us.
Please, don't do this.
Where's my wife?
I have a chest full of money
at the store.
Please. No! No! No! No! No!
No! Come on. Rosemary! Rosemary!
No! No! I got money!
I got money!
I got money! I got money!
[muffled screaming]
What are you doing?
Go take care of her.
Go!
[muffled groaning]
Get away from me!
[crying]
Get away! Get away!
[grunting]
Somebody help us!
Somebody help!
[crying]
No! No! No! No!
No! No! No! No!
No!
Get away!
Tex!
No! No!
Tex!
[screaming]
[screaming]
[groaning]
Come on now, Lulu.
Charlie says
everyone has to do something.
[screaming]
[panting]
[screaming]
It was all for nothing.
We did those horrible things
for nothing.
Lulu, we did what we had to do.
Call me Leslie now, please.
My name is Leslie.
We didn't have to do any of it.
But we did.
And why?
Do you know why, Katie?
Sadie?
Why did we do those things?
Jimmy?
Jimmy, can I get out, please?
[sobbing]
[instrumental music]
[bikes revving]
[instrumental music]
Peace of mind
To find is not easy
When the one you love
You don't trust
When I picture the image
Of someone else beside her
I see a reflection
of violence
And emotion of life
that is used
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
I see a reflection
of violence
And emotion of life
that is used
You will see
That the mind
cannot furnish
Things that you want
were gone
What can I see
When the one thing
That you had had passed
Is not pretty
You want to love so hard
But you bleed through
every time
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
You want to love so hard
But you bleed through
every time
[instrumental music]
Frankincense and eucalyptus
Bring me
into my mother's kitchen
With rosaries
and crystal beads
Her pink heart bleeds out
Green money
that she'll give to me
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me dying
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me living too
Rosemary cotton dry linen
My mother's body
is the only one
That I've ever lived in
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me dying
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me living too
Coffee toast
jam with butter
I hear every word
she utters
And I can't wait
To taste
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me dying
And I remember the day
that I felt she was afraid
Of me living too