ITV Commissions Two-Part Manson Family Documentary

The new ITV documentary series The Manson Family: The Lost Tapes (working title), produced by Naked Entertainment and sold by FremantleMedia International, features 100 hours of previously unseen footage.

The 2×1-hour documentary series reveals the reality of life inside the notorious Manson Family. The new footage of the murderous 1960s cult was unearthed by British indie Naked Entertainment in 2016 after the death of the filmmaker who shot it half a century ago.

The series will also feature new and archival interviews with former Manson cult members, such as Catherine “Gypsy” Share and Dianne “Snake” Lake, in addition to key people involved in the history of the infamous Manson case, including prosecutor Stephen Kay and FBI criminal profiler John Douglas.

Kate Teckman, commissioning editor for ITV, said: “Almost 50 years since the Manson Family murders, the radicalization of young people is a more pressing issue than ever. Hendrickson’s extraordinary unseen footage provides a chilling and compelling insight into how vulnerable young people were influenced into carrying out some of the most horrific murders of the 20th century.”

“Raw, candid and compelling, this extraordinary cache of material takes us right inside the Manson Family home at the very time the crimes were committed,” said executive producer Simon Andreae. “The footage shows—in real time—how the cult members were brainwashed under Manson’s influence.”