As one of the most infamous figures in American history, it is no surprise that there have been many Charles Manson movies over the years and that there are still more coming out. The horrific legacy of Manson goes back to August 1969 when one of the victims being actress Sharon Tate. Despite not being present for the murders, Manson was convicted as the ringleader of a cult who ordered the murders carried out by his followers.

It was a crime that shook the American public and hooked into a shared fear in the nation. Decades later and even after Manson's death in prison in 2017, his crimes and his story remain a subject of fascination for the public at large. With the rise in popularity of the true-crime genre, Manson has been continuously explored as a subject in many movies and documentaries, with the world still scared and intrigued by him.

10 Manson (1973)

Directed By Robert Hendrickson & Laurence Merrick

As one of the first documentary films about him, the Manson 1973 documentary was a hit upon its release due to how in-depth this film gets. It came out only a few years after the actual crime itself, when Manson and the story were still very much part of American culture and discussion of the horrific crimes were still widely being discussed.

The film goes into detail about how much the trial would end up costing, the murders, showing interviews from the family, and scenes from Charles Manson's trial. Seeing the man who orchestrated the killings certainly made an impression on those who viewed it, as well as seeing just how brainwashed the family was due to him.

9 The Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder: Charles Manson (1981)

Directed By Tom Snyder

There are a vast number of TV series available to viewers about serial killers, and, ideally, ones focusing on real-life events should keep the story accurate. Mindhunter showcases several realistic killers, Manson being one of them. However, there is nothing more accurate than hearing the man himself speak.

What interests people who have watched this is how Manson portrayed himself, how intelligent he was, and how persuasive he could sound.

In 1981, Tom Snyder visited Manson in prison to get an interview. Manson answers questions upfront or provides a description of events or things that were said rather than giving a straight answer to the question. What interests people who have watched this is how Manson portrayed himself, how intelligent he was, and how persuasive he could sound. It's a good example of why so many people found him so interesting.

8 The Manson Family (1997)

Directed By Jim Van Bebber

There are many documentaries available that share interviews with Manson, but some, like The Manson Family, use dramatizations to show audiences key moments in the man's life. These have become increasingly popular over time, and in 1997, one of the best serial killer movies fans of Dahmer should watch was released.

The Manson Family is the dramatization of the horrific events involving Manson, his followers, and the murders. The unique film is made up of eight home movies that are a cross between documentary and retelling. The film is graphic and bloody and includes sexual content, nudity, and other content that could be considered disturbing to some. It was praised for its creativity, intense depictions, and graphic nature while also praising the acting and the portrayal of Charles Manson in the film.

7 House Of Manson (2014)

Directed By Brandon Slagle

There is no denying that serial killers are one of the most popular topics regarding anything crime-related in media. Because of this, plenty of great series, such as Mindhunter and similar shows/movies, have found immense success. However, there can often be a struggle between showing aspects of the case as authentic as possible and humanizing a person who is responsible for horrible crimes.

House of Manson does a deep dive into the life of Manson and his influence on his followers. While it has its flaws, the film has this way of drawing viewers in by showing the "appealing" look of the ranch, and it also presents Charles as sympathetic at times. What makes it scary is how vulnerable certain people are and how easily manipulated they are, and that's something that can be seen as beautiful but can also be rotten to the core.

6 Manson's Lost Girls (2016)

Directed By Leslie Libman

Many films have attempted to bring to light the experience of everyone involved in a crime. This can be done very well, or it could go wrong in many ways. The Lifetime movie Manson's Lost Girls found itself in the middle. While Manson is not the main character, the actor who portrays him has a good amount of screen time and is never too far away.

The film follows the girls of the family: Leslie Van Houten, Lynette' Squeaky' Fromme, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian. It received mixed reviews due to some of the acting and choice of actors. However, many agreed that the charisma the actor who played Manson showed and the portrayal of how devoted these girls were to him was very well done.

5 Charles Manson: The Final Words (2017)

Directed By James Buddy Day

Charles Manson spent decades in prison before ultimately dying behind bars. Despite being locked away, he continued to be a subject of fascination for many people and his death only helped to bring more attention to his story. A year before his death, he reminded the world again of his presence by collaborating on a biography.

Charles Manson: The Final Words is not only a biography but also provides interviews and re-enactments while being narrated by Rob Zombie. It's gruesome, informative, and provides recordings of calls from Manson himself. The documentary mentions that the obsessive interest in Manson has never faded, and even Manson himself says he is the most famous person to have ever lived.

4 Charlie Says (2018)

Directed By Mary Harron

There has always been a lot of criticism towards actors who take on the role of Manson as it can be difficult to take on such a strange figure who has become a bewildering part of culture for several decades. In 2019, Matt Smith took up the part of Manson in the film Charlie Says, and viewers were captivated by his performance.

While the film is not from Manson's perspective, Smith's performance impressed many viewers and was the main focus of most reviews when mentioning the film's positive attributes.

Charlie Says focuses on the life of Leslie "Lulu" Van Houten during her time with the Manson family along with Patricia "Katie" Krenwinkel and Susan "Sadie" Atkins. While the film is not from Manson's perspective, Smith's performance impressed many viewers and was the main focus of most reviews when mentioning the film's positive attributes. Aside from Smith's performance, the depiction of the brainwashing and how Manson's charisma and charm were able to captivate his followers.

3 Charles Manson: Making The Monster (2019)

Real Crime YouTube Channel

The Real Crime YouTube channel has over 1 million subscribers on their channel. They also have one of the best and most chilling documentaries of Charles Manson available.

Charles Manson: Making the Monster shows censored crime scene photos, interviews from officers that were on the scene and working the case, as well as clips from Sharon Tate's husband, film director Roman Polanski, who can be seen barely holding himself together while he tries to speak. It's a documentary that will pull at the heartstrings and show just a glimpse at the horror that Charles Manson orchestrated and how his manipulation, drugs, and preaching of "love" was able to twist the minds of his followers.

2 Manson: Music From An Unsound Mind (2019)

Directed By Tom O'Dell

When someone hears the name Charles Manson, more often than not, they'll first think of his status as a former cult leader. But there was much more to him, and Music from an Unsound Mind is an excellent documentary that provides a lot of information on who he was.

Manson: Music from an Unsound Mind goes right into the beginning of Manson's life. The main focus was not only his criminal record but his obsession with music and how it all came to an end. While it does not provide the most chilling effect, the actual information and deep dive into where it all started are informative and something that every fan of learning more about what made him tick would be interested in.

1 Chaos: The Manson Murders (2025)

Directed By Errol Morris

The latest Charles Manson project is a true-crime documentary on Netflix from an Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker. Errol Morris directed Chaos: The Manson Murders, a gripping examination of some of the most disturbing aspects of the infamous crimes that have not been explored as often. Specifically, the documentary tries to get to the bottom of the baffling question of how Manson was able to convince his followers to commit such a heinous crime on his behalf.

The movie is an adaptation of the book Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O'Neill with Dan Piepenbring. It explores a lot of the conspiracies surrounding that question, including delving into the history of CIA drug experiments as well as mind control. While some quite outlandish ideas are covered, it gets to the heart of how unsettling it is that Manson was able to convince people to do this and how people need answers to how such a thing is possible.