5 documentaries to watch if you liked CHAOS: The Manson Murders

Still from the movie (Image via Netflix)

Directed and co-produced by Errol Morris, CHAOS: The Manson Murders, is a documentary movie that is an adaptation of a non-fiction book, CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties, written by Tom O’Neill and Dan Piepenbring.

CHAOS: The Manson Murders is a comprehensive look at the social, political, and psychological undercurrents of the era. It helped propel Manson’s reign and created a loyal following of supporters who delivered his every whim.

CHAOS: The Manson Murders explores topics like mind control, CIA experiments, and brutal killings. Viewers who liked true crime documentaries like these, can check the list below for some similar movies.

Abducted in Plain Sight, Victim/Suspect, and other documentaries like CHAOS: The Manson Murders

1. Victim/Suspect (Netflix)

Directed and produced by Nancy Schwartzman, this documentary revolves around Rachel de Leon, who is a journalist at The Center for Investigative Reporting. The movie follows her as she makes the startling discovery that there are several young women across the United States, who have been silenced by the police force.

These young women are charged by police for making false rape accusations, even though they were being truthful. The show has received positive reviews for its pertinent topic and bringing it to the fore. Like CHAOS: The Manson Murders, the movie is a documentary that revolves around true crimes and how they were perpetrated and the conspiracies that are involved.

2. Abducted in Plain Sight (Netflix)

This true crime documentary movie is directed by Sky Borgman, who also produced it. The movie revolves around the real-life case of Jan Broberg, who was abducted by her neighbor Robert Berchtold on two occasions in the 1970s.

The show covers Broberg’s life in Idaho, her kidnapping, and how rampant child kidnappings were happening in the country. The movie also features interview footage with Broberg.

Like CHAOS: The Manson Murders, the movie is a true crime documentary and offers the same suspense and thrills. Both movies try to uncover the reasons behind a particular crime.

3. The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker (Netflix)

Directed by Colette Camden, this documentary revolves around Caleb Lawrence McGillvary, and chronicles his journey from being an easy-going and joyful nomad to turning into a murderer and following a downward spiral of mayhem, which resulted in his imprisonment.

The movie focuses on how he achieved internet fame due to a video where he was dubbed the hatchet-wielding hitchhiker and how he recounted a crime he witnessed. However, he was later turned in for a murder himself. Like CHAOS: The Manson Murders, the movie is a true crime documentary and focuses on the descent of madness in the protagonist.

4. Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case (Netflix)

This true crime documentary is directed by Hyoe Yamamoto and revolves around the real-life case of a 21-year-old British woman, Lucie Blackman, who went missing in Tokyo, after living there for some time. Her disappearance and search effort were the matter of an international investigation, and the movie focuses on her father’s efforts to know about her disappearance.

The film is emotional and investigative in nature and offers a biting look at the underbelly of Tokyo’s crime situation and how women were exploited. The movie comprehensively covers one of the most famous abduction cases of the early aughts and like CHAOS: The Manson Murders, the film is a documentary about true crime and is investigative in nature. Both films cover the sordid reality of crimes and the conspiracies that grow around them.

5. Breaking the Silence: The Maria Soledad Case (Netflix)

Directed by Lorena Munoz, this Argentinian true crime documentary movie revolves around the brutal murder of a young girl, Maria Soledad, who was killed in the 90s after a high school dance. The documentary is retold by her loved ones and friends, who defied societal norms about crimes to speak about the injustice meted out to their friend and their continuous fight for justice.

The movie is equal parts emotional and investigative and also looks at the societal norms in 1990s Argentina, which gives a better picture of the reason behind the crime. Like CHAOS: The Manson Murders, the film is an in-depth look at the reasons behind a crime and the social and psychological reasons, which led to it. Both movies are gritty and suspenseful.

Viewers are welcome to go through the list and choose a movie like CHAOS: The Manson Murders.

Edited by Ankush Das