FEBRUARY 27, 2014
By Cynthia Littleton for Variety.com
Writer Bret Easton Ellis and director Rob Zombie have teamed with Alcon Television to develop a project for Fox that will revisit the people and events connected to the Manson Family murder spree in August 1969.
The project is envisioned as a limited series, but it is in the very early stages of development with Fox. Ellis is set to write the script and some additional materials. Zombie is on board to direct.
Zombie has long had a fascination with the Manson Family slayings, which left seven people dead in the Los Angeles area. Among the victims were actress Sharon Tate, who was eight and a half months pregnant at the time with the child of director Roman Polanski, and prominent Hollywood hairstylist Jay Sebring.
The killings were so gruesome, and the stories of Charles Manson’s level of control of his drug-addled young followers so disturbing, that Manson was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy charges even though he was never found to have committed a homicide himself.
Manson’s clutch of cult followers have been suspected of many other murders during that era. But it was sheer brutality and psychopathic theatricality of the killings (complete with messages written in blood at the crime scenes) unleashed on Aug. 8-9, 1969, that jolted the nation’s psyche.
The Ellis-Zombie collaboration aims to tell converging stories of people and events leading up to and after the murders, from shifting points of view. The project is envisioned as a multi-part series, but it is one of many limited series projects in the works and is far away from receiving a greenlight.
The idea for the project began with Zombie and Adam Kolbrenner and Robyn Meisinger of Madhouse Entertainment. They developed the concept and brought it to Ellis and Alcon. To date, no source material has been optioned for the project which plans to take an original approach to dramatizing stories drawn from the historical record.
Ellis, Zombie and the Madhouse principals will exec produce with Alcon’s Sharon Hall, Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson. Ben Roberts and Ryan Cunningham serve as co-producers.
“I have been obsessed with this insane story since I was a kid, so obviously I jumped at the chance to be involved in this incredible project. After speaking with Bret, I immediately realized that we shared the same vision for this epic madness,” Zombie said.
Manson was sentenced to death in 1971, but the sentence changed to life in prison when California abolished the death penalty the following year. He has been denied parole 12 times.
Ellis most recently penned the micro-budgeted Lindsay Lohan starrer “The Canyons,” released last year by IFC. Zombie’s last directorial effort was the 2013 indie “The Lords of Salem.”
(Pictured: Bret Easton Ellis, left, and Rob Zombie)
http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/bret-easton-ellis-rob-zombie-team-on-manson-murders-project-for-fox-exclusive-1201122838/
Submitted by Mr. Stormsurge. Thanks Stormsurge!!
55 comments:
Thanks Stormsurge!
You ROCK!
Nobody writes about LA better than BE Ellis (OK.. maybe Ellroy). Check out his LA novels Less Than Zero, Imperial Bedrooms and The Informers.
I also enjoy Zombie's flicks, although they are a bit over the top. This is one Manson project that sounds like it has some promise. I hope it sees the light of day.
Alright FOX! Waytago! They gotta get Squeaky to appear. She can't hide forever.
Maybe Rob Zombie can get his hot wife to play Sharon Tate.
You mean Mrs Zombie?
Hi all. Just checkin' in. I hope everyone's a good year so far. Mine's going pretty well. A few bumps in the road but nothin' I can't handle. What a long, strange trip it's been.....
By the way, I wonder if it's Ms Zombie.....
Sheri Moon Zombie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdcTWmVwsrE
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2570170/No-respect-Serial-killer-Joanna-Dennehy-laughs-jokes-dock-appears-court-sentenced-series-savage-murders.html
This is a bizarre female seriel killer in England with a 7 ft 3 in Igor friend who helped her dispose of the bodies.
But i'm posting this because it mentions a trend in European law where whole life senteces are deemed cruel. This is something many people argue in the Manson defendants cases.
At what point does society become cruel to prisoners? At what point has a defendant paid his/her dues?
Manson's case is unusual because he has not only served over 6 decades in prison but he ends up in solitary quite a lot for petty offenses.
Hey Doc, I'm glad you doing okay!
Rob Zombie re-did John Carpenter's Halloween. It was a pretty good remake. He spent a lot more time trying to explain why Michael Myers was demented. Rob's hot wife played Michael's strip-goddess, enabling mother. LOL.
On the other hand, House of 1000 Corpses was so bad we got up and walked out...
I looked up that Joanna-Dennehy, she's pretty weird.
I've been following a case in WV for about 6 months of 3 sixteen year old girls that were "best friends", until Rachel Shoaf and Shelia Eddy lured Skylar Neese out of her house, took her to a remote area, and stabbed her to death.
They were all juveniles at the time and the police kept almost everything secret and rumors ran wild on Twitter.
Neese was missing for several months, the 2 murderers helped put up "missing" posters of her and posted on her Facebook page how much they missed her.
A vid of Shelia Eddy asking Shoaf and Neese how they would prefer to die can be seen HERE.
Eddy plead guilty and was sentenced to life, she's already been transferred to the Lakin Correctional Center, the only max prison for women in WV. She's eligible for parole in 2028 I think it said.
Shoaf plead guilty to second degree murder a day or 2 ago, her sentencing hearing can be seen HERE.
They apparently planned the murder in science class and began stabbing Neese after a count of 3.
Frienemies: the world is crawling with them.
thx, Lynyrd. This is may favorite Manson board by far because of the good people here. Anyone seen House of 1000 Corpses and The Devils Rejects because imho that's the Manson Family right there. Hell, at one point the long haired Bill Moseley character says to somebody who he's about to snuff, "I'm the devil and I'm here to do the devil's business."
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1039656269275&set=a.1015207098061.2002600.1161570966&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash2%2Ft1%2F207994_1039656269275_2336_n.jpg&size=604%2C453
A picture of Dilligaf II with Rob Zombie at the Improv a few years ago. At the same party, he bought Scott Ian a beer without being carded, the boy has potential...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1039656509281&set=a.1015207098061.2002600.1161570966&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-prn1%2Ft1%2F205542_1039656509281_4309_n.jpg&size=604%2C453
Stormsurge!
Dilligaf!
Jeffrey!
Doc!
Poirot!
Katie!
Sunset!
You guys ROCK!
http://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?feature=plpp&v=tqBKBsG1UYo&list=PLSLC7pedmhUFZJAjnjrMxTj3whCGOGw_x
http://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?feature=plpp&v=tqBKBsG1UYo&list=PLSLC7pedmhUFZJAjnjrMxTj3whCGOGw_x
http://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?feature=plpp&v=tqBKBsG1UYo&list=PLSLC7pedmhUFZJAjnjrMxTj3whCGOGw_x
Bing!
Thanks Skynyrd. Right back atcha. The first Skynyrd song I fell in love with was Working For MCA off of the live album back in around 1977. Cutis Lowe gets an honorable mention. Been a fan ever since.....
Thanks Lynyrd...my memory ain't what it used to be.
Hey louis365. After I turned 50 I was told there're 3 things that diminish with age. The first one is memory and I can't remember what the other two are.....
LOL Doc...I guess I'm in trouble then, because I have a little ways to go before I'm 50.
I also started to get grey pubes but the towel boy at the gym said it made my penis look more distinguished..... (I hope I didn't offend anyone).....
The Devil's Rejects are on Showtime at 9:35 Central.
Viewer Discretion is advised.
http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/entertainment/2013/05/30/thennow-cast-leave-beaver/?intcmp=features#slide=1
Here's a nice info article on the characters today from "Leave It To Beaver" with pics.
My favorite shows were the ones with Eddie and Lumpy. Those episodes were always funny. Eddie was the best character in the whole show.
I'm still having some computer problems.
I just finished watching "The Devils Rejects" for the first time, it can be streamed online.
There was a car at the beginning of the film that looked like it had the exact same "square" style tail lights as a 1967 Ford Fairlane I used to have.
I got the impression the actors in that film weren't doing all that much acting.
hey Bobby....all good here, thanks for asking. Been really busy taking three writing courses at a place called The Loft in Minneapolis. I was suprised to see St Paul, where I am now, listed as the #1 ranked literary city in America by some lifestyle magazine. But it turns out there really is a thriving literary scene here. It reminds me of the Austin music scene back in the late 70' that I was fortunate to experience.
I am working on a short story collection and a screenplay based on my Oswald days so I haven't been on the blogs lately.
But I am glad I signed on to this thread and see Jeffrey Jeff here and Doc and katie and l/s et all.
I had to take a break and get manson out of my head. There's just not room enough in there for both him and Lee Harvey. Contemplating egomaniacs is exhausting.
Hey Leary,
Good to hear from you. Glad you're doing well and I hope that MN weather is being a little kinder.
Those Oswald projects sound interesting....keep us informed!
LEARY!!!! Good to see you!
Mr. P., my favorite character on Leave it to Beaver other than the Cleavers was Larry Mondello. He was always hungry. LOL.
Sunset, I couldn't sit thru The Devil's Rejects. Too much sadism...
Gee Mr Poirot, your hair looks lovely today. What gives, Sam?
Doc, I see you have Eddie down.
I always liked how June looked at Eddie when he was turning on the charm. She knew immediately he had come over to get Wally involved in one of his schemes. Yet Eddie always thought he fooled her.
1950s humor was subtle.
Leary, you ROCK!
Thanks for stopping-in.
Keep us updated!
Apparently, there has been an arrest in the case of missing nursing student Holly Bobo. She "went missing" about 3 years ago. I remember the day that happened, there was a YouTube vid uploaded about it a few hours after it happened. If I remember correctly, her brother said he seen her on the porch/carport with a man dressed in camo taking her into the woods, he thought it was just one of her school buddies. I think I talked to one of her relatives in the YouTube comments a day or two ater it happened. There have been many searches, she hasn't been seen since.
Apparently, a person named Zachary Adams has been arrested, charged with kidnapping and murder. The police won't say if they've recovered Bobo's remains or not. A news story about the case can be seen --->HERE.
http://variety.com/2014/film/news/even-films-set-in-california-are-shooting-elsewhere-to-save-money-1201125523/
The death of Hollywood.
California needs to rebuild Spahn Ranch. Instead of filming Marlboro commercials there they could film pot commercials.
Squeaky and Blue are seeing each other
I've been on a siesta but am trying to catch up on TLB blog news. Did you guys see how great Gypsy looks in the new photo of her at Liz's? Man, I would still love to see the book she reportedly wrote get published or printed somewhere. Yeah, she has a checkered history of lying and conning but you can't dispute her intelligence. I'd love to hear what she thinks about "those days."
Leary since Gypsy was involved with the Shea murder I doubt you'll ever see a book by her. She said to Bill Nelson in answer to a question of his that there are things she does not even tell her husband. She knows there is no statute of limitations on murder.
The really pathetic thing about the murdering of Shea by the Family is that Shea had nothing to do with the police raid on Aug 16. That raid was caused by Kitty Lutesinger.
Shorty was murdered for no reason which accounts for his last words: "why Charlie?"
At that time Charlie was unaware that Kitty was the snitch. Yea Shea wanted the Family off the Ranch but he never went to the cops. Kitty did go to the cops.
The cops did not know that Kitty had run away from her parent's house the eve of the big Aug 16 raid. Kitty was not supposed to be arrested.
Mr. P said: Shorty was murdered for no reason which accounts for his last words: "why Charlie?"
Mr. P, they were all murdered for no reason. Starting with Gary, and ending with Shorty.
And whoever else before or after.
So Kitty "snitches" then joins the ranks on the sidewalk with a bald head?? Doesn't sound like she was that scared. I thought snitches were "dealt with".
What's up with THAT?
Kitty snitching and then coming back isn't hard to believe. Look at Paul Watkins. He testified against Manson and then led the family.
Shorty killed for no reason? I read somewhere but don't remember where that Shorty kicked the shit out of Charlie in Canoga Park for hitting a woman before the family moved to Spahn's Ranch. Can anybody cite the source? I'd like to read it again but don't remember where I originally read it.....
Katie said:So Kitty "snitches" then joins the ranks on the sidewalk with a bald head?? Doesn't sound like she was that scared. I thought snitches were "dealt with".
What's up with THAT?
Poirot replies:
Apparently when Squeaky said that bit about snitches in 1971 she was unaware that Shorty was not the one who who caused the Aug 16 raid. Charlie found out while at Barkers that Kitty was snitching and told Family members not to reveal anything further to Kitty. Thus Kitty fled Barkers in fear of her life for good reason. She not only snitched but Charlie had ordered Shorty murdered in the mistaken belief that he ratted out the Family and caused the raid.
You don't really think Charlie came clean and admitted his mistake in killing Shorty to the Family do you?
Charlie did know he fucked up.
BTW George Spahn said that Squeaky was not present when Shorty and he discussed getting rid of Charlie and the Family from the Ranch.
Kitty being the snitch also explains why Shorty put himself in such a compromising position in that car with Tex, Bruce and Clem.
This also means that Kitty knew she was the cause of Shorty being murdered. She may even have been aware Charlie was going to kill Shorty for something she did and yet she kept her mouth shut and let Shorty die a horrible death.
Doc, Shorty didn't even know Charlie before they moved to Spahn's Ranch.
And Mr. P., I'll ask the question again. If Kitty was a snitch, then why wasn't she killed? It doesn't matter what Squeaky knew in 1971. She made the statement "snitches will be dealt with". Does it matter who the snitch was??
Katie why do you think Kitty fled? Charlie had found out she was the snitch not Shorty. Kitty was high up on the list to come to now.
So why did she come back? Surely she knew that Squeaky and Sandy were talking to Charlie the whole time and he was still giving orders.
She didn't come back till Charlie was locked up.
Like I just said; Squeaky still thought Shorty was the snitch in 1971.
http://www.lsb3.com/search/label/Kitty%20Lutesinger
Reread Christpher Butche' story on Kitty. It is more revealing than you think. It changes much of what is known.
Mr. P, are you listening to yourself? She came back, knowing that her "boyfriend" and 2 other girls killed Hinman, and she came back because Manson was locked up?
Now I'm not a genius, nor a soothsayer, but I, as a congenial human being, would have fled that camp and never went back.
She came back because she still thought Manson was the Truth.
bobby said...
She came in through the bathroom window
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Speaking of the Beatles I like the story that John told about when they would rehearse "Get Back" Paul would glare at Yoko while he sang "get back to where you once belonged".....
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