LOS ANGELES, March 15 — After playing Prince Philip in the Netflix series The Crown, British actor Matt Smith is switching is regal airs for a darker persona, playing Charles Manson in the Charlie Says movie directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho). The film’s freshly released trailer focuses on three of the cult leader’s female disciples whose own identities slip away as they fall under his spell. The movie is slated for May 17 release in US theatres.
This first trailer for Charlie Says sees Smith reveal a darker side to his acting skills, with a sinisterly captivating and frighteningly charming portrayal of one of America’s most famous serial killers. The biopic depicts the devastating power Charles Manson held over his female disciples.
The film centres around what was known as the Manson Family, a cult of fanatics who followed the dangerous leader. The story is told from the point of view of his followers, asking the terrifying question of how conscious and intentional the women’s actions were as they obeyed their leader. Are they murderers or are they victims? Or both?
The film focuses on three young women under Manson’s spell — played by Hannah Murray (Game of Thrones), Sosie Bacon (13 Reasons Why) and Marianne Rendón — and the work of Karlene Faith, played by Merritt Wever (The Walking Dead), as she tries to help them understand their actions and remember who they were before they submitted to the dangerous killer’s influence.
This latest perspective on the Manson Family blurs the boundaries between the horror of the cult members’ murderous actions and the power this seemingly charming man held over his disciples, leading to the murder of Sharon Tate in 1969.
The movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival, September 2, 2018, and is slated for a May 17 release in US theatres. — AFP-Relaxnews
