(PEOPLE CHANT) (CLASSIC ROCK MUSIC) Copyright Able 2017 WOMAN: Once again, you've judged a reflection of yourselves. Your children will rise up and kill you. Your own children saw... what you've done. They see what you're doing to your world. They see that you lie. They see that you kill your own love every day. That you lock your love in prisons; that you lock your concern up; that you lock your truth up. The truth is locked up. And now you've judged yourselves once again. L.A. will burn to the ground. Los Angeles will burn to the ground. Friday night in Los Angeles, a movie actress and four of her friends were murdered, and the circumstances were lurid. MAN ON TV: Two of the bodies were found inside the house, uh, one in the vehicle, and two on the front lawn. (MOODY ROCK MUSIC) (TENSE MUSIC) I don't know how it happened. How it all came to this ` something we could no longer control. (TENSE MUSIC INTENSIFIES) (BLOOD SQUELCHES) Who is that? It's Linda. Oh. Come sit with me, honey. Later, George. (CHILDREN CHATTER) LINDA: A month ago, this place was paradise. We were a family. The ranch was all about love. What are you up to? Oh, not much. I just, uh, thought I'd take Tanya on a walk. Oh, cool. Uh, but it's not mommy time. Just this once? It's so pretty out today. You know the rules. You'll see her at dinner. (QUIET, OMINOUS MUSIC) I love you, baby. Charlie says it's on for tonight. And this time, you're not just watching. Leaving my daughter was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I had no choice. (ENGINE STARTS, REVS) (SIGHS DEEPLY) ALL: # And love is free. # Life is living, can't you see? # Hand in hand and arm in arm, we go our separate ways. # (CAR HORN BLARES) Ah! (KNOCKS) I need your help. Oh yeah? What about your family? I'm not with them anymore. Oh, I thought Charlie was your saviour ` 'Christ come back to Earth'? I had to get out. Where's Tanya? She's still at the ranch. You left her there?! I had to! OK, you don't understand. No, I do understand that you took my kid and split and took my money, OK? I need you to come with me to get her. (SCOFFS) I can't do it alone. Something happened, something bad. There's no way in hell I'm going to that ranch. That Manson guy is crazy, all right? He's a freak! Bob, please! You left her there! You get her! CRIES: OK. I was desperate, scared. I had nowhere else to go. My only choice was to get back to the very place I'd escaped from. (TENSE ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC) WOMAN: You're not going anywhere. Yeah? Who's gonna stop me? You are 16 years old! You are not going to California! What is this all of a sudden? What happened? Ask your husband. What did he do? Doesn't matter. Linda, tell me. He's just an ass. He's not that bad. Yeah. You don't know anyone in California. I'll be fine, mom. (RELAXED MUSIC) I bounced around for a few years. It was pretty easy to get by. There's always someone who'd let you crash. And L.A? It's basically paradise. Bob and I fell in love and got married. We scrounged around, lived on communes, but we got by. It didn't take much to make us happy. Then I got pregnant. Where are you going? South America with Mateo. I told you. No, you didn't. I was gonna do that trip with you, remember? Linda, it's not a vacation, all right? It's business. So you're just taking off? What about me and Tanya? I can score stuff down there cheap, all right? I have to. You took the last of the money. I need cash! Maybe ask your mom if she can wire you something. My mom? I haven't talked to her in years, you know that. They're gonna leave without me. I have to go. I'm sorry. (BREATHES SHAKILY) (POP MUSIC PLAYS, INDISTINCT CHATTER) (INDISTINCT CHATTER CONTINUES) Follow my lead. (GASPS) Rat! Rat! Over there, in the corner! (WOMEN GASP, EXCLAIM) Come on. MAN: Come on, come on. (WOMAN YELPS) Saw it in a movie. It works every time! Follow me, little birdie. Come get in the car. Why did you do that for me? You're down to loose change, right? Been there. So, what's your name? I'm Linda. This is Tanya. Hey, do you guys need a place to crash? Um... Hey, come to our ranch. Spahn Ranch out in Chatsworth. You'll love it. A ranch? Like, a real one? Yep! And more ` drugs, guys, food. And Charlie. Who's Charlie? Everything. Seriously, you'll love him, and he'll love you and you. (THE SEED'S 'NO ESCAPE' PLAYS) # Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. # I can't kill this pain inside. # What can I do when your love's gone? # All I can do is I just live on. # No escape from your heart. No escape from your lips. # No escape from you, baby, you bring the tears. # No escape from you, darlin'. # Wow. (CHILDREN SHOUT, LAUGH) Right? You haven't seen nothin' yet. Hi, I'm Leslie. Hi. You're the only Gemini here. Good energy. That's outta sight! Hey, I'm Patty. Hi. Do you like dollies? (LAUGHS) Ooh, yeah. Welcome, both of you. Thank you. LAUGHS: 'Hey!' How are ya? Hi. I'm Lynne. But everyone calls her Squeaky. I'll see ya. This place used to be a real movie ranch. That's George Spahn. He owns it now. Charlie worked a deal with him to let us stay here. We help with the chores, we get free rent. Why do they call her Squeaky? Well, we've all got our signature sounds, right? HIGH-PITCHED: Ah! Ah! Oh. (LAUGHS) (ENGINE RUMBLES) What do we have here? This is Linda. I'm Bobby. That's Tex. We're, uh, gonna take a swim later if you're up for it. Come on, guys, her some room. That's a cute kid you got there. Thank you. (INTRIGUING MUSIC) Come on. Come on. (INTRIGUING MUSIC CONTINUES) You can go check out the rest of the place. I'll watch Tanya for you. Are you sure you don't mind? (CHUCKLES) We all help each other. OK. Bye, baby. TANYA: Bye. Bye. You can sleep here. Yeah, it gets sort of tight. And we don't pair up. Everyone's with everyone. Charlie says when you couple up, you act like you own each other. Where's Tanya's daddy? Were you guys shacked up? He split? Pretty much. Yeah. Possessions, man. Here, we don't own anything ` makes us free. I like that. (CHUCKLES) People come and go, but... I've got a good feeling about you. So do I. (CHUCKLES) (FRONT PAGE REVIEW'S 'SILVER CHILDREN') # Silver children. # They shine brightly. # Silver children. # (MOANS) So, what's he like? Who, Charlie? Mm-hm. (EXHALES) He just` He knows stuff about the world, about life,... about what it means,... why we're really here. He's full of love, which is bizarre. What do you mean? Well, I mean, he was in prison most of his life. He's only been out the last two years. What'd he do? Doesn't matter. It's not important. We've all made mistakes. I know I have. Yeah, me, too. But he'll love you anyways. I mean, that's what family's about. (DOG BARKS IN DISTANCE) You've come a long way to be here. (FLOORBOARD CREAKS) (TENSE ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC) (TENSE, EERIE MUSIC) You have a father thing, don't you? How did you know that? I can feel it. (TENSE, EERIE MUSIC CONTINUES) No more fear, Linda. You feel that? That's you... inside me. (MUSIC CONTINUES) I'm here now. (APPLAUSE) Genius ` it doesn't need Silicon Valley. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) Hutt Valley is just fine. It doesn't need a corner office to be competitive or even serious. All genius really needs is opportunity,... and that's why we built the Chorus fibre network. It's big. So big you gotta fold it. VOICEOVER: Domino's New Yorker Big Pepperoni, just $14.99, pick up or delivered every Saturday and Sunday only. $14.99? What's the worst that could happen, Tanya? Tanya's experiencing FOMU, the fear of mucking up. Because as fun as it was choosing colours, painting the house is a slightly more daunting task. Tanya has all of the style but none of the skill. What's the worst that could happen, Tanya? (FRANTIC ROCK MUSIC) (MUSIC STOPS) Good thing British Paints Clean & Protect is easy to apply for a smoother finish, helping her get it right first time. Fight the FOMU. Get started with British Paints. Mm. (WOMAN LAUGHS) (CRICKETS CHIRP, FIRE CRACKLES) I was working at this bar in North Beach. It was a real dive. Were you a waitress? Mm. 'Exotic entertainer'. (LAUGHTER) In other words, a stripper. (LAUGHTER) (COUGHING) But I went to this party one night after work, and, uh, Charlie was there. He had a guitar, and he was singin', and he was surrounded by a bunch of girls. And I just thought, 'Who the hell is this guy?' What song? 'Shadow of Your Smile.' (LAUGHTER) No! Tony Bennett? That's hysterical! You never told us that before. Well, you never asked. (LAUGHS) Um... But I just had to get his attention. And I play a little. Yeah. Mm. When he was finished, I asked if I could borrow his guitar. And when I was done, he said it was even better than the song I played in his dreams. And it was right then, I knew` I knew, Charlie was something I'd been waiting for. I didn't know what it was. I just knew he was it. So intense. (LAUGHS) I was working in an accountant's office. (LAUGHS) No way. But get this, before that, she was gonna be a nun. (LAUGHTER) I know, right? It's... It was my parents' idea. I left home because... there was nothing to keep me there. Just strangers occupying the same house. Charlie saved us from our parents and gave us back to ourselves. Mm. Anyway, um... I was in this coffee shop on my lunch break, and I didn't know that he was there. He was outside (CHUCKLES) staring at me. Charlie's eyes, they` they weren't looking at me, they were looking into me. SQUEAKY: Exactly. Next thing I knew, I was outside. He took my hand, put it on his heart, and he said I was beautiful. No one had ever said that to me before. And suddenly, I wasn't alone. CHARLIE: No one should be alone. (LAUGHTER) You know, you gals have been so good. We're gonna go out tomorrow. We are? Where? (LAUGHTER) Well, you'll just have to wait and see. (LAUGHTER) (THE TURTLES' 'HAPPY TOGETHER') # Imagine me and you, I do. # I think about you day and night. # It's only right to think about the girl you love and hold her tight. # So happy together. Hey, hey, hey! Charlie! What's up, man? Everyone wanted to be around Charlie. Like the party didn't start until he got there. # I can't see me lovin' nobody but you # for all my life. # When you're with me, baby, the skies will be blue # for all my life. # Me and you and you and me. # No matter how they tossed the dice, it had to be. # The only one for me is you, # and you for me. # So happy together. # I can't see me loving nobody but you, # for all my life. # When you're with me, baby, the skies will be blue, # for all my life. # Me and you and you and me, # no matter how they tossed the dice, it had to be. # The only one for me is you, # and you for me. # So happy together. # Ba, ba, ba, ba, # ba-ba, ba, ba-ba, ba, ba. # Ba, ba, ba, ba, # ba-ba, ba, ba-ba, ba, ba. # Me and you and you and me. # No matter how they tossed the dice, it had to be. # The only one for me is you and you for me. # So happy together. # So happy together. # Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba. # We're happy together. # Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba. # So happy together. # Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba. # Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba. # So happy together. # Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba. # So happy together. # Ba-ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba. (SONG FADES) (KISSES) This is so good! Mm-hm. Have you tried the shrimp? You have to try the shrimp. A meatball. Try a meatball. (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS) Is that... Dennis Wilson? No way. This is his house. Charlie knows all the Beach Boys. That's Terry Melcher. He's producing Charlie's record. CHARLIE: # Your soul is see-through. # I'm looking into you, look into me, # lookin' at you. # Inside your mind, you toss and turn. # I don't know why you got to hurry, # when I'm calling your name. # Break through the chains that tie you down. # Forsake the circus and the clowns. # I'm calling your name. # Truth is always turned up loud, # like a voice above the crowd. # Can you hear me now? (RELAXED ACOUSTIC GUITAR PLAYS) Whoo! (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) MAN: Whoo! Yeah, that's all I'm saying. You took the lead, man. I just follow, brother. I just follow. There are moments I'll never forget. Good ones, perfect ones. They don't happen much. At least, they didn't for me. I finally found my home. A family that loved me. I wanted it to last forever. (DONOVAN'S 'HURDY GURDY MAN') # Histories of ages past. # Unenlightened shadows cast. # Down through all eternity. # The crying of humanity. # It is then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man came singing songs of love. # Then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man came singing songs... # of love. # 'Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy,' he sang. # 'Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy,' he sang. # 'Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy,' he sang. We shared everything. We made love day and night. The outside world disappeared. Time didn't exist. Charlie and the ranch became our universe. (SIGHS) Bula! (RHYTHMIC DRUMMING) (ALL YELL) It's impossible to sum up how Fiji makes you feel,... Bula! (CHILDREN SHOUT, LAUGH) (PSYCHEDELIC ROCK PLAYS) (LAUGHTER, CHILDREN SCREAM) Come here, Zezozose. Zezozose? Yeah. Charlie named him. Zezozose Zadfrack. Is he the father? Spiritually, yeah. Is everybody havin' fun? ALL: Yeah! Whoo! Well, it's about to get better, cos I got goodies. (CHEERING) (KIM FOWLEY'S 'THE TRIP') # And it's time to take a trip, to take a trip. # This world's so bad. # You feel so sad. # You gotta take a trip # into a world so glad. # A world of frogs. # And green fountains. # And flying dogs. # And silver cats. # And emerald rats. # And purple clouds. # And faceless crowds. # And walls of glass # that never pass. # And pictures hanging upside down. # You won't ask where you are. # It's another world. # You and your girl, # and all your friends # will all be there. # Oh, yeah! # Let's take a trip. # Let's take a trip. # T-N-T. # S-O-S. # H-O-B. # T-O-P. # It's top. # CHARLIE: # My hopes, well, they're high. # Like the flames in the sky that you breathe. # That's the fire # in me. # (GUITAR THUDS SOFTLY) Charlie, I want you to know, I'm ready for this. Do you trust me? WHISPERS: 'Yes. Do you love me? 'Yes.' I died for you. (SOFT, EERIE MUSIC BUILDS) Would you die for me? Yes. Your love,... your spirit... (SNIFFS) overwhelms me. (BREATHES SHAKILY) Charlie, are you crying? Jesus wept when he saw Jerusalem. (WHISPERS) Why shouldn't I weep when I see you? WHISPERS: 'Kiss me. (BREATHES SHAKILY) (MOANS) (HEAVY BREATHING, MOANING) 'Charlie.' (HEAVY BREATHING, MOANING CONTINUES) Charlie? (DOOR CREAKS) (OMINOUS MUSIC) Who are you? (SCOFFS) I don't know. Yes, you do. The strong got no need to prove it to the phonies. Your strength... is within you, if you accept it. So... who are you? I'm yours. SQUEAKY THROUGH PHONE: Why'd you bail on us, man? I didn't. My mom is sick. I should've left a note or something. I just got really scared. Where are you? Uh, Texas. I think. Is Tanya OK? Yeah, yeah, she's` she's fine. But, um, it's just Charlie. He's freaking out. He thinks that you might rat us out to the cops. Would I have left Tanya if I was gonna do that? Come on. No, no. That's` That's exactly what I told him. It's just` (GUNSHOT IN DISTANCE) MAN: Yeah! Whoo! It's just, you better come back quick. It's getting crazy around here. What do you mean? I-I can't talk. Squeaky, make sure Tanya's` (DIAL TONE) (CRIES) (SNIFFS) I'm starving. Do you know what I would do for a cheeseburger right now? Oh! And French fries. Mmm. Strawberry ice cream on a sugar cone. (SCREAMING) LESLIE: What are you doing? Bet you're not thinking about food now, are ya? (LAUGHTER) Hey, girls. It's time to pay the bills. (WOMAN GIGGLE) Go with 'em. It'll be fun. Living on love didn't bring food or money, so we hustled. (ROCK MUSIC) That's your lifeline right there. See? Branches all the way to the bottom. That's good. So I'll live to see another day? Mm-hm. There's other ones, too. They tell you all sorts of things. Oh yeah? Like what? (GIGGLES) Well... Which car? Oh, crap! Uh... The Lincoln! The Lincoln! Quick! He's taking a piss! (ENGINE STARTS) Whoo! Oh my gosh. Yeah! We're still grooving! We did it! How did you do that? (WHOOPING, LAUGHTER) OK! Whoo! (LAUGHTER) I can't believe they would throw this out. It's not even opened. Charlie calls them the 'haves'. People who have too much and waste it. We're supposed to take it back. Ah! (GIGGLES) Table for two, please. (CHUCKLES) Right this way. Smoking or non-smoking? (LAUGHTER) # Hand in hand and arm in arm ALL: # we go our separate ways. # With our eyes we say goodbye, our hearts will stay the same. # Time is nothing, love is free. Life is living, can't you see? # Hand in hand and arm in arm, we go our separate ways. FADING: # Hand in hand, we all... # Here you go. Look inside, OK? MAN: Yeah. We're cool. All right. Why don't we, uh... Why don't we sweeten the pot here? Looks like someone's about to be initiated. Hey, Sarah. Come over here for a second. Hi, Charlie. Hey, girl. (KISSES) Listen, um, that's my friend Andy. So why don't you take him on over to the bunkhouse? Uh, I, um... But I love you. Well, this is how you show your love. Charlie, couldn't I just... Hey, hey. You're free to do what you want. Everybody here is. All right? Mm-hm. So if you wanna leave, I'll still love you. No, I don't` Charlie, I don't wanna leave. Well, if you wanna stay and be a part of this family, you gotta pitch in. It's your choice. All right? (MOUTHS) (KISSES) (OMINOUS MUSIC) (BIRDS CHIRP) (DOOR BANGS) (LATCHES CLICK) (WHISTLES) This right here, boys... is the beginning of Helter Skelter. If you're talking Armageddon, (SCOFFS) we're gonna need a lot more guns than this. Don't worry, Tex. (COCKS GUN) I got it covered. (GUN CLATTERS) (TENSE ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC) Let's go to bed, baby. It's time to cut the apron strings. The kids sleep here. Charlie says we're too possessive of our children. Everyone here is her mother, her father. And that's what the family's all about. This is what's best for her. There's a reason for everything, Linda. WHISPERS: You have to trust us. SUSAN: Do you? We're not gonna make the same mistakes our parents made, are we? No. (LAUGHS) No. Say good night. Night, baby. You'll get used to it, I promise. I felt the same way when I first got here. It's time to get dressed. (LAUGHS) Why? Right on. Creepy crawler time! What is that? Come with us, and you'll see. (CHUCKLES) (CREDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL'S 'I PUT A SPELL ON YOU') Whoo! (SQUEALS) OK, is Charlie really making an album with Dennis Wilson? Yeah, he's gonna be bigger than the Beatles. (LAUGHS) OK, well, maybe not the Beatles,... (LAUGHTER) ...but famous. Hey, pass them back. I've already taken three. (LAUGHTER) Keeps your energy up. Steal whatever you can find ` watches, wallets, jewellery. Oh, but before we go, we mess with their little piggie heads. How do you know no one's home? We don't. (LAUGHTER) That's what makes it fun. (LAUGHTER CONTINUES) # I ain't gonna take none of your... # puttin' me down. (LAUGHTER) # I put a spell on you... # because you're mine. # (TENSE MUSIC BUILDS) (TENSE MUSIC INTENSIFIES) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (MONITOR BEEPS STEADILY) (LAUGHTER) Oh! This is even better than last week. (GIGGLING) What'd you get, Linda? Um, I know we said take everything... Open it! Far out! It's where my mother keeps her jewellery. (LAUGHTER) It's big. So big you gotta fold it. VOICEOVER: Domino's New Yorker Big Pepperoni, just $14.99, pick up or delivered every Saturday and Sunday only. $14.99? You will follow me into the desert, into the bottomless pit, until the Angel of Death passes, and Helter Skelter is over! (THE SEEDS' 'CAN'T SEEM TO MAKE YOU MINE') # I can't seem to make you mine. # We were wasted all the time. Mescaline, mushrooms, speed. It made the crazy stuff start to seem normal. Everything becomes normal when it's all you know. I feel dizzy. Drink some water. (HIGH-PITCHED, ECHOING MUSIC) Sarah, can you breathe? SQUEAKY: I think she OD'd. TEX: Hey, she's gettin' pale, man. CHARLIE: Just move. Get back! Is she breathing? Is she gonna die? Shut up! (WHISPERS INDISTINCTLY) (CONTINUES WHISPERING) MAN: Far out. She'll be all right now. In our eyes, Charlie could perform miracles. Charlie was magical. A god. LESLIE: I love you, Charlie. I love you. (CHUCKLES) People came to the ranch all the time. Gary Hinman was Bobby's friend, a local music teacher. Charlie said he was going to use him on his record. Gary! Welcome. Thank you. This place is pretty special. Would you like to join us in saying grace? Yeah, you bet, Charlie. Life is God. Birds. Bugs. Trees. The sun. Some people, they got God up on a cross, and they're all kneeling down, hoping that when they die, they're gonna go to a better place. But guess what? Death, it doesn't exist. (LAUGHS) It's life, baby. That's the truth. And how do I know? Because I... I'm a messenger of truth. And you all here... You're my church. Amen? Amen, brother. Let's eat. (LAUGHTER) Whew! (LAUGHS) So, Gary, so you been listening to 'The White Album'? Yeah, I heard it. Those boys from Liverpool are geniuses, talking about how there's gonna be a race war. A race war? Well, look at the Watts Riots, Gary. I mean, we gotta be prepared. It's all there. It's in 'Helter Skelter'. Really? I` (STAMMERS) I didn't get that. 'You say you want a revolution'? Uh-huh. I do, man! And you better believe happiness comes from a warm gun. I mean, don't you watch the news, read the papers? The blacks are pissed off, and it's all gonna go down real soon. Do you` Do you think you're special, Bobby? No, man. (CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY) Not at all. W-Why` Why you ask? You're taking more than your share of peas. We are all equals here. But apparently, one of our family members thinks that he's the Prime Minister and President of all the world's peas! I don't even like peas, so, Bobby, you can have mine. No, no. That's not the point! WHISPERS: Sorry. It's OK, Bobby. It's fine. Sorry, Charlie. Just feel your remorse, son, and let it go. You'll make it up to me later. So, Gary, I heard that your pop recently passed away. I'm so sorry to hear that, man. Gonna fly with the` the angels, right? Thanks, Charlie. Did he leave you any money? (MOODY MUSIC) (ENGINE RUMBLES) Terry. (CAR DOOR CLOSES) Good to see you. Good to see you. How you doing? So listen... (SIGHS) Columbia is gonna respectfully pass. There's no record deal. I'm sorry. CHARLIE: No, man, that's bull! Terry's out there. No, I spoke to the label several times, Charlie. And I'm sorry, but they're just not interested. You said they were interested! You said my music was better than Dylan's! I don't think I ever said that. You calling me a liar? No, man. No. No, but getting a record deal, it's not` it's not easy. I told you it was a long shot. You promised me. Bad things happen to people who break promises. Is that some kind of a threat? QUIETLY: Threat? It is what it is. (TENSE MUSIC) Jesus. Charlie... (TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES) Should we go? No. No, wait. Charlie... Get off my ranch... Pig. (TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES) Bula! Bula. (ALL YELL) It's impossible to sum up how Fiji makes you feel,... Bula! Hey, man. We don't need Melcher. We can get our own deal. Find a new label. You think so? Yeah. What do you think, Tex? You think we could find a new label? Charlie, I think it's anything you put your mind to. (OMINOUS MUSIC) You guys... (EXHALES) You're so smart. You're so... goddamn smart. Maybe you should run this family. No way, man. Not without you, Charlie. No? (OMINOUS MUSIC CONTINUES) Well, then show me what you can do! Goddamn it! Enough of this talk! Talk! Talk! Do something, damn it! Do something! I'm sick of this talk! Talk! We can make our own record, right? What did you say? (UNEASY MUSIC) Man, I said, we can make our own record. (CROWBAR CLATTERS) Our own record! (LAUGHS) That's it! That's it, man! LAUGHS: Yeah! Whoo! You know it! You know it! (LAUGHS) Whoo! (WOMAN LAUGH) We're gonna make our own record! And when it goes gold, they're gonna be begging me to record for 'em! That's it! Whoo! That's it! Yeah! Whoo! Whoo! Yeah! Yeah! Whoo! (ROCK MUSIC) MAN: 30 seconds... (RADIO STATIC) Contact right. OK, engine stop. Tranquillity Base here. This is so cool. Nobody's ever been there before. Like, your footprints are` are the only ones there. That's crazy. Very fine grain as you get close to it. It's almost like a powder. The moon walk's a fake. It is? It's a government PR stunt. Make the country forget about poverty and Vietnam, when what they ought to be doing is preparing for Helter Skelter. Mm-hm. ALL: Yeah. Blackie's revolt against the white man. And if Blackie don't start the revolution himself, we're gonna start it for him, right? Yeah. Uh-huh. Right on. ARMSTRONG ON TV: 'That's one small step for man... Cos you're my soldiers. 'One giant leap...' (SWITCHES TV OFF) All of you. Unless you don't believe it. (STAMMERS) Go to the wall, stand there. Give me your knife. But I do believe, Charlie. I do. (BREATHES SHAKILY) (SIGHS) If you're gonna make others bleed for the cause, you gotta be able to bleed yourself. (GASPS) You think I got good aim? You better pray I do. I believe! Charlie! (BREATHES HEAVILY) (CRIES) I... (BREATHES SHAKILY) (CHUCKLING) (LAUGHTER) (BREATHES SHAKILY) I see that you do. And I forgive you. Thank you. (SNIFFLES) You're welcome. (EXHALES SHARPLY) Come here. # It's a beautiful life, so let it be. # Just believe what you see. (PLAYS SLOW MELODY) # Don't recall your sorrow, darlin'. # Everything you want is callin'. # I'm callin' your name. # Break through the chains that tie you down. # Forsake the circus and the clowns. # I'm calling your name. # Your soul is see-through. # I'm looking into you. # Look into me. # Look at you. # Inside your mind, you toss and turn. # I don't know why you got to hurt, # when it's calling your name. # When'd you learn my song? Uh, past week. I wanted to surprise you. You got a real good voice, Susan. I always thought so. Thank you. (LAUGHS) Maybe you should get a record contract with Dennis Wilson. No, Charlie, I couldn't do that. You wrote this song. That's why you're gonna be so famous. Oh yeah? So... So I can write songs, but I can't sing 'em? No, that's not what I meant. You have a great voice. (SCOFFS) Relax, girls, I'm just messing with you. (CHUCKLES) So, where are we on that Ford? You got that thing up and running yet? The subframe needs to be fixed. (WHINING, DISTORTED MUSIC) (THUD!) (PEOPLE EXCLAIM, GUITAR DEBRIS CLATTERS) (OMINOUS MUSIC) (CHILDREN CRY) What's the matter? Why are they crying? They're fine. I mean, they're OK. They haven't had breakfast. It's almost noon. Why not? Cos we're low on food. I'm trying to ration it out. (CHILDREN FUSS, CRY) Does Charlie know? He's too freaked about his record deal. And we're also out of money. They've gotta eat. I know, OK? (CHILDREN CONTINUE TO CRY) I'll handle it. (DOOR CLOSES) (BIRDS CHIRP) (AIR HISSES) (INTRIGUING MUSIC) Hey there. Um, just got a flat right out in front of your place. Could you give me a little hand? I'm not so good with tyre stuff. Or car stuff. (CHUCKLES) Well, yeah, sure. Yeah. (CLEARS THROAT) Let me just, uh... I'll grab my... stuff. (FOOTSTEPS THUD) (INTRIGUING MUSIC CONTINUES) You live in Topanga? Oh no, I'm just headed down to the beach. Hey, when you're done with this, why don't you come? Yeah, sounds good. I'll, uh, grab some beers. I heard Bob was back from South America And had made a big score. I thought maybe this would help. I mean, it had to. (THUDDING) There you go. (EXHALES) Mind if I, uh, go wash up a bit before we head down there? Oh, get you all hot and bothered, did I? I'll be right back. (TOOLS CLATTER) (INTRIGUING MUSIC INTENSIFIES) Come on! Get in! I got it! Whoo! Way to go! (BOTH WHOOP) It's about $5000. This girl.... She came to us only a few weeks ago, but her generosity... and loyalty? See, this is what I'm talking about. This is what family really means. She deserves our gratitude. Thank you, Linda. Thank you, Linda. We love you. (VEHICLE APPROACHES) That's Bob. He must have followed us. Everybody inside now. (ENGINE STOPS) Linda! What's going on, man? Where's Linda? I said get her. She took my money! What money? Panhandling must be pretty good. Oh, you Manson? You must be the man who abandoned our lovely Linda. Cough it up now, or I'm calling the cops. Whoa. Hey, hey. There's no need for the pigs, man. (UNEASY MUSIC) We got your money, and you can have it. But you gotta kill me first. Hey, stick it in. Man, the money's yours. Come on. You got what it takes, Bob? You got what it takes to kill a man? You're crazy. I never tried to be anything else. So come on. Twist and turn, baby! (UNEASY MUSIC INTENSIFIES) You people are out of your minds. You can keep the money. And Linda! She's one of us. She's not yours to give. (ENGINE STARTS) (TENSE MUSIC) (GIGGLES) It's big. So big you gotta fold it. VOICEOVER: Domino's New Yorker Big Pepperoni, just $14.99, pick up or delivered every Saturday and Sunday only. $14.99? Ugh! I know. My butt is sticking to the seat. (LAUGHS) Who is that guy? They call him 'Lottsapopsa'. Charlie has to make a big score before Helter Skelter, so we'll be ready to go to the desert when it all goes down. When will that happen? Soon. Charlie says we're gonna go to Death Valley. It's funny that they call it that. Isn't it? Cos it's gonna give us life. (UNEASY ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC) (ELECTRIC BANANA'S 'A THOUSAND AGES FROM THE SUN' PLAYS) # As you smile at me,... # in your eyes, I see # a thousand ages from the sun, # since our time begun. (DOOR OPENS) Oh, hi. It's OK. # Today is spent in grace. # And the clouds, they spin and turn # It's your universe. # You could turn the world upside down. # Change the colours everywhere. (DOOR OPENS) What is it? Um, Charlie just killed someone. That night, everything changed. But Lottsapopsa? Yeah, well, he thought Charlie and Tex burned him. He started choking Charlie. Then Charlie shot him in the gut. It was self-defence. Charlie had no choice. What if the cops come for Charlie? Come for us? Well, we cover for him. We tell the cops that Charlie was here. We... No, there were no witnesses. We were gone before he bled out. Then, everything's OK. No! It isn't. It's not the cops we have to worry about ` it's the Panthers. Panthers? Lottsapopsa was one of 'em. (TENSE ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC) (FIRE CRACKLES) Armageddon is here. Don't ask why; don't be frightened. Pain... isn't a bad thing. It's good. It teaches us things. Now trust in me,... as I've trusted in you. The black man is gonna be on top. And it's comin' soon. And the black man is gonna win cos he's got nothing to lose. They're gonna need someone to lead them through the desert ` a Moses. That's you! That's you, Charlie! A Moses with a vision. (ALL AGREE) A Moses to lead them to the promised land! ALL: Yeah! Now, I want all of you to get up and dance like it's your last day on Earth! Like it's your last night to dance with freedom! My soldiers! My family! ALL: Yeah! That's right! (CHEERING) (FUNKY ROCK MUSIC) # Ooh, ooh, ooh. (FUNKY ROCK MUSIC CONTINUES) # Ooh, ooh, ooh. # (CHEERING) It was a rush ` a calling. We thought we were eternal. CHARLIE: I would kill for you. Would you kill for me? ALL: 'Yes, Charlie. Would you die for me? 'Yes!' I've never seen so many guns. Charlie must've gotten more ` a lot more. Whoo! That's how you do it, Bobby! OK, if you wanna stab, what you wanna do is aim for this gut here. Once you're in, turn. CHARLIE: Time doesn't exist. Life doesn't exist. It's all the same thing, baby! It's all the same! Everything's the same! (WOMEN GIGGLE) You are perfect. You are perfect. You are perfect. (IMITATES GUNSHOT) (LAUGHTER) What was it like? When Charlie killed Lottsapopsa? One minute, he was yelling about his money. Next minute, he's lying on the floor. I thought he grabbed Charlie. Yeah, he did, sorta. Yes. Who cares? How much blood was there? What was it like? Was there like a big pool of red? Yeah, there was. If the Panthers are coming, why don't we just take the kids and go to the desert? Are you questioning Charlie? I don't think she was. I'm not talking to you. I'm just thinking about Tanya. I've got a kid, too, remember? You don't see me wanting to leave. (IMITATES GUNSHOT) I'll give 'em this. They know the power of an image. See, that says strength. It says, 'Don't mess with me.' The cop piggies, political piggies, the Panther piggies. They're all gonna burn when Helter Skelter comes. If there's one thing I learned in prison, is that when the odds are against you, your best weapon is the element of surprise. (GASPS, BREATHES SHAKILY) Now, one little move, and I'm holding her head in my hand. That's how you kill in close quarters. No muss, no fuss. Now, if your enemy's coming at you... (GASPS, BREATHES HEAVILY) Charlie! I don't... Uh... (GASPING) Hmm. (SNIFFS) Hey, hey. I do the thinking. Now you gotta prove yourself to me. (OMINOUS MUSIC) Come here, baby. Come here. Come on, man, we're brothers. When one brother's in need, the other one's gotta come through. I don't have any money. (YELPS) You said your old man left you some. (GASPS) 10 grand is all. It's already gone. I spent it. I bought` I bought a car. I had bills to pay. You expect me to believe that? I'm telling you, Charlie. (CRIES) (UNEASY MUSIC) (BREATHES UNEVENLY) (BLADE SCRAPES) (UNEASY MUSIC CONTINUES) (GASPS) We got a war to fight, man. What war? Now, if they're gonna come after us,... they're gonna come after you, too. Who's gonna come after me, Charlie? Oh, God! Ah! (GROANS) Bobby! STRAINED: Oh, God. (SOBS) Help me, man! Take care of it. Charlie. (FOOTSTEPS RECEDE, GASPING) (SHUSHES) You guys, just leave. I'm not gonna tell anybody. You know me. Don't believe him. I swear to God. He's gonna blackmail Charlie. No, I won't. Don't! He's lying. Bobby, you know me. We're... (GRUNTS) (GASPS) (CHOKES) (GASPING, CHOKING) (MUFFLED EXCLAIMS) (MUFFLING YELLING) (EERIE MUSIC) The Panthers. They'll think it's the Panthers. It's gonna be cool, man. What if they don't blame it on the Panthers? It was just some scribbling on a wall. Bobby, take these. I'm looking at the gas` Hey! Just ditch the car, go up north, and lay low. The cops will find him in a couple of days, and they'll go after the Panthers. Then you can come back. Were you way freaked? Hey, whatever's necessary to do, you do it. Watching him struggling to breathe, and then helping him die... It was amazing. (UNEASY ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC) They were constantly searching the news for anything about Hinman's murder, and how it connected to the Panthers. Bobby got arrested. Are you sure? How do you know? He was, uh, sleeping by the side of the road ` cops came along, ran the plates. What? It's illegal to sleep in your car now? It was Gary's car! It was what? And the knife he used, they think it was in there. That'll ruin us. We still have to help him. He goes down, we all do. Linda! Yes?! Are you gonna join the conversation? We have to tell Charlie. Charlie's not here right now. What do you mean he's not here? Charlie drove to the Bay Area last night. What if the cops come? If Bobby rats us out, or what about the kids? He wouldn't do that. How do you know that? I'll take care of it, all right? We'll wait till Charlie gets here. (UNEASY MUSIC) Mom? (BREATHES SHAKILY) Oh! You wanna` wanna talk about it? Well, you must be hungry. How about if I make you some mac and cheese, huh? You love mac and cheese. Come on, sweetheart, I want you to sit down right there. You know what? I think I've got a Fanta in the garage. Do you want one? Where's the phone? Honey, you know where the phone is. It's in the kitchen. (ROTARY DIAL CLACKS) (PHONE RINGS) Hello? Leslie, it's me. It's Linda. Give me the phone. The police raided us! You should've seen it. They were just crawling all over the place. Well, what about the kids? Is Tanya OK? But get this, the cops had no idea. They arrested us on grand theft auto charges, but they had to let us go for insufficient evidence. Where is Tanya? Well, you left, remember? The Malibu police took her. Hello? Linda? Who's Tanya? (SNIFFS) Mm. We could bust Bobby out. With what, Patty? A tank? What good would that do? OK, OK. Sorry for thinking. I just talked to Charlie's friends in San Francisco, and nobody's seen him. Well, then what do we do? Everybody just shut up! (TENSE MUSIC BUILDS) I left those prints on Gary's wall, so that the cops would think it was the Panthers. Yeah, but they already arrested Bobby. Yeah, cos Bobby's an idiot. (TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES) Ugh. Um... What if someone else gets killed? And the paw prints get left on their wall? The pigs see that, they'll have to let Bobby out. They'll- they'll` they'll know that it wasn't him. You mean kill again? Yeah. To save Bobby and Charlie and the whole family. And who would we go after? Does it matter? We were lost. Terrified. With Charlie gone, it got even worse. OK, baby. You can sleep when we're in the car. You're leaving us? I have to. You understand, don't you? Why don't you take him and come with me before this gets worse? He belongs here,... like I do. That old lady? At the house? She reminded me of my mother. She died of cancer when I was 16. That's awful. I'm sorry. I held her. Just a tiny, little thing like a wounded bird waiting to die. The day my mother died, light went out of my life. And then I met Charlie. Because of Charlie, I met you. Light came back on. And now it's going out again. Was I that light for you? More than the other girls? (VOICE BREAKS) How did the world get so crazy? (UNEASY MUSIC) OK, sweetheart. (SNIFFS) Go back to sleep for me. OK? (UNEASY MUSIC CONTINUES) (HORN HONKS) (CAR DOOR CLOSES) I had to get away for a little while to clear my head, but back now, so we can keep going. What's up? I asked you a question. (CLEARS THROAT) They arrested Bobby for Hinman. He's gonna rat us out. I should've known not to trust him. Charlie, please don't freak. Don't freak?! Oh no! You better freak, little girl! What if we kill someone else? Leave the same prints, same everything. Then they'll have to let Bobby go, right? Who came up with that? You? We all did. It was all of us. Maybe it's not a good idea. We would` No, it's not a good idea. It's far out, man. (LAUGHS) (CONTINUES LAUGHING) (LAUGHTER) Helter Skelter starts tonight. (TENSE MUSIC) (LAUGHS) Linda. Is your license still good? Yeah. Then you're driving. There's a house in Beverly Hills. It's Terry Melcher's old place, the one on Cielo Drive. Oh, I know that place. I've been there. Who lives there now? Don't matter. They're rich pigs. It's just gonna be you, Tex. Oh, man. It's on? It's on. (SQUEALS EXCITEDLY) Now, you do what Tex says, you got it? And leave a sign. Something witchy. (ENGINE STARTS) (EERIE MUSIC) I wanted to drive to the beach. I wanted to get stoned and lay on the sand and start all over, all of us together. I kept hoping my friends would wake up from this nightmare. But they didn't. We didn't. ALL: # Hand in hand and arm in arm, # we go our separate ways. # With our eyes we say goodbye, our hearts will stay the same. # Cause time is nothing, love is free. # Life is living, can't you see? # Hand in hand and arm in arm, we go our separate ways. # Hand in hand... # (DARK, TENSE MUSIC) (CLICK!) Hey, man. (GRUNTS) (GUNSHOTS CONTINUE) This is gonna be good. Hey, just wait here, OK? Be lookout. Let's go! (TENSE MUSIC BUILDS) (BREATHES SHAKILY) (TENSE MUSIC INTENSIFIES) (CLANKING) (GATE CREAKS) (DARK, TENSE MUSIC) (WOMAN YELLS) (MAN GRUNTS) Stop! Stop, please! Stop! (YELPS) Please! (WOMAN SCREAMS, MAN GRUNTS) (SCREAMING, GRUNTING) (DISTORTED SCREAMING) (FRANTIC, TENSE MUSIC) (AGITATED MUSIC) (ENGINE SPUTTERS) (ENGINE STARTS) Move, move, move. (AGITATED MUSIC INTENSIFIES) (CHEERING, WHOOPING) Charlie's gonna be so hurt! Oh, oh! I threw the whole round in that guy. (LAUGHS) They squealed like a pig, man! (WHOOPING, SCREAMING) Toss it, toss it! Oh, all right! I'll toss 'em. Whoo-hoo-hoo! Yes! (LAUGHTER) Thank you! You're such a good girl! (LAUGHTER) Friday night in Los Angeles, a movie actress and four of her friends were murdered. The circumstances were lurid. The movie actress was Sharon Tate, 26. That was Sharon Tate? The actress? Sharon Tate, you hear that, Charlie? We're gonna be famous. REPORTER ON TV: The police searched the premises. They was no evidence of robbery. No suggestion of motive, and there are no suspects at this time. I wanted suspects. That was the whole point. How else are we gonna get Bobby out? You remembered to put the paw prints on the wall, right? To blame it on the Panthers? Um... It all happened so quickly, Charlie. You idiots. If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. Tonight. No mistakes. And this time,... there will be blood on these hands. Charlie, I... Please don't make me. Let me do it. You said one day I could prove myself. (OMINOUS MUSIC BUILDS) (MUSIC CONTINUES) We didn't know where we were going. Charlie was just looking for someone to kill. In one of those houses, there were people who would be dead in a few minutes. And they had no idea. REPORTER ON TV: 'What seems like an odd, religious rite. 'Five persons including actress Sharon Tate 'were found dead at the home of Ms Tate and her husband, Director Roman Polanski. 'Ms. Tate, who starred in 'Valley of the Dolls,' was eight months pregnant 'and was found in a nightgown with a rope around her neck. Hi. Who the hell are you? 'Reports are the other end was attached the body...' What do you want? Please leave. The door was open. You shouldn't do that, not in this day and age. (TV SHUTS OFF) Nobody's gonna get hurt. You're the guy who killed those people. (CHUCKLES) I'm not a killer, man. I just want money. See, we're all brothers in this world. We're all connected, and we all help each other out. (WHIMPERS) (GRUNTS) So, what do you think? Can you help out a brother? (GRUNTS) I've got some money in the den. Well, that's good. (PANTS) You can have it all. (GRUNTS) (GUN COCKS) Who else is here? My wife, asleep. You're gonna be OK. I promise. (TENSE MUSIC) Please don't hurt her. Please. (TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES) (GRUNTS) (DARK, TENSE MUSIC) Give me your gun, Tex. Wait, why? Cos no guns. (MUSIC CONTINUES) Do it right this time. (CAR DOOR CLOSES) (SIGHS) (LIGHTER CLICKS) (EXHALES) Don't feel bad for 'em. Dying's easy. It's livin' that's scary. (DISTANT YELLING) Let's go. Without them? They'll find their way back. (SOMBRE MUSIC) READS: 'The LaBiancas were found with their wrists bound behind their back. 'Multiple stab wounds were inflicted on their upper torso. I left a fork in his stomach, sticking right out of him. (LAUGHTER) Oh! 'The savagery of the crime has drawn an eerie comparison 'of the killing of Sharon Tate and her housemates on the evening of August 8th. 'But LAPD homicide detectives reject any notion that the two events are, in fact, related.' (GROANS) I put 'death to pigs' in blood on the wall. What more do we have to do? Well, I made a list. Paul Newman, Liz Taylor. Sandy Koufax. Who? Sandy Koufax. He pitches for the Dodgers. Mm. Sinatra, Walt Disney. Maybe even Elvis when he comes back into town. (LAUGHTER) We're gonna kill them all. (LAUGHTER) When I returned to LA, I was afraid they would find me. But I had to take the risk to get Tanya back. Tanya. Hey, baby. Sweetheart. We were less than 10 miles from Spahn Ranch ` 10 miles closer than I ever wanted to be again. But having Tanya with me was a miracle. The only good thing I had left. (KISSES) Oh. I love you. (SNIFFS) (BIRDS CRY) (REFLECTIVE MUSIC) (SHOCK MUSIC) No! (GASPS) Get up. You need to see this. They're under arrest ` Manson and the others. What? They changed them with seven counts of murder. The wandering band of members of a so-called religious cult has had three of its followers arrested in the investigation of the murder of Sharon Tate and six others. And the Los Angeles police said they would ask murder indictments against several others. (PHONE RINGS) Don't answer it. Why not? It could be them. Who? The family. Honey, they're in jail. They're everywhere, Mom. You don't understand. (PHONE RINGS) Police said they were a pseudo religious cult who called themselves 'the Family'. (PHONE CONTINUES RINGING) People who worked on the ranch said they were heavy drug users. Tanya's asleep in my room. Where are you going? You heard what they said ` possibility of other arrests. Well, no one mentioned your name. What if they do? What if Charlie or one of the girls tells them what I did? You didn't kill anyone. So what? I drove the car. I watched them. I watched them do it, and I never tried to stop them. I still don't understand, how they made you do something so horrible. They didn't make me. No one did. Be a really good girl for grandma, OK? I'll be back soon. I love you. I knew what we did was wrong. I needed to make it right by telling the truth. My daughter shouldn't be a fugitive for something she had nothing to do with. I was there. I saw it happen. I drove the car, and I did nothing to stop them. (CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK) I'll do whatever you feel is necessary. Help me make some sense of this, Linda. God knows I can't. I think you're asking the wrong person. Oh no. I'm pretty certain I'm asking the right person. Here's an ex-con, a little nobody. How does a guy like that get all of you to do his bidding? Have you ever felt like a nobody? Sure. I mean, I suppose. I don't think that you have. I don't think you've ever wondered if anyone would really care if you just... disappeared. What if someone finally made you feel like you mattered? Wouldn't you want that? Not enough to kill for it. Sometimes the only thing that makes sense is no sense. WOMEN: # We always are, I'll see you soon again. # Time is nothing, love is free. # Life is living, can't you see? # Hand in hand and arm in arm, we go our separate ways. # Hand in hand we always are, I'll see you soon again. Oh, Linda. We are everywhere. (LAUGHTER) # Time is nothing, love is free. # Life is living, can't you see? # Hand in hand and arm in arm we go our separate ways. # Hand in hand we always are, I'll see you soon again. # Hand in hand we always are, I'll see you soon again. # Captions by Jean Teng. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2017