The final scene of Chaos: The Manson Murders encapsulates this new documentary’s relationship to figuring out the enduring enigma that is Charles Manson. 

Movies have a tendency to end by verbally stating exactly what they want the audience’s ultimate takeaway to be. But Chaos concludes with archival footage of a Manson soundbite that represents his tantalizingly-unresolvable mystery.

Is the clip merely the ravings of a madman? 

Or is he consciously trying to manipulate the media and, thereby, us?

Or did he actually believe what he’s saying?

Or are his words a cryptic hint at a larger conspiracy??

We can’t know.

Yet.

But we’ll keep reaching.

Which is basically the ethos of Errol Morris.