Helter Skelter (1976)

Sorry, this movie sucks

Sadly Over-hyped

Blistering performances.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

I was curious to see the outcome of this vicious crime done in 1969 and its consequences.Dubbed at the time by a French-Canadian dubbing company (Sonolab), this was an excellent rendering of this egomaniac guru that was Charles Manson, accompanied by his "Family" who did this horrible massacre, especially that the murders (especially actress Sharon Tate, as widowed husband Roman Polanski suffered this loss... and went into dire consequences as we know today...) still give chills the way it happened.Though Steve Railsback had a very good role in "The Stunt Man" later, I still remember him with the role of Manson: its looks and the attitude stills marks me today. Was real convincing in my books.Most of the actors were not mainstream, but were excellent with a good script and good direction. Rare thing for a made-for-TV movie at the time. And I did not forget the late George Di Cenzo, who did a great job as the role of the prosecutor...I write this 40 years after I watched it, and knowing the real Charles Manson won't read this, he just left for his "Helter Skelter" world...

"Helter Skelter" is not billed as a horror movie, but it's been my experience that some stories and films about real people can be just as terrifying, if not more so, than a monster movie. This one is a case in point.The time was the 1960's, the era of free love, drugs, discontented youth, political unrest and protests. Kids felt like they could change the world, and many rebelled against everything their parents held dear. Thousands of young people migrated to Haight-Ashbury to join in on the fun. Gurus abounded and anyone who owned a guitar and could talk the talk had a leg up on those who didn't.Enter Charles Manson, a 32 year old who was a long term convict and had just been released from prison. He gravitated to Haight-Ashbury with his guitar and over a period of time, was able to recruit young people to join his commune which he later termed his "family". There was a catch though - you couldn't join if Charlie didn't want you. The reason? Charlie was looking for people he could easily manipulate. He'd learned to be quite the chameleon in prison, and was able to tell each one of his damaged followers exactly what they wanted and needed to hear resulting in their absolute devotion and his absolute control. A career criminal, as astounding as it sounds, was able to convince these people through manipulation, sex and drugs that he was indeed Jesus Christ and that they were his "chosen". This ultimately led to the murders of Sharon Tate and her unborn child, Abigail Folger, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowsk, Steven Parent and Leo and Rosemary LaBianca, among others.The movie closely follows the book written by Vincent Bugliosi, the lead prosecutor during the resulting murder trial of Manson and three of the four other participants. What makes this movie so scary? It's not just the story of manipulation, mind control and murder that makes it so frightening, but coming to the understanding that these people had absolutely no remorse for what they did and would have gladly done it again if Charlie asked them to. Listening to Susan Atkins' grand jury testimony about killing Sharon Tate in graphic detail like it was no bigger of a deal than going grocery shopping is quite chilling. And finally, understanding that this is a true story, not fiction, and at any given time or place another Charlie might be lurking in the shadows.This movie would have failed miserably if it was poorly acted or hammy - it wasn't. All of the actors were quite convincing. Casting Steve Railsback as Manson was pure genius as far as I'm concerned. This is by far the best Manson movie out there. If you are into true crime, this movie should definitely be on your watch list. A perfect example of the truth being stranger than fiction.

Despite a hokey opening prologue by a narrator who talks directly to viewers, this three hour made-for-TV docu-drama provides a generally good overview of the real-life Tate/LaBianca murders that occurred in the summer of 1969, and the subsequent trial of Charles Manson and his "family". Based on the book "Helter Skelter" by Manson Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, the film has a dragnet or prosecution tone to it, as it describes events from Bugliosi's point of view. That is okay, except that the script minimizes the crucial role of Tex Watson, one of the actual killers. After the murders, Watson fled to Texas, and was initially beyond Bugliosi's prosecution reach. Later, Watson was extradited back to California.The film's first half is confusing because it presents so many Manson family names; this part of the film is somewhat hard to follow. The film's second half concentrates on the courtroom trial and is therefore more straightforward. The film's pace tends to be slow. There are several long speeches. And some scenes are either unnecessary or overly long. One scene in the second half goes on for some ten minutes. Overall, the film has a made-for-TV look and feel. Production design, costumes, and makeup are credible. As Manson, Steve Railsback's performance is ... intense.What makes this film worth watching is that it is a true story ... and a powerful one. Manson had no qualms about killing innocent people. And he sought to sublease that evil to weaker personalities, like Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, Leslie Van Houten, and other members of his hippie clan. And that power over others in turn fed his megalomania.Manson was a cultural scavenger, a junk man without conscience. He and his "family" subsisted on food from dumpsters behind supermarkets. And at one point in the film, he even says he wouldn't mind prison chow; "it's better than (eating) garbage". What a statement. It says a lot about him and about his followers.

it always seems to be that way, the end of 'whatever' seems to culminate in a notorious murder. it was said that Polanski, master of the grisly and macabre, chuckled when he heard about a murder happening in an exclusive Hollywood area, not knowing it was his wife Sharon Tate and unborn child and friends.this one was really bizarre however. Bugliosi gradually comes to find out the significance of 'healter skelter' (as it was spelled in blood) after interviewing the biker hanger-on. it was central to motive.Manson was as he said the product of the society that reviled him so much.Railsback really got the intense psychotic glare and ranting to a T. his portrayal of Manson made this film, followed closely by the gorgeous Nancy Wolfe as Susan Atkins.this is the version to watch. I just borrowed it from the library on DVD format and watched it again after about 2 decades.there was a lot of uneasiness in Hollywood when the killings happened, stars like McQueen were known to be packing handguns for a while.the Manson clan continued for long after he was put away. I haven't a clue how these people get by but they did it when he was the cult leader so they must have learned something from him other than breaking into homes and committing mass murder.Atkins wrote a book now out of print about finding Jesus, and van Houten has always been a model prisoner. I think she should finally be let out on parole but the hate runs too deep still. forgiveness is a scarce commodity in the face of a crime like this which will be long remembered like the Lindberg kidnapping and so forth.I wish Nancy Wolfe had done more film work, she is a very very attractive woman.