Helter Skelter
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Movie Reviews of Helter Skelter
Movie Review: Without a doubt one of the people that have left a mark on me
Summary: 5 Stars
Charles Manson. When I think of him I see many things crop out. Angry, Demented, Bruised, Scarred, Hateful, and all of this from the world. He was born into dysfunction, and lived out most of his life in dysfunction. His mother had no name to give him as she was mostly a criminal herself, and a prostitute who probably had no idea who fathered Charlie, or even cared. That's the hard part to swallow when your mother has no idea who your father is, and doesn't even care. She thought in her self-centered mind that she was doing the best for Charlie by shuffling him around to the different family members for she knew she couldn't raise Charlie as that would cut into her drug habit, and sex time. However, it was later determined that Charlie was bi-sexual as he wouldn't think twice about having sex with either a man, or a woman. I am left to wonder if perhaps a male family member raped Charlie perhaps out of anger at Charlie's mother for not taking responsibility for her little brat. I remember hearing a line in the film: "The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training" where Kelly's father asks Kelly: "You want to be your own man?" Meaning that Kelly take responsibility for himself; I'm sure Charlie wanted that, but the question I'm sure Charlie would ask: "How to do this?" No one showed Charlie how to be his own man, and the closest he came was his stint at Boy's Town, but when he was there I'm sure he couldn't look at Boy's Town without looking at his mother, family, and society in general, and they all hurt him, rejected him, and now as he's nearing 73 the hate will not die, and it looks as though it's the only thing keeping him going, but for how long? I feel that Charlie somehow learned that when he grew up that he could learn power, and take people down just give your soul to the devil. Susan Atkins would also take that route as her life was marred by dysfunction as both parents were alcoholics, and mean towards her and her brothers. She turned to Christ at an early age, but she was dissulousined especially after her mother died, and her father didn't stop drinking. Patricia Krenweinkel grew up in a more loving home, but after her parents divorced her self-esteem already not strong was even dashed upon the rocks more. Leslie Van Houten would also have her world fall apart when her parents divorced, so without a doubt on edge, and nothing to lose Charlie would create his own family. A family that was his to rule and reign one where he would be able to call the shots, and he would make it appealling to his followers with sex, drugs, and music. Now bring this up to August 9, 1969, and the Tate murders. In Charlie's mind he thought that he was doing the world a favor because after all Sharon Tate, Abigail Folger and others were all smoking marijuana, and doing other drugs, and they thought they were better than him? As for his motive I feel while it was created in a drug stupor quite a bit did come true. I would feel the fact that Terry Melchner not taking Charlie seriously as a musician, and standing him up would be a more rational motive for murder, but Manson didn't know that Melchner had moved out of that house a few months earlier. Mind you this wouldn't have been acceptable either, but more rational. Many wannabe followers called this trial: "The Second Crucifixtion Of Christ" Anyway as I mentioned earlier quite a bit of his prophecy came true; In certain people they feel that minorities are getting preferential treatment, definition of family is becoming more and more broader, children are becoming more and more aggressive, and motive for crime is becoming more and more trivial, and God doesn't seem to be on most people's minds anymore. I don't even know where to begin as to where the country began it's downfall; was it when sexuality was starting to become more studied, was it during McCarthyism?, or when Madeline Muhaney O Hare successfully lobbied to have prayer banned from school. I know I have said I hate the 80's, but to be honest wouldn't the 80's be fruit of what the 60's became? America seems to just wish that anniversaries like this would just go away. Woodstock would be an attempt to save the 60's from despair, but got upstaged by Camille as she ripped through the Mississippi Delta destroying homes. Let's face it folks we as Americans tend to want to repress the negative, and just go on with the positive. We want to think that if we think about it that it will just come back to us, but when the pain is so much we tend to not care anymore, and just do whatever it took to just prove to everyone that we had our act together. I feel with Charlie it was repression that more or less caused him to collapse under all that weight that he carried all his life to come to August 9, 1969. This was the original telemovie aired on Thursday and Friday April 1 and 2nd, 1976 on CBS. I remember this because I was 8, and I wanted to watch it real bad, and was upset that I couldn't. I finally did at 23, and to be honest I see what I missed. The performance by George DiCenzo was good, but to be honest he's forgetable now, Steve Railsback as Manson was almost comical, but impressive. This would also introduce the world to the most famous Beatles tribute band "Beatlemania", and they would do an American tour the Summer of 76. This was above-average telemovie, and has the makings of a wonderful story. Not wonderful in the sense of what happened, but it stayed with what really happened.Movie Review: Great leap forward to DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
"Helter-Skelter", the excellent TV mini-series based on the Tate-LoBianco murders in 1969, has finally been released in its entirety on DVD and the result is worth waiting for. Technically, it's one of the better DVD's this reviewer has seen in quite a while. The format reproduces the 1.33:1 video aspect of the original TV film and the colors are true to life. The audio quality is clear and sharp. This DVD is a treat to watch and listen to.The film relates the horrendous events of the nights of August 8-9, 1969, when seven people turned up murdered for seemingly no reason: five people (six, if you count Sharon Tate's expected child, two months away from being born) at 10050 Cielo Drive, the home Tate shared with her husband, the movie director Roman Polanski, and Rosemary and Leno LoBianco the next night in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles. The victims were shot and slashed to death, and political slogans were written on the walls and fridigaire in their own blood. There are no initial clues and no suspects, until the connection is made to a prisoner named Bobby Beausoleil who committed a similar homicide. Gradually, the trail leads back to a group of demented hippies living on a dilapidated ranch under the leadership of a charismatic drifter named Charles Manson. As the evidence builds and three young women are arrested, there is a lot of talk about "love" and "surrender" and "Charlie is Jesus Christ" to emphasize how completely these young people have fallen under Manson's domination, but the film pulls no punches and makes no excuses; this is a wolf pack of cold-blooded killers. This isn't some group of free-love hippies; these people can -- and do -- murder anyone who crosses them, including one of Manson's own defense attorneys, with about as much compunction as a killing machine.
George DiCenzo ably plays the dual roles of narrator and lead prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, who comes across in the film as more likeable and less full of himself than he does in his book from which this film was adapted. The actresses playing Susan Atkins, Leslie Van Houten and Patricia Krenwinkel are all excellent; we look into their eyes and see hell. But whoever cast Steve Railsback in the role of Charles Manson deserves a special award for the casting coup of the decade. Railsback is unbelievable as Manson, with whom he shares an almost frightening resemblance, staring at the viewer with those insane eyes. Railsback actually has little to say in the film, compared to some of the other characters, but those mesmerizing snake-eyes say everything.
The film's coda is scary in itself; DiCenzo as the narrator, informing the viewer that California outlawed the death penalty that Manson and his crew so richly deserved and got, and that their automatic sentences of life imprisonment were up for parole review in 1978, or only two years from the date the film was shown on TV. Watching this movie again, and recalling the ghastly events of those two nights in August of 1969, we breathe a sigh of relief that almost 35 years later, the Tate-LoBianco killers are still behind bars.
Movie Review: A Buntline Special for your DVD player
Summary: 5 Stars
I have viewed this movie more than a dozen times through out my life and have always been totally fascinated by the Manson Family and the crimes commited. My grandparents had the book back in the 70's and I would always scare myself ****less looking at the crime scene photos. No idea why. I have always felt an odd connection to this era even though I was born only a year before the Tate/LaBianca killings. I often shock friends and family with intimate details of the names and dates, needless to say, I'm great at parties:)
I do not glorify what has been done though I marvel at the details. Even though I gave this movie FIVE stars it is not a perfect movie by any means, however, in light of this being a Made for TV movie from 1976 I can't imagine a more brutal or shocking depiction being made. The soundtrack is what sets off the movie and only adds to the chill.
Charles Manson, Susan Atkins, and Leslie Van Houten as portrayed here are downright frightening. The actors seem to have risen above the TV pap and have given what are probably the best ever TV Movie performances. Even the Manson gang not on trial like the actor who played Danny DiCarlo gives a riveting performance, and lets not forget the actor who helps Bugliosi translate Charlie's "RevolAtion No. 9". The disappointing aspects involve casting "bit parts" (newsman, police, wives) that often do not fly (or feel EXTREMELY dated), and in general the side of the prosecution; cops and all involved seem flat and clinical and do not have the same spark or believability as the Manson Family cast. Bugliosi is portayed adequately but it feels by the numbers in some areas.
The picture is quite clean, considering the age, and while others here seem pleased with the sound quality, the 1ch just doesn't quite cut it. I suppose since this is a drama it is "adequate" but so much more could have been done. I only noticed the edits on my last viewing and am shocked at them. Not so much that they were edited HERE but that they were ever aired on TV to begin with. Since when was **** (starts with an S) ever able to be broadcast? I actually have no qualm about the edits, they are few and slight, what IS important is we get the whole movie and not the chopped up (excuse the pun) rebroadcast version that is apparently still in the VHS community. You get the full movie here, and quite cheap I might add.
There is a decent A&E special on serial killers floating around that features (the real) Manson, Krenwinkle, and Van Houten. Needless to say they all seem to be singing a different tune these days. There seems to be true remorse on the hearts of the two woman, sadly it may be too late for total redemption. It is difficult to judge the hearts of men, so I leave that to God and the conscience of the parol board.
Movie Review: Terrifying as it was a true story
Summary: 5 Stars
Finally, the original 1976 movie of "Helter Skelter" is released on DVD.Although there are no special features, I assue when the CBS re-make, which airs in May,204, is released on DVD, it will have them.Even without any special features, this DVD is well worth the purchase price. Although some events are slightly altered, this film is 95% accurate. Considering this was made in 1976, it holds up very well. And, as I understand it, it was and still ranks as one of the highest rated tv movies of all time. Very ground breaking for a 1976 tv movie.It defines an era that ended the "peace and love" late 60's flower power.Charles Manson and his sick, demented "family" is depicted in startling reality.The film covers everything from the murders, to the compelling trial that followed. Much of the original statements and testimony in the trial are repeated here.Excellent acting, writing, production and direction.Sharon Tate, and the other victims died in a horrible fashion none of us would ever want to experiance.If the story wasn't true, we would never have believed the sick members of the so called "Manson family" could do such a horrific crime.The only thing I would like to add is, it's just horrible the death penalty was briefly abolished, as these killers all deserved to die instead of being kept alive with our tax dollars, not to mention it is a mockery they are even given parole hearings.I pray to God they never ever get released.I live less than two miles from the Labianca house, and just knowing it is there gives me chills.It will be interesting when CBS airs the re-make next month. Some say a re-make should not be made. I think reminding the public of how horrific these crimes were IS important, as maybe it will inspire people to continue to send letters protesting the release of the killers each time they are up for parole.All the killers now say they have found God, and should be released.Well, the victims will never get the chance, as they are buried, so I simply feel the killers deserve to rot in jail the rest of their pathetic lives. If they truly have found God, they should realise what they did deserves punishment on this earth, and they should direct their goals to helping fellow inmates to learn from their mistakes.Parole? NO WAY!I reccomend this DVD to anybody interested in learning about the "Manson" case. And, I weap for the victims and the victim's families.What a shame this had to happen.Truly, a horrific American tragedy.Movie Review: Non-compromising dramatisation of the book
Summary: 5 Stars
At last an intelligent and fully believable, non compromising, dramatisation of Bugliosi's book "Helter Skelter" is made available on sharp image quality DVD.
Condensing a 600+ page book into three hours without excluding any of the key twists of the murder investigation and subsequent court case was quite an achievement especially as censorship restrictions imposed on this 1976 television program meant no graphic violence scenes [such as dominated the cheap thrills for the A.D.D generation remake and its "directors cut"]. They are not missed at all. In fact having just blurry reinactments of the crimes set to loud distorted versions of the Beatle's "Helter Skelter" and "Piggies" songs creates an unnerving approximation of what may have been going through what remained of the killer's consciousness at the time.
Some viewers, used to the 12 second jump cut obsession of modern film directing, may find parts of this movie a little "dry" but that's real life folks. Things sometimes linger a bit as the implications of a situation are realised.
Choosing skilled actors with a strong physical resemblance to the original personalities is also a major plus that allows the viewer to get wholly absorbed in the drama.
Because this film was made when interest in the "Helter Skelter" book was high it wasn't tempted to also include any of the various speculations that surfaced later [were the glasses mysteriously left behind at the Tate house a reference to the scene in "Lord of The Flies" where the fire producing spectacles of the school boy known as "Piggy" were stolen and used to create an inferno after the sensitive "Simon" was stabbed to death etc].
Such things can be considered after the basic framework of this case is understood via Bugliosoi's book and this excellent video summary of it.