Helter Skelter
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Movie Reviews of Helter Skelter
Movie Review: Interesting to a point
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie came out the year I was born, 1976, but I had heard about the "Charles Manson murders" all my life. I remember as a child hearing The Beatles song of the same name (which supposedly inspired the kooky Manson to start his little race war) and being completely freaked out by it. It was after I became a very dedicated Beatles fan that I learned that the song, written by Paul Mc Cartney, was actually a response to a song by The Who that was proclaimed to be the loudest, dirtiest, most raucous thing ever done in rock and roll up until that point in time. Mc Cartney decided to top it with a Beatles ditty.
The song "Helter Skelter" was, originally, a 27 minute track but was eventually cut down to 5 minutes because of time limits on radio airplay. It was never a call to arms or revolution. In fact, the term "helter skelter" is a British word for a carnival ride. (And thank you Bono of U2 for "stealing back" that song!)
Director/producer Tom Gries did a pretty good job of transferring Vincent Bugliosi's account of the trial onto the small screen (the DVD was a top notch, enjoyable viewing experience). I was disappointed, though, that the actors and actresses really didn't resemble the so-called "family." Only Steve Railsback remotely looked like Manson. (Although, I thought the actress playing Linda Kasabian looked very familiar. The end credits confirmed my suspicion: She was Marilyn Burns, who was in the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" two years before).
I did appreciate the trial scenes because it makes one think of the numerous, far out objections of one Irving Kanarek (Manson's attorney), who dragged the trial on far past the time that it should have lasted (costing California taxpayers millions of dollars in the process) to the nuisance of everyone involved. Why he wasn't disbarred during that trial, I will never understand (refreshing to know he got his in the end when the US Supreme Court disbarred him in 1990).
The movie accentuated the dedication of D.A. Vincent Bugliosi and the fact that the law profession could definitely use more lawyers like him. Although a bit too conservative for me, the bottom line is he's a very competent attorney who knows his law and practices it with the highest set of ethics.
In the end, this movie underlined how much the "victims" were forgotten during the course of the trial. They took a backseat to the carnival antics in the courtroom and would always be relegated to an afterthought (and sometimes not even that!).
Since the murders, Manson has been elevated to a cult hero, Sharon called every horrible name in the book (the rest of the victims' names nearly forgotten, except to those who knew and loved them), and many cruel rumors were circulated during the course of the investigation and trial.
But, as the saying goes, truth is always stranger than fiction. Those people (Sharon, Jay, Abigail, and Voytek) came back from having dinner. Sharon and Jay talked while lying on the bed in the master bedroom, Abigail was in her bedroom reading a book and Voytek was napping on the living room couch when a group of wackjobs - strung out on acid, following the orders of a pint-sized dork po'd because he couldn't get a record deal - decided to take their lives and ruin the lives of their families and friends forever.
Sad to think that Charles Watson, who helped stab a pregnant woman, now has 4 children himself until Sharon's mother, the late Doris, put an end to conjugal visits in prison for convicted murderers through her tireless campaign for victims rights. Poor Steven Parent was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time (much like Ron Goldman would be 25 years later) and equally vicious rumors circulated about Leno and Rosemary La Bianca.
The saddest part of all is that, nowadays, whenever you're seen with a photo of or book about Sharon Tate, for instance, people automatically think of C. M. and think something is wrong with *you* for wanting to know more about the "victims" of that horrible night in American history (people draw blanks with the rest of the "victims" names).
The time is way past due for the media to remember these people for the people that they were and not merely as "murder victims." The time has also come to remember that Roman Polanski, too, was a victim and to regard him in a more positive light than the animal who orchestrated his pregnant wife's murder.
Bugliosi's book should be required reading on how NOT to bungle a murder investigation (Marcia Clark and Christopher Darden could have definitely benefited!).
Movie Review: The death of love and peace
Summary: 4 Stars
Social and legal commentators have written or said the love and peace movements of the 1960's died Aug. 9, 1969, when members of Charles Manson's "family" descended on the home of director Roman Polanski and his 8 1/2-month pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, and slaughtered her and four houseguests. Seven years later, CBS brought the book of Vincent Bugliosi, the successful prosector of the case, to the screen, and this version remains the definitive "entertainment" piece of the Manson saga, far superior to its 2004 remade counterpart. And no one has equaled much less surpassed actor Steve Railsback's sociopathological depiction of the real Manson. This telepic is graphic in its brief recounting of the Tate killings and, a night later, those of Rosemary and Leno LaBianca. The film's power, though, is in its account of the legal problems that faced Buglosi as prosecutor and serves to dispell the assumption that the case against Manson, et al, was open and shut. In his protrayal of Bugliosi, actor George DiCenzo brings respect to the real-life prosecutor who, with the trial judge and jurors, endured the antics and threats of Manson and family members through, what then, was the longest criminal trial in U.S. history. Actor Railsback's Manson gets ample support from his co-defendants, played to the chilling hilt by Nancy Wolfe (Susan Atkins), Christine Hart (Patricia Krenwinkle) and Cathy Paine (Leslie Van Houten). A footnote to this production is that it features Sondra Blake, then married to actor Robert Blake, as Ronnie Howard, who shared a cell with the real Atkins and "broke" the case after Atkins started bragging about her role in the seven killings. "Helter Skelter," so named from the Beatles' "White Album" song that Manson interpretted to be a "message" that the world was on the edge of an apocalyptic race war, remains an important commentary not only on the legal complexities of the case against the Manson clan, but it also touches on the vulnerability of those who either abandoned or been rejected by "normal" society and their exploitation by others seeking domination for whatever reason. A more than worthy "entertainment" piece, this production is well worth a viewing.Movie Review: Finally out, and not a pale imitation like 2004
Summary: 4 Stars
Well, it's finally out. About time, although it will probably be supplanted by the recent inferior CBS remake this year. Shame, really, as this is a closer version to the book than that horrible Sweeps Month attempt. After viewing both, I must disagree with the recent critics reviews. Railsback plays Manson far more convincing, and even though many complain now that DiCenzo plays a "paint-by-numbers" version of Bugliosi, Vince himself comes off very similar (in real life) to this version. Sorry, CBS, even having Vince at the end of your "event" did not help.Features? Well, none, really, which is a shame, but what could you put on there? Geraldo's Manson special from over a decade ago? Pages and pages of court documents? The stupidest idea I heard was a "Where Are They Now?" bit -- honestly. Maybe the actors, yes, but the actuals? Please. The extra hour of footage, normally lopped off by TBS (who used to show it A LOT) and the other broadcasters is fine enough with me. Don't know what you could have added to this, as a director's commentary seems out of place, interviews with the cast -- well, memories tend to fade that far out. Footage of Manson speaking just adds to the bizarre aura he still has, and frankly I'm tired of hearing him speak what was once known as the English language (I don't know what to call what he does when he opens his mouth without offending many).
Nothing beats the book, but if you need visual, this is the best one. Not definitive; that's what books are for, remember? Not for the squeamish, for sure, as some of the material is very disturbing, but with the "extra" hour of material, the purchase is cheap and worth it. Besides, real life can be more distubring.
Almost 30 years later, it is still as close to the book as anyone will ever come. That's definitive enough for me.
Movie Review: Long Awaited Helter Skelter
Summary: 4 Stars
It's taken years to finally get this tele-film released in it's entirety as seen on CBS in two nights during March of 1976. It's a good enough print but I was disappointed that there were no extras included on this Dvd. It would have been interesting to have a documentary etc included in the pkg.Previously this film was released by Key video on VHS in it's edited down European theatrical release version. I say edited down because although an hour was cut there were also present a number of profane words that didn't make it to Tv and also the two murders they show snippets of were not over ghosted by Linda Kasabian (Marilyn Burns) sitting on the witness stand telling about the horror the night at Sharon Tate's house.
This new Dvd version is released just how CBS presented it back in 1976 for it's first airing. Steve Railsback still sends chills down your spine as Manson and George DiCenzo does admirable job as prosecutor Bugliosi as does the rest of supporting cast. I give the movie four stars but no kudos to Warner Home Video for releasing it rather plainly.
It will be interesting to see how the new CBS tele-movie also named "Helter Skelter" will hold up against this still frightening account of the Manson Family and subsequent murder spree that "scared the hell out of us all!"
Movie Review: They made us wait and still missed the mark
Summary: 4 Stars
Well, FINALLY the studio released this title on DVD. Thankfully they released it as the original TV version rather than rehashing the old (and disappointing) Key Video version. But WHY couldn't it be released in its original, full, uncut format for the DVD? Even the longer TV version is still edited somewhat. And there are no special features at all. Surely there could have at least been some kind of documentary, interviews with old cast members, follow-up on who and where the remaining Family members are even still today, etc. WB had the opportunity to launch a great DVD here and they dropped the ball.
Not to glorify the Hinman/Tate/LaBianca murders, but scores of us from the 70s still remember the impact of this movie in a time when we weren't so desensitized to violence and in strict terms of a film it's an enthralling time capsule.
On the film's own merits and the fact that it's the original TV version, I give the DVD 4 stars. I give the studio a thumbs down for not going the extra step with it. Still recommended for purchase.