"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.
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.