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Helter Skelter

 
Helter Skelter   Staring: George DiCenzo, Steve Railsback, Nancy Wolfe, Marilyn Burns, Christina Hart
Director: Tom Gries
Average Customer Rating: Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5

List Price: $19.98
Our Price: $11.84

Read more information about Helter Skelter at Amazon.com

Product Features
The investigation of two horrific mass murders leads to the capture and trial of the psychotic pseudo-hippie Charles Manson and his Family. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION Rating: NR Age: 085393193829 UPC: 085393193829 Manufacturer No: 1000001329

Editorial Review
Description
The investigation of two horrific mass murders leads to the capture and trial of the psychotic pseudo-hippie Charles Manson and his "family".

Amazon.com
Based on the bestselling book by Vincent Bugliosi, the two-part TV movie Helter Skelter is a clinical but often chilling recount of the arrest and trial of Charles Manson and his cult for a pair of horrific murders in 1969. Character actor George DiCenzo is a bit dry as prosecutor Bugliosi, who must patch together a series of far-flung clues to incarcerate Manson for the murder spree, which claimed the life of actress Sharon Tate, among others; he and the rest of the capable cast (which includes Marilyn Burns from the '74 Texas Chainsaw Massacre) are completely overshadowed by Steve Railsback's disturbing performance as Manson. Railsback is the main reason to revisit this feature, which shocked many during its network run in 1976, but now seems methodical in its pacing and direction. Warner Bros.'s DVD is the longer 184-minute version of the film, which should please viewers accustomed to the 119-minute rebroadcast cut; otherwise, the disc is disappointingly supplement-free. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews

Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5 Book Is Better But Steve Railsback Brilliant as Manson, 2010-01-19
The book upon which this is based is my absolute favorite true crime book. It is huge too. I couldn't put it down and learned every detail of the murders perpetrated by the Manson family in the late 1960s of Sharon Tate and friends plus the La Bianco family. I watched this miniseries too and I enjoyed it. Steve Railsback does the best Charles Manson anyone could ever do. However, it has to omit so much because the book is so huge and the show so short. So I really enjoyed watching Steve Railsback but my heartiest endorsement is still to go read the book. The actor who plays the author, the prosecutor of the case, is dry as dust in televised version whereas in the book he was not that way at all.

Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5 Helter Skelter, 2009-07-14
I have enjoyed the movie. It was the one that I had seen on TV years ago. Great price and deleivered in perfect condition. If you remember this movie or not, it's a great one to watch.

Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5 Still Chilling All These Years, 2009-07-27
Like everyone else, I saw this on TV, and it was a thoroughly creepy account of the events. It still creeps me out to this day, thirty-plus years later. I still admire the convincing performances by the actors, and gave this DVD 5 stars despite the fact that some reviewers have low-balled it due to censorship. Frankly, I disagree with that gripe. If you want to hear cuss words, go buy a DMX CD. This story was told quite effectively without every other word being an expletive. In fact, truly great stories usually are.

Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5 Helter Skelter - Media Myth and the Cult of Spin, 2009-09-06
I give this high marks as far as a time line of events and telling the truth about the bungling of the investgation. But Bugliosi over sold the race war as a way to establish motive and used straights vs. counter culture paranoia as a way to get a quick conviction.
Race wars i.e. the protest and riots had been going on for several years so the idea that a few murders would put whites and blacks more at each other was very slim at best. Second writing off Mason and family as "drug crazed" is silly, lots of people took (take) drugs and very few turn into multiple killers.
Read Susan Atkins - The Myth of `Helter Skelter' at susanatkins (dot) org for some counter spin to the Bugiosi version. It shows Manson to be more of a basic drug dealer than a cult leader and the family as a group of trusting, somewhat stupid, 15-25 year old people that got caught in a vortex of events.


Average rating of 2/5Average rating of 2/5Average rating of 2/5Average rating of 2/5Average rating of 2/5 Not as remembered, 2009-06-20
Seems as if this movie was redone before being put into DVD format. A lot was left out, but not the obvious spots where there were tv commercial breaks. Many scenes left out. I'd recommend looking for the original version.


Product Details
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: RAILSBACK,STEVE
EAN: 9780790789200
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Miniseries, Full Screen, NTSC
ISBN: 0790789205
Label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2004-04-20
Running Time: 184
Studio: Warner Home Video
Theatrical Release Date: 1976-04-01

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