Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

BoardChiri Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

Sabah Hensley This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

perjensen-2 Simply said, the 1976 version of "Helter Skelter" is incontestably one of the best docudrama's ever made. Not only does it stick close enough to the book that it renders reading it merely a plus, but the locations, clothes, set design, language, and haunting soundtrack topped off with Steve Railsback portraying Manson is so 'real' that one wonders if newsreels were used to duplicate it all. Railsback particularly was so good that it borders on the surreal. His 'look', hair, tone of voice, body shape, height, even the eerie shine in his eyes - so close to Charlie that when you see Railsback in other roles you probably won't recognize him. But virtually everyone did a terrific job at recreating the characters, such as Nancy Wolfe as Susan Atkins and Marilyn Burns as Linda Kasabian. So even if this movie is 3 hours long it doesn't matter. It keeps your attention from start to finish. It portrays the impact of such a bizarre murder case better than any movie can possibly do. However, a note of interest is the film gives a better understanding of how Vincent Bugliosi handled such a difficult case. It also gives a much closer look at various conspirators, such as Susan Atkins and Leslie Van Houten. Just as surprising, much of the dialogue in grand jury, court, and interview scenes are taken directly from official transcripts. Altogether, "Helter Skelter" is the book come to life. It's a frightening but accurate film that captures the story as well as can be done. If you are a movie buff, then this belongs in your collection.

unkadunk0801 This is without a doubt one of the best made for TV movies of all time Because it shows how the authorities were able to solve one of the most horrifying crimes in US history And indeed the cast none of whom could be considered "stars" all did an outstanding job in their roles.And in particular Steve Railsback as Charles Manson created a role that will be remembered forever.Also good was veteran character actor George DeCenzo as Asst DA Vincent Bugliosi who's put in charge of prosecuting the Manson Family. Also excellent were Nancy Wolfe as Susan Denise Atkins Marilyn Burns as Linda Kasabian who's testimony was largely responsible for the conviction of The Manson family.And indeed the entire cast was excellent and included many faces that were familiar to movie fans including Paul Mantee as Sgt Oneal(who gained some fame as the star of Robinson Crusoe on Mars his only leading role)And in the role of Judge Older was actor Skip Homeir.And indeed the end of the first part shows a sneering Mansons face which even now is quite scary.Irecomend this movie which is far better then the 2004 TV Movie of the same name.

Rathko 'Helter Skelter' is a three-hour CBS TV movie chronicling, in almost documentary-like detail, the investigation, arrest, and trial of Charles Manson and the Manson Family for the Tate/LaBianca murders of 1969. Nothing is shown of the killings themselves, just the aftermath, and being told from the point-of-view of the investigators, nothing is seen of Manson and his followers in the period leading up to the murders. The whole thing, therefore, is a pretty standard legal procedural thriller, often highlighting the unbelievable incompetence of the LAPD and associated authorities.The movie has dated, not only in its look, but in its style of storytelling. When the CSI team can wrap up three cases in a 40 minute running time, 'Helter Skelter' seems, at times, overly long and leisurely in its pacing – not so much a fault of the movie as a sorry comment on contemporary expectations. This extended running time does, however, present an opportunity to go into minute detail about the case, and patience is often rewarded.The film is lifted above the norm by exceptional performances from Steve Railsback as Charles Manson and Nancy Wolfe as Susan Atkins. So fascinating and genuinely chilling are the two characters that these actors create that the movie seems to fall flat when they are not around. I, for one, was far more interested in them than the investigation and wanted to know more about their background, the origins of their unquestionable insanity, their motives, their relationships, and how the Family came in to existence in the first place. Though these issues are hinted at, none are developed as much as the brilliant characterizations demand.Worth watching for some incredibly cold and chilling performances, but offers little in the way of real explanation for their actions.

maryaha I saw this movie in 1976 when I was 16 years old and it scared me to death. The first half came on Thursday night and I did okay with that. The next day I bought the book and watched the second half of the movie. The book states "the book you are about to read will scare the hell out of you". And it did. When I went to bed that night, I had nightmares so vivid that I could see the killer's car pull up in front of my house. This terror went on for several nights more and I decided that I was too dang scared to read the book so I threw it in a dumpster. It was 15 years before I would pick that book up again and actually be able to read it. Even then though, it frightened me something terrible. I rented the movie on VHS a few times and it scared me each time, but I loved the movie. I now have it on DVD and I watch it from time to time. The movie, with the clothes and hairstyles is indeed dated but it is still an excellent movie. On a scale from one to ten, it is a ten. I have since read the book numerous times, but I always heed the warning about it scaring the hell out of you. Anyone that has not seen this movie needs to see it. For me, it is not about the control that Charlie had over his family that is so evil. It is the fact that there are people in this world evil enough to do what they did to their helpless and innocent victims. These murders changed the U.S. forever and maybe that is why people are still so interested in this murder case, and that includes me too. I read everything I can find about the case, the victims, the killers and everyone else involved. I would like to be in contact with others that are still interested in this bizarre story. My contact information is maryaha@yahoo.com.