Helter Skelter (2004)
Cast: Jeremy Davies, Allison Smith, Margeurite Moreau, Clea DuVal
Director: John Gray
Synopsis: Another reflection on the grisly carnage perpetrated by Manson and Co.
Reviewed by: Omar Khan

There have already been a number of films made on the atrocities committed by Charlie Manson and his “family” some of them less than memorable. Yet the Manson Murders and the trial that followed were such sensational events of their times (and any times) and that the ghastly episode takes on deeper meaning as looking back over the years, it perfectly symbolized the souring of a dream and the end of an era of hope gone awry. This made for TV feature is well performed, well orhcestrated and well researched and makes for compelling if grisly viewing.

The murders were extraordinary for a number of reasons committed as they were by a bunch of crazed disciples at the command of a twisted genius with on his own trip about Helter Skelter - a demented race war he was convinced was about to explode according to the hidden lyrics contained on a Beatles LP.

The Murders were among the most brutal and bizarre committed in recent history and all the more shocking for their sheer mindlessness, their motive and the fact that a pregnant Hollywood starlet was among those who were slaughtered by Manson family members. The Murders, Manson's warped mentality and motives and the brutality of the crimes plus the antics that followed at the trial are lurid and shocking for this reason alone films will be made about Charlie and his disciples long after they are dead and gone.

Helter Skelter was initially filmed in the 70's and was a commendable effort with superior acting – but the focus of that film had been on the trail at least as it had been on the crimes. This re-make of the film tries to shed light on other aspects of the entire ghastly episode. Firstly there is more of a background provided as to how the family descended into their dreadful grisly acts and how some of the group had already taken to murder. Also how deeply Charlie Manson's pride was wounded when he was rejected for a contract with a record label in the music business. These are presented as major events that shaped the events of the infamous Tate Murder. The scenes of butchery are difficult to watch but have been recreated faithfully to detail though dialogues have been inserted which are pure conjecture.

This new version also spends more time than its predecessor focussing on the warped manner in which Charlie Manson's thought processes functioned as well as some of the murders that the Family members committed before the Tate-Labianca slaughter..

The lead performance of Jeremy Davies is exceptionally convincing and he manages to look very much like Manson did back in his heyday. The direction is fine and the rest of the performances are perfectly adequate especially that of Clea Duvall who plays Linda Kasabian, the key witness of the trial through whose eyes most of the action is depicted. It's a perfectly acceptable portrayal of the grisly atrocities committed by Manson's lot but in reality just adds to the Manson aura and builds his heir of immortality and legend. Manson might soon challege Ed Gein as the criminal whose deeds have been of most inspiration to Hollywood stuidos.