Helter Skelter

(1976) ***

Charles Manson had a vision that, spurred by their supressed rage and lack of access to white chicks, black people would rise up and kick whitey's ass. In the aftermath, blacks would lack direction, and so Manson and his followers would come out of hiding as the new rulers of the world. He called his vision "Helter Skelter" or "Healter Skelter" depending on whether or not you're running spellcheck on lunacy.

He got the name for his doomsday scenario from the Beatle's song of the same name. The song is about an amusement park ride, and was little more than Paul McCartney's attempt to one up The Who's super-crunchy single, "I Can See For Miles." I buy this explanation fully -- according to one interview, John Lennon claimed that there were times he'd get together with McCartney and say, "Let's write ourselves a swimming pool."

Manson, on the other hand, interpreted the song to mean, "Let's hand blackie the keys." I can't really blame him for making this leap in logic -- he was on LSD most of the time. Once while I was on an acid trip, I attempted to pay for a slice of pizza using my driver's license.

Helter Skelter, is based on a book by Los Angeles County Deputy DA Vincent Bugliosi who prosecuted the Tate/LaBianca murder case. The film takes the form of a performer-narrated dramatization, not unlike a typical episode of Dragnet but much longer (just over 3 hours --- it was originally a two-part made for TV movie) and less fun. The dramatization mainly follows the investigation and trial process on a day by day basis -- "January 25 1971 - the jury delivers their verdict," "November 12, 1970 - I ate a ham sandwich at Phillipe's and had gas the rest of the day," that sort of thing.

This is done quite dryly; the history, I suppose, is expected to speak for itself. Truthfully, it does -- there's no way to accurately describe the events of the murders, or the murderers themselves that makes them seem any less horrifying. On the whole, a much better and more interesting (and for God's sake, SHORTER) film could be made from the same story, and I'm sure one has been.

However, Helter Skelter does have some nice features which give it a weak passing grade. For one, the casting decisions for the Manson family were all excellent. Steve Railsback (of Ed Gein -- how's that for a happy coincidence?) turns in a fine performance as Charles Manson.

Also Nancy Wolfe, Christina Hart, and Cathey Paine are eye-popping as Manson's twisted Sirens. During the Tate/LaBianca trials, the three women -- Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten -- sang Manson-penned songs, doodled, yawned, cackled lasciviously, and committed other outbursts showing no remorse for their crimes. Helter Skelter gets considerable momentum from these portrayals.

Perhaps the most remarkable scenes of the entire film focus on Wolfe as Susan Atkins. Placed in a women's correctional facility she's approached by Virginia Graham. The women sees the younger, petite Atkins, who makes her entrance twirling to unheard music, an easy score. Quickly though, the career criminal Graham becomes hooked by Atkins' stories about Manson. The women who flocked to Manson did so largely because of a vital lack of nurturing from their families. Graham, similarly deprived of concern, listens with dreamy eyes to Atkins' tales. She's visibly moved by the thought of a living Christ-figure who would love and accept her despite shortcomings she's been running from all her life.

Only after some time does she learn of the heinous acts Atkins has committed in Manson's name. Atkins describes with barely suppressed glee what it was like plunging a knife repeatedly into Sharon Tate's womb -- immediately Graham goes cold. For all of the hardness Graham may have imagined herself to have, whatever notches in her belt got her sent to prison in the first place, here she is bunking next to a woman whose blissful evil defies any attempt at comprehension. It shocks Graham into moody silence.

I almost gave it **1/2, but I realized I was just being bitter about spending over 3 hours on something that wasn't even a real horror movie. An adequate piece of work.