Cover & Specs - Helter Skelter (1976) (1 Viewer)

[David Von Pein]

Yeah, Jeff. And note that they've jacked the Pre-Order price up by three dollars to boot. (Glad I pre-ordered it earlier, @ lower $$.)

 

[Jeff_HR]

Wonderful! :frowning:

 

[David Von Pein]

Oh well .... It's cheaper at Triple-D anyhow (even lower than Amazon's previous $13.99 price point).

 

[Jeff_HR]

Is this to be reviewed? Has anyone been lucky enough to have received their copy yet? If so, what are your impressions? Thanks.

 

[David Von Pein]

Just curious as to the MPAA "R" rating symbol utilized here. ......



This was an "Unrated" TV movie in 1976. Did it also get a theatrical (R-rated) release as well?

IMDB shows no such "R" rated theatrical version/release.

 

[Paul McElligott]

There was a theatrical version, released in Europe I think. I've seen it on tape. It was edited down to two hours and contained a brief flash of female toplessness during the raid on Spahn's Ranch. That was the whole reason for the R-rating. I don't know why the DVD would get an R-rating unless they edited the nudity into the full length version.

 

[David Von Pein]

Just noticed a review of the "Helter" DVD on Amazon, that whines ..........

>> "...Was EXTREMELY disappointed to find it has been censored. ... The cops raid Manson and his family at Spahn's Ranch and have gathered them up in a circle, with Charlie in the center. The cops bring in a handcuffed Shorty, who claims he's not part of the family. He offers to tell the police what he knows, which brings out jeers of SNITCH from the famlily. Charlie looks up an says, "It's not nice to snitch, Shorty." Shorty promptly replies, "Go f*** yourself, Charlie. This DVD version has Shorty instead saying "Horse manure."

When Bugliosi is interviewing Paul Watkins (the man who first explains to Vince what Helter Skelter means), he says that people are "scared s***less." This is painfully dubbed over with a cough.

The biggest dissapointment was in that during the trail, when Linda Kasabian is testifiying about the Tate murders, the scenes of carnage (which had previously been seen clearly) are shown with Kasabian and Bugliosi super-imposed."

-------------------

I'm puzzled by all these "censored" claims. Because my copy isn't dubbed/censored at all.

The "horse manure" line by Shorty is NOT "dubbed" at all. You can see the lips/sound match the words spoken.

Of course, utilizing the F word and S***less wouldn't be allowed in a TV Movie in the first place. So, unless these invectives were ADDED to a theatrical release, the point of censoring is moot. Because we know they weren't in the original 1976 TVM anyway.

Any thoughts? Is that Amazon reviewer cracked in the head; or were these cuss words added for a theatrical cut of the movie?

 

[David Von Pein]

Just noticed a review of the "Helter" DVD on Amazon, that whines ..........

>> "...Was EXTREMELY disappointed to find it has been censored. ... The cops raid Manson and his family at Spahn's Ranch and have gathered them up in a circle, with Charlie in the center. The cops bring in a handcuffed Shorty, who claims he's not part of the family. He offers to tell the police what he knows, which brings out jeers of SNITCH from the famlily. Charlie looks up an says, "It's not nice to snitch, Shorty." Shorty promptly replies, "Go f*** yourself, Charlie. This DVD version has Shorty instead saying "Horse manure."

When Bugliosi is interviewing Paul Watkins (the man who first explains to Vince what Helter Skelter means), he says that people are "scared s***less." This is painfully dubbed over with a cough.

The biggest dissapointment was in that during the trail, when Linda Kasabian is testifiying about the Tate murders, the scenes of carnage (which had previously been seen clearly) are shown with Kasabian and Bugliosi super-imposed."

-------------------

I'm puzzled by all these "censored" claims. Because my copy isn't dubbed/censored at all.

The "horse manure" line by Shorty is NOT "dubbed" at all. You can see the lips/sound match the words spoken.

Of course, utilizing the F word and S***less wouldn't be allowed in a TV Movie in the first place. So, unless these invectives were ADDED to a theatrical release, the point of censoring is moot. Because we know they weren't in the original 1976 TVM anyway.

Any thoughts? Is that Amazon reviewer cracked in the head; or were these cuss words added for a theatrical cut of the movie?

 

[David Von Pein]

The new 2004 version of "Helter Skelter" (starring Jeremy Davies) is due out on October 19th, with the DVD featuring a Widescreen 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer.

I watched the film on TV in May 2004 and can't remember what the ratio was? Was it 1.78:1? Or standard 1.33:1? Can anyone recall?

I, myself, liked both the 1976 and the new 2004 versions of "Skelter", with each deserving praise in different ways.

The '04 DVD will apparently contain several extra features, to boot. Plus a DD 5.1 soundtrack! (Isn't that a tad unusual to include a 5.1 track for a TV-Movie? Or is that becoming common practice, circa 2004?) ........

 

[Eric Paddon]

"Any thoughts? Is that Amazon reviewer cracked in the head; or were these cuss words added for a theatrical cut of the movie?"

Yes, the cuss words were added to a shorter theatrical cut of the movie which was available on home video in the 80s. This particular version ran only a little more than two hours as I recall.

 

[walter o]

Hmm, i am glad I didnt sell my old Key video edition, for despiting being shorter, I like the cuss words and the other scenes altered, so will gladly hang on to my vhs and stil enjoy the DVD to see the original version, but I assume the end credit for part 1 (the mini series was shown in two parts) isn't there? I also miss those title cards that used to show up in old 70's tV suring commercials, but oh well.

 

[ScottR]

Part One end credits and Part Two opening credits are not there.