Helter Skelter May 16 (1 Viewer)

[Matt Butler]

Anyone know if this is a mini-series or a stand alone movie?

 

[Jordan_E]

The new issue of Entertainment Weekly has an ad and it says "world premiere movie," with one date, so it must be a single movie. If this is a remake of the original mini-series, it has a LOT to cover in one night!

 

[Paul McElligott]

It's not necessarily a remake, but a new adapatation of Bugliosi's book. That's a subtle difference I know, but apparently they are going back to the book for a new approach rather than using the old movie for inspiration.

It's a three-hour time slot, which means the actual movie is about 2:15 without commercials, compared to 3:00 for the 1976 version.

 

[Jack Fanning]

The original one absolutely terrified me....I was 9 years old and I believe I was scarred for life!:b

 

[Robert Anthony]

odd thing about that ad:

1: Is Rob Zombie playing Manson? Because that's who it looks like.

2: they airbrushed the swastika in the middle of Manson's head to just an "X" for the ad. That made no sense.

 

[Cal S]

Wasn't it an "X" at first and then later he added lines to make it the sawstika?

 

[Robert Anthony]

was it? I thought it was always a swastika. Maybe he added the extra lines in prison.

 

[Paul McElligott]

I think the X was put there at the start of the trial. The swastika came later in the trial.

 

[Kevin M]

It is on right now and from the first hour I have to say that the more stylized hollywood-ish presentation isn't nearly as effective or disturbing as the pseudo-documentory style of the 76 version. Also the actor playing Manson (I believe it is Jeremy Davies, the man who played Upham in Saving Private Ryan) seems to me to be rather miscast so far, not nearly as effective as Steve Railsback.

 

[Scott Hamilton]

Bugliosi still living off one case the movie was better made but NOT as good. Of course from his stand point how Manson was afraid of him and he stood up to the devil and won. But overall Bugliosi and the writers made up a bunch of new things that at the start they gave a warning "may NOT have happened".

Of course the famous Manson turning off his watch by mind power was still in it.

Bugliosi will go on the talk shows and cable news channels again still making money from a case. Sad very Sad

 

[David Von Pein]

More power to him. And then some!

Mr. Bugliosi got Manson and his dumpster-digging freaks off the street! (Well, the ones that we know committed murder at any rate.) So that's worth it to a lot of people (even 35 years later).

But WHY do you think Bugliosi would NOW start to make "the rounds" on TV, advertising a TV-Movie that's now already aired? Makes no sense after the fact.

 

[David Von Pein]

The biggest example being Sharon Tate begging Sadie Mae to "take my baby" as she was dying. I'm nearly positive that piece of melodrama never occurred.

 

[DeeF]

The original movie is vastly superior. This one couldn't even get the wigs right.

 

[JakeR]

"2: they airbrushed the swastika in the middle of Manson's head to just an "X" for the ad. That made no sense."

Sign of the times. A Swastika...in People magazine? Unpossible!

I caught a little bit of it in between the "Simpsons" and "Sopranos." Still have no idea why tired ideas need to keep getting attention.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

As was said before, Manson cut a cross in his forehead at the beginning of the trial, which his followers copied. Then, to shock even more, he changed it to a swastika.

 

[Kevin M]

Also, is it just me or was the "blue light everywhere" CSI/Law & Order noir style just badly overused here, it is supposed to be California guys not New York, you don't need "mood" lighting..the coldly factual acts & perpetrators are scary enough. I felt like I was watching CSI: 1969! ....ugg.:rolleyes

 

[Scott Hamilton]

Bugliosi made the rounds and wrote a book on the OJ case also? So i guess it is ok also to make money off a case he had nothing to do with?

My buddy who is a lawyer also thinks Bugliosi is a disgrace to all lawyers everywhere? Like he said "should I only take cases knowing that I can write a book, make a movie and show up on every TV show?"

That being said Steve Railsback still gave the most scary character performance ever on TV. I own the DVD and it still scares me like when I first saw it as a kid. Can you ever forget the ending of the original still was scary this many years later?

 

[David Von Pein]

Obviously.
Mr. B's book on Simpson is sensational. There no question where Simpson would be today if Mr. Bugliosi had been there, in lieu of Clark/Darden. No question.

The 10th Anniversary of the O.J. Murders is upcoming btw -- 06/12/2004. Kinda hard to believe it's been 10 yrs.

 

[David Von Pein]

Yes, I realize this.
It's just that I *think* this "pleading" was done out of context in the recent movie.

I don't think Sharon, after being stabbed and near death, asked Susan to "take my baby". I think the "pleading" was done *before* she was stabbed.

I could be wrong. If so, I apologize. I read the "Helter Skelter" book, but a while ago. Don't recall each detail.

I also cannot imagine having enough presence of mind, while in a moribund state, to say those things to your killer.

 

[Scott Hamilton]

In both the Helter Skelter book and 2 movies Bugliosi claims Manson turned off his watch by thinking about it? Come on can anyone believe it? But everyone believes a Lawyer would never lie right?