HELTER SKELTER

US, 1976, 92 minutes, Colour.
George Di Cenzo, Steve Railsback, Nancy Wolfe, Marilyn Burns.
Directed by Tom Gries.

Helter Skelter is not as sensational as might be expected. One could question the taste and propriety of a feature film on the Charles Manson murders of Sharon Tate and others in 1969. However, based on prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi's account and using extensive courtroom reports, Helter Skelter (title taken from a Beatle song, Manson interpreting the black-white confrontation in a maniacal religious sense - where he was saviour) keeps its massacre sequences mainly until the end
in flashback from the court. Thus, the audience moves from newspaper headline type information to the bizarre awareness of the crazed group. Steve Railsback gives a frighteningly convincing performance as Manson.

1. The impact of the film? Interest in Charles Manson and the Sharon Tate murders? The kind of interest that the film asked for?

2. Audience attitudes about the murders, about Manson and his colleagues prior to the watching of the film? What judgements were made by the Press,, public opinion? Any sympathy towards Manson? How fair was the film in presenting the facts, the personalities the court case the judicial processes and punishment?

3. The significance and tone of the title, the book - by prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi? The transition from documentary book to feature film?

4. The meaning of the title from the Beatles' song? The time of confusion and helter skelter? The emphasis on an apocalyptic time, the religious references to the Book of Revelation? Manson's interpretation of symbolic religion and application to America, to himself and his Messianic role? How well did the film explain this background and interpretation by Manson?

5. The film's style: the colour, Californian locations,, music, the songs? The atmosphere of the 60s in lifestyle. music? The re-creation of the victims' homes? The documentary look?

6. How important was the film's structure for involving the audience and helping them to understand? The introductory glimpse of the crimes and audience revulsion at such a massacre? The emotional response to the killers? Sense of justice? The police examination of the facts the examination of the evidence, the presentation of the Manson 'family' and their way of life and the bonds between them? The court case? The final and lengthy flashbacks to the murders in the light of the court case? The effect of this structure and not being plunged too much into violence and gore immediately? Emotional response,, reason, intellectual judgement? Did the film exploit its material at all? If not. how did it avoid the possibilities for exploitation?

7. The film's presentation from Bugliosi's point of view? Bugliosi as a character, his representing justice, his ability in his work.. the style of his prosecution. the interviews and the cross-examination? The importance of his tactics and behaviour in the court? How balanced a point of view on the events and the people?

8. Audience sympathy for the victims: their personalities, Hollywood, Sharon Tate and her pregnancy,, the innocent victims? Accidental victims? The facts about them, the violence that they suffered, the sympathy? Sympathy for the Lo Bianco family?

9. The dramatics of the presentation of Manson and his life at the farm, the raid on Manson and the arrests?

10. How important were the girls in Manson's family, their mentality, characters.. madness? The importance of hysteria, drugs? The presence of Linda Kazablan and her participation in the murders? The behaviour of the girls in the court.. the hysteria and madness? Tex Watson and his presence? His background of work and the choice of the home for the murders?

11. How well did the film present Charles Manson? Visually? The explanation of his background and so much time in prisons or homes? His attitude towards his family, his ideas, society, religion, drugs? His intensity? The murders? His power and hold over his family? His mesmerising behaviour? His presence
in the court and the threatening of the judge? The melodramatics of his behaviour and violence?

12. The importance of his speech and his judgement on American society? How much truth was there in his speech?

13. How just was the judgement and the sentence? The important: information of the possibilities of parole?

14. The film as entertainment? As a social document of America in the 60s?