CBS has announced the names of the two actors who will star in their planned remake of the Charles Manson real life horror story, "Helter Skelter". Jeremy Davies will play family head Charles Manson and Bruno Kirby will play prosecutor and author Vincent Bugliosi.
Davies got his start in films staring in the controversial dark indie incest comedy "Spanking The Monkey" in 1994. Since then he's had rolls in a number of critically acclaimed films including "Solaris", "The Million Dollar Hotel", "Saving Private Ryan", and most recently, Lars von Trier's experimental indie thriller "Dogville". Kirby has an impressive resume as well, including appearances in "The Godfather: Part II", "The Basketball Diaries", "Birdy", and "Sleepers".
Producing will be Mark Wolper, who has been involved with several other TV horror projects in recent years including "Evil Never Dies", "Terror in the Mall" and "Salem's Lot 2004". John Gray wrote the new "Helter Skelter" script and will be directing. Gray's lone horror credit appears to be directing at least one episode of "Monsters", the "Tales From The Darkside" spinoff TV show from the 80's. CBS says Gray's adaption of the book will focus more on Charles Manson himself than the previous 1970's TV version.
"Helter Skelter" was originally a book, written by Manson prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, which chronicled the rise and fall of the infamous murder "family". The so-called "family" was headed by Charles Manson, who is currently serving out a life sentence at California's Corcoran State Prison . On August 9th 1969, Manson and his "family" of followers embarked on a brutal two day killing spree that left seven people dead, including pregnant Hollywood movie star Sharon Tate.
The gruesome and bizarre details of their crime, as well as Manson's bigger than life media personality, catapulted him to cult celebrity status. To this day, Charles Manson has received more mail than any other inmate in the entire U.S. prison system.
Sources: Variety, BBC
