12 Movies Based On Real Life Serial Killers
2. Helter Skelter (1976)
Based on the book of the same name, Helter Skelter tells of the murders committed by the Charles Manson Family. Unlike other serial killer entries that focus on the crimes themselves, this film (technically a two-part mini-series) focuses primarily on the police investigation and subsequent trial.
Charles Manson is one of the most infamous cult leaders of all time, and though he rarely fails to enter into the conversation of "America's most prolific serial killers", he never killed anyone himself. Instead, he convinced his cult of followers to carry out these murders.
Directed by Tom Gries, Helter Skelter is a cult classic. The film was also produced a mere seven years after the Manson Family killed Sharon Tate, lending a more "authentic" feel than subsequent movies made decades later.
Helter Skelter was also nominated for three Primetime Emmy awards and a Directors Guild of America Award for outstanding directorial achievement, as well as taking home an Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Television Feature or Miniseries.