Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)

User Rating:

1.5/10   

Director:

Harold P. Warren

Writer:

Harold P. Warren (screenplay)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

It's Shocking! It's Beyond Your Imagination!

Plot:

Classic low budget horror about a family getting lost and stumbling upon a hidden, underground, devil-worshiping cult led by the fearsome Master and his servant Torgo.

Plot Keywords:

Master | Torgo | Lost | Cult | Driving

Cast

Tom Neyman	...	The Master
John Reynolds	...	Torgo
Diane Mahree	...	Margaret
Harold P. Warren	...	Michael (as Hal Warren)
Stephanie Nielson	...	Master's Wife
Sherry Proctor	...	Master's Wife
Robin Redd	...	Master's Wife
Jackey Neyman	...	Debbie
Bernie Rosenblum	...	Teenager in Car
Joyce Molleur	...	Teenager in Car
William Bryan Jennings	...	Cop
Jay Hall	...	Master's Wife
Bettie Burns	...	Master's Wife
Lelanie Hansard	...	Master's Wife
Pat Coburn	...	Girl in Convertible
Pat Sullivan	...	Girl in Convertible
George Cavender	...	Cop

Directed by
Harold P. Warren

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Harold P. Warren		screenplay

Produced by
Harold P. Warren	....	producer

Original Music by
Russ Huddleston
Robert Smith Jr.

Cinematography by
Robert Guidry		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ernie Smith
James A. Sullivan		(as James Sullivan)

Costume Design by
Thomas Ivy

Makeup Department
Jacqueline Neyman	....	makeup artist (as Jacqueline)

Production Management
Jay O. Lawrence	....	production supervisor

Art Department
Tom Neyman	....	set designer
Stephane Goulet	....	property painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bruce Shearin	....	sound

Stunts
Joyce Molleur	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bernie Rosenblum	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bernie Rosenblum	....	key grip (as Frank Bernard Rosenblum)
Jesse Simon	....	head electrician

Other crew
Norma Friedman	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Norm-Iris
• Sun City Films (presents)

Distributors

• Emerson Film Enterprises (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• Rhino Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Rhino Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Oldies.com (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Rhino Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (video)

Other Companies

• City and County of El Paso  sincere thanks
• Eastman Color  color (as Eastman)
• Glen Glenn Sound  optical sound
• Producer Service Inc.  sound recording

Also Known As:

The Lodge of Sins (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

El Paso, Texas, USA

Company:

Norm-Iris

Trivia:

The word "Manos" is Spanish for "hands". Therefore, the title really says "Hands: The Hands of Fate". The master's outfit has two red hands on it and Torgo's walking stick has a hand on top of it.

Goofs:

Continuity: When The Master is waving Torgo's stick at him, he is waving it side to side slowly when seen from Torgo's point of view. When we see it from behind, he is jerking it around quickly.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Debbie: Mom, I'm cold.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)

"Mike I'm scared." "Of WHAT?"

Okay. This is officially the worst movie ever made. Not because it's poorly done, because there are movies, like "Monster A-Go-Go", that are more poorly conceived, acted, directed, filmed, and edited. But "Manos" stands out because it is so incomprehensibly bad. It is SO bad that it is hard to imagine it was done by accident. It often seems like they film is supposed to be bad, and that the director is actually brilliantly creating a horrible film, because this kind of badness doesn't usually come from apathy or a lack of talent and money. This is worse.

The film is also very icky and very dull. Almost nothing happens (certainly not anything interesting) and if you survive the first ten minutes of driving around the countryside you'll just want everyone in the film to die.

However, because this movie is so brilliantly and incredibly bad, I suggest everyone watch it just to know it. Everyone should see "Citizen Kane" because it is the watermark for all good movies. Everyone should see "Manos" for the same reason. It puts all other bad movies to shame. I do suggest though, that it be watched ONLY as the MST3K version, since the team does a good job riffing the film. Even they seem to be too caught up in the film's reeking badness at times that they are just stunned, but they still do a good job. I also doubt you would find a regular version of this movie, since I doubt anyone would be crazy enough to have one.

Interestingly, the guy who plays the mean, stupid, and totally useless husband wrote, directed, and produced the film, and the guy who plays "The Master" did the art direction. They both failed in all their work. No one in this movie has ever done anything else. Thank God.