Manos: The Hands of Fate

Plot

A family vacationing through rural Texas becomes hopelessly lost and stops at a remote lodge seeking shelter for the night. They encounter Torgo, a bizarre caretaker with oversized knees who serves 'The Master,' a polygamous cult leader who worships the deity Manos and keeps his wives as living dead servants. As night falls, the family realizes they are trapped in this hellish place where The Master intends to make the mother and daughter his newest brides. The father attempts to fight back against the supernatural forces while dealing with the increasingly unstable Torgo, leading to a night of terror that culminates in the family's horrific fate and the arrival of new victims to continue the endless cycle.

Historical Background

Made during the mid-1960s when independent filmmaking was becoming more accessible but still required significant technical expertise. The film emerged during the drive-in theater boom, where low-budget horror and exploitation films thrived on regional circuits. 1966 was also the year of groundbreaking films like 'Blow-Up' and 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?', making 'Manos' particularly notable for its technical incompetence in an era of cinematic innovation. The film reflects the amateur filmmaking movement that would later explode in the 1970s with directors like John Waters and George Romero, though without their artistic vision. The 1960s also saw a rise in occult and supernatural themes in horror, likely influencing Warren's choice of subject matter. The film's creation during the height of the Vietnam War era and social upheaval makes its bizarre, almost surreal quality strangely reflective of the period's cultural confusion.

Making Of

The production of 'Manos: The Hands of Fate' was a disaster from beginning to end. Harold P. Warren, having never directed a film before, served as writer, director, producer, and star. The crew consisted entirely of local El Paso residents with no film experience, including a college student as cinematographer and a local musician as composer. The cameras used could only record 32 seconds of footage, requiring constant reloading and resulting in choppy editing. Sound was recorded separately on a quarter-inch tape recorder with poor equipment, leading to the infamous bad dubbing. The cast was paid in shares of the film's profits (which never materialized) rather than cash. Many scenes were improvised because Warren would change his mind about dialogue and action on set. The production took place during a Texas summer with no air conditioning, and the cast wore heavy costumes in extreme heat. The film's technical incompetence is legendary - visible camera equipment, crew shadows, continuity errors, and poor lighting throughout. Despite these challenges, Warren somehow completed the film and managed to secure a limited theatrical release.

Visual Style

The cinematography in 'Manos' is technically inept but accidentally atmospheric. Shot on 16mm film with limited equipment, the movie features poor lighting, inconsistent framing, and visible technical flaws. Many night scenes are nearly impossible to see due to inadequate lighting equipment. The camera work is shaky and often poorly focused, with numerous shots showing crew shadows or equipment in frame. The editing is jarring and discontinuous, partly due to the 32-second film cartridge limitation. Despite these flaws, some shots achieve an unintentionally surreal quality, particularly the dream sequences and the final confrontation with The Master. The opening driving sequence goes on for an excessive 10 minutes with minimal variation, becoming hypnotic in its monotony. The film's visual incompetence has become part of its charm, with fans appreciating the accidental artistry in its worst moments.

Innovations

None - the film is notable for its technical failures rather than achievements. The dubbing is notoriously poor, with dialogue often not matching lip movements. The editing is disjointed and confusing. The special effects consist of simple camera tricks and are largely ineffective. The film's technical incompetence is so extreme that it has become its defining characteristic and part of its appeal to bad movie enthusiasts.

Music

The soundtrack consists primarily of repetitive organ music and folk songs composed by Russ Hagen, Robert Guidry, and various uncredited local musicians. The main theme, titled simply 'Manos,' plays throughout most of the film, often drowning out dialogue and adding to the movie's surreal atmosphere. The music was recorded separately and poorly mixed with the dialogue track. The soundtrack features haunting organ passages that create an unintentionally eerie mood, though their constant repetition becomes maddening. A folk song sung by one of The Master's wives, 'Forgetting You,' appears briefly and stands out for its relative competence. The sound effects are minimal and poorly executed, with the most memorable being Torgo's strange vocal delivery. The soundtrack has developed its own cult following, with the main theme being covered by various bands and released on vinyl as a limited edition album.

Memorable Scenes

• The opening 10-minute driving sequence with minimal dialogue or action, set to repetitive folk music
• Torgo's first appearance and his bizarre introduction of himself as caretaker
• The infamous scene where Torgo attempts to carry one of the wives while she struggles
• The Master's wives wrestling in their nightgowns during the night sequence
• The bizarre fire worship ceremony with The Master and his wives
• The final scene showing the new family arriving at the lodge, continuing the endless cycle
• The dream sequence with Margaret running through the desert
• The scene where Michael tries to shoot The Master but the gun has no effect
• Torgo's death scene where his hand is set on fire with minimal special effects
• The closing scene revealing Margaret as one of The Master's new wives

What Critics Said

Contemporary critics universally panned the film, with the local El Paso Herald-Post calling it 'a confusing, incoherent mess.' The film received no national reviews upon its initial release due to its extremely limited distribution. Modern critics continue to deride the film as one of the worst ever made, with Leonard Maltin giving it his lowest rating and calling it 'unwatchable.' The film holds a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on critical reviews. However, some contemporary critics have reevaluated the film through the lens of outsider art, with The A.V. Club noting its 'dreamlike, nightmarish quality' that transcends its technical incompetence. Critics who appreciate the film often point to its unintentional surrealism and the strangely compelling performance of John Reynolds as Torgo as reasons for its enduring fascination.

What Audiences Thought

Initial audience reception was overwhelmingly negative, with reports of most viewers walking out of the film's limited theatrical run. The film was so poorly received that Warren never made another movie. However, after its MST3K appearance, the film developed a devoted cult following among bad movie enthusiasts. Modern audiences often watch the film ironically, celebrating its flaws and engaging in interactive viewing experiences similar to 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show.' The film has inspired fan art, cosplay, and annual viewing parties. Online communities dedicated to the film analyze its every flaw with scholarly attention to detail. Despite its terrible reputation, the film has found appreciative audiences who value its unintentional humor and unique place in cinema history. The MST3K version remains one of the show's most popular episodes, introducing new generations to the film.

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