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Diane Mahree, John Reynolds, Hal P. Warren, Tom Neyman

A family vacation to Texas turns into a waking nightmare when they have a deadly run-in with Satanists fond of using human hands as sacrificial offerings. It's as grim as it sounds. ~ Sandra Brennan, ... read more read more...Rovi

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19% liked it

7,958 ratings

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11 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 14 min.

Directed by: Harold Warren

Release Date: January 1, 1966

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DVD Release Date: October 7, 2003

Stats: 1,389 reviews

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Tom Neyman John Reynolds Tom Neyman Poster Tom Neyman Manos: The Hands of Fate "The Master" Margaret in "Manos"
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Flixster Reviews (1,389)

  • fb100001493964409
    August 19, 2012
    fb100001493964409
    The less said about this film, the better. It's one of the worst films of all time, a reputation it deserves completely. It goes above and beyond to be terrible, a film that can only be watched with world class comedians around to make fun of it. Simply put, it's awful.
  • fb100002384654145
    August 14, 2012
    fb100002384654145
    This movie has changed my perspective on bad movies forever. This is coming from a guy whose seen 'Plan 9 from Outer Space' and 'The Beast of Yucca Flats'. Plan 9 may be a very ineptly made film but is very entertaining and charming in it's badness. Beast of Yucca Flats was sin... read morecerely terrible but it had some surreal qualities to it. 'Manos: The Hands of Fate' is neither entertaining in it's badness nor intriguing in it's ineptitude.

    Watching this movie is an endurance test, it is so atrociously made in every sense. Words cannot begin to describe it. There are moments were the cast members literally look at the camera and the editing is sloppy as hell (seriously, it's like Edward Scissorhands did the editing).

    The script is literally non-existent and the characters make every single dumb decision that is usually made fun of in horror film parodies. The acting is also extremely poor. These actors are so bad that they make actors like Jean Claude Van Damme look like Orson Welles in comparison. The guy who played Torgo (the film's creepy hotel owner) shivers constantly, almost like he is having a seizure throughout.

    The film may be only 74 minutes, but it will feel like a decade was taken out of your life. I am frankly amazed that I got through this film in one go (somebody should probably give me a medal for that). Plus the soundtrack is also terribly boring, with it mostly consisting of elevator-like jazz music.

    I have seen plenty of bad movies in my lifetime (Transformers 2, The Cat in the Hat. The Last Airbender, Disaster Movie), but this piece of super-shlock takes the cake as far as awfulness goes. This movie is called one of the worst movies ever made and after watching this awful dreck, I am fully inclined to agree.
  • FilmFanatik
    February 17, 2011
    FilmFanatik
    As of this writing, the most egregiously horrible film ever made. I've mentioned Plan 9 from Outer Space many times being the worst, but that one is much more enjoyable AND has a notable cast. This, however, is just awful...without the press and attention of Plan 9 (aside from ... read moreMystery Science Theatre 3000). It has it's charms but few.
  • animegirlaya
    January 19, 2011
    animegirlaya
    Project 1 (Films I liked but everyone hated)

    Directed by Harold P. Warren and staring Hal Warren, Tom Neyman, John Reynolds and Diane Mahree.

    I am not a girl who is entitled to her own opinion? And frankly I say Manos is one of the greatest movies ever made and that of me ... read moreloving the character of Torgo this Igor copying goat leg man who is obversly on LSD throughout the movie. I believe everyone has their own opinion and to show how much I love this movie I bought kimono's based on what the master where's in this movie and to me MOST UNDERRATED FILM EVER THAT'S SO BAD. I mean I just love the continues errors and mistakes that ruined this film and all the clapper that any moron can see during that car scene or the way that car scene had nothing to do with the overall plot!

    A family driving through a small town gets lost and winds up at a backwoods shack managed by Torgo, who takes care of it while The Master is away. The Master worships Manos, an evil deity, and he also wears a neat cape. When Torgo lets the family stay, The Master awakens and does mean stuff like burning off Torgo's hand and sicking his dog on the family pet. Meanwhile, The Master's wives wrestle for his favour. While the family tries to escape this evil cult.

    What do I love more about the story? The riddled with error plot? The annoying yet epic story? Or just that the fact is that most things have nothing to even do with it? Well I love just about everything and believe it or not I was scared of this! Yes I was some scenes are just so dark and freaky it's hard to say you're not. I really loved the characters trust me some of my favourites ever. And this movie is not unwatchable.

    So again the characters are some of the most creative ever, Torgo is one of my top 5 I love those Goat like feet even though throughout the movie he forgot to where Hooves. And how the wife reacts to those Boots on his feet even though there supposed to be them. And those oversized ne capes witch he were the rig backwards. And of course the Master this none scary character with a very pail face who in all respects is the greatest or one of the greatest villains of all time. As I stated above I bought kimono's based on his robes with the hands of them reaching up those scenes with him I just couldn't forget. Next ceremony I will say I like Manos.

    [IMG]http://i55.tinypic.com/2m2b7si.jpg[/IMG]

    The acting is nothing but god awful stuff I mean he only did like 1 take due to film stock being low don't blame them. So to me the acting is really good even though the actors don't show it at all. I really like the direction of him trying to make a horror film it's not just the mistakes but it's the errors of forgetting what was surpost or what was needed to be in that scene like props and stuff like that. And how in some scenes Michel is holding a gun and others he isn't. And of course the dubbing is bad too but I still love it.

    The film isn't boring at all its 100% entertaining stuff that long useless intro was only because of the opening credits being left out nothing more OKAY. And of course the editing is decadently done of course they filmed on a camera that could only film for 32 seconds and our editor just wasn't that experienced. BTW I love the crappie useless score.

    But by the end seeing this movie is up to you I am a big manos fan and likely the only one in my country so yeah...

    THIS is my opinion.

    Keiko's score 93-100

    [IMG]http://i53.tinypic.com/2ut6vbc.png[/IMG]
  • ajv2688
    December 7, 2010
    ajv2688
    Another one of the worst movies ever made! If you see it at all see the MST3K version. Everything about it can be made fun of!
  • kenstachnik
    December 6, 2010
    kenstachnik
    So bad it hurts. This film was made after a fertilizer salesman made a bet with a screenwriter that making movies wasn't.

    It's too bad they didn't bet it was hard to make a good movie.
  • 366weirdmovies
    November 29, 2010
    366weirdmovies
    Lost in the desert, a vacationing family seeks lodging from Torgo, who takes care of the place while the Master is away. Okay, okay, this is technically terrible moviemaking and a bit of a slog to get through at times, but I defy anyone not to giggle at least a couple of times a... read moret the antics of Torgo, the spastic satyr.
  • Passenger1986
    June 29, 2009
    Passenger1986
    Oh boy, here we go. Often the main contender to try and dethrone Plan 9 From Outer Space as the worst movie ever made, it does have a lot going for it to be given such a title.

    Speaking of titles, let's start with the first thing that would make you want to bang your head on the... read more desk: the title itself. Manos is Spanish for hands, so the title becomes Hands: The Hands Of Fate. Yeah... kinda redundant there. Why not make it "Manos: The Hands Of Fate (Fate's Hands... Of Manos!)" while you're at it, hmm? Even if the deity worshipped is called "Manos", that just raises another question: is his real name Hands? If so, that just makes the whole thing dumber than it already is.

    So, surprising to me, this thing actually has a story. I'll give you a moment to get over the shock before going on...


    Moment's over.
    A family is heading out on vacation and they reach a house which is looked after by Torgo (don't remember who plays anyone, don't really care so I won't be doing my usual actor/actress assessment in this review), who tends to the place "while the Master is away" (which leads to a stupid line in which the wife later says Torgo told them he was dead. Uh, no. Pay attention lady).
    The rest of the story involves the Master deciding what to do with the family and their attempt to get away. But it's really more a collection of random set pieces (especially once particular scene in which the Master's wives are fighting amongst themselves. It looks like the production crew went out to lunch and left the equipment running and the women got bored so they decided to have catfights and act all silly).

    Meanwhile, in Movie B... we have two kids making out in a car. And that's it. They serve no purpose in the movie. It's like someone had a really bad short to go before the film and it somehow became part of the film itself. Another example of just leaving the camera running.

    (If anyone's still interested in actually torturing themselves, I'll put a spoiler warning here. Not that I expect anyone still WANTS to see this train wreck)

    In the last act, the family attempt to leave the house and are stopped by... a rattlesnake. Not a demonically large, overpowering rattlesnake. Just a rattlesnake. This would be like playing a Legend Of Zelda video game and finding out the final boss is a mere Octorok.
    Not that it matters, as here comes the ineffectual police officers! They hear the father shooting at the rattlesnake, come over and then decide to "check out" the house of the Master. And what does this "checking out" amount to?
    Walking a few feet from their car, looking at the night sky, then leaving. Way to go, boys! You solved the case of the missing morons! They were YOU along! Go back to Spingfield, idiots!
    So, where does this leave the family? Why, under the thrall of the Master of course! He shows up to abduct them all and put them under his power.
    The father now takes Torgo's place as caretaker (Torgo having died by "massage of death" as it's referred to by other critics. Still, could have been worse. He could have been killed by the comfy chair! Shock! Horror!)
    And the mother and daughter? Now added to the harem.
    Now we stop. The daughter. The daughter who's age is in the single digits. So... the Master is a pedophile too? Ok, I had to stop the movie right there for a second. That's just... what the Hell, man? That defies all explanation.

    Now I will admit, I watched the movie as an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (and no one should attempt it without the riffing). It still counts, as I am watching the footage, I am hearing the movie dialogue. Besides, as I said, Mystery Science Theater 3000 is the only way to watch films like that. Joel created those bots for a reason and he was a smart man for doing so.

    Apparently, the movie was made on a bet that the "director" could make a movie all on his own. And there's the lesson, kids: don't make bets where the outcome scars people for life. They seem funny at the time but the effects could be devastating as time goes on.
  • sononothing
    May 31, 2008
    sononothing
    One of the most poorly made films ever made (notice I didn't say the worst). If you ever wanted to have some commit suicide just lock them in a room with this on a loop. If you dare to watch this movie, please for the sake of your own mental health watch the MST3K version of the ... read morefilm (which still only makes the film barely tolerable).
    I am going to call out any film maker out there that has the testicular fortitude to remake this that if it gets remade I will break my no remakes policy and buy a ticket.
  • kiriyamakazou
    March 28, 2008
    kiriyamakazou
    So bad it's good? Most deffinately but you really have to see the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 version to fully appreciate the cheese and overall cock handedness. Terrible in every way but perfectly crafted for comedy. Torgo rules.

View All Manos: The Hands of Fate Reviews

Critic Reviews

January 7, 2008
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Often cited as one of the worst films ever. Full Review

Stefan Birgir Stefansson
October 23, 2006
Stefan Birgir Stefansson, sbs.is

not the worst movie ever... kidding

Kevin Carr
September 2, 2005
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures

HILARIOUS! (only on MST-3K, that is...)

Rob Vaux
July 26, 2002
Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium

Horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible.

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Yeah, it's that bad. Try it and see.

Eric D. Snider
June 27, 2001
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com

Just as Citizen Kane is a textbook example of how to make a quality film, Manos: The Hands of Fate is exemplary in showing us, step-by-step, how to make a bad one. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
August 21, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Jake Euker
July 1, 2005
Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)

No review available.

Greg Maki
January 8, 2004
Greg Maki, Star-Democrat (Easton, MD)

No review available.

Walter Chaw
June 21, 2003
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Facts

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    • The Master: There is nothing to fear, Maddam. The Master likes you! Nothing will happen to you! He likes you!
    • Margaret: Likes me? I thought you said he was dead.
    • The Master: I am permanent! Manos has made me permanent!
    • The Master: Kill! Kill! Kill!
    • The Master: The will of Manos shall be served!
    • The Master: Stop! What foolishness is this? Manos must be served!
    • The Master: The hands of fate have doomed this man!
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Manos: The Hands ... : Watch Free on TV

Manos: The Hands of Fate Trivia

  • Which 1966 movie that was written, produced, and starred in by a Texas fertilizer salesman is considered by many to be the absolute worst movie ever made? It also features a 10 minute long opening sequence, a character named Torgo, and was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000.  Answer »
  • Tagline: It's Shocking! It's Beyond Your Imagination!  Answer »
  • True or False: Tom Neyman, who starred in the notoriously bad film "Manos: the Hands of Fate" was also in another movie.  Answer »
  • True or False: the IMDb id number for "Manos, the Hands of Fate", ends in 666.  Answer »
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