The Manitou [Blu-ray]

Overview

Low-budget horror director William Girdler's last film stars Susan Strasberg as Karen Tandy, a San Francisco woman who develops a strange growth on her neck. After an operation fails because the doctor is forced to cut his own hand, Karen seeks out an Indian shaman (Michael Ansara), who tells her that the thing on her neck is the fetus of a reincarnated witch doctor. Eventually, Karen goes to the hospital and gives "birth" to a silly-looking creature played by Cousin Itt himself, Felix Silla. It runs amok in the building until boyfriend Tony Curtis figures out that his love for Karen can boost the hospital's electrical supply to zap the pesky beast. Generally acknowledged as one of the silliest horror films ever made, The Manitou should please camp buffs more than serious fans.

Product Details

Release Date:	04/16/2019
UPC:	0826663197358
Original Release:	1978
Rating:	PG
Source:	Shout Factory
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:43:00
Sales rank:	18,757

Special Features

New 2K scan of the original film elements; New Audio Commentary with film historian Troy Haworth; New interview with Executive Producer David Sheldon; New interview with author Graham Masterson; Theatrical Trailer; TV Spots; Still Gallery

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Tony Curtis	Harry Erskine
Michael Ansara	Singing Rock
Susan Strasberg	Karen Tandy
Stella Stevens	Amelia Crusoe
Jon Cedar	Dr. Jack Hughes
Ann Sothern	Mrs. Karmann
Burgess Meredith	Dr. Ernest Snow
Paul Mantee	Dr. Robert McEvoy,Floor Nurse
Jeanette Nolan	Mrs. Winconis
Lurene Tuttle	Mrs. Hertz
Hugh Corcoran	MacArthur
Tenaya	Singing Rock's Wife
Carole Hemingway	Prostitute
Beverly Kushida	2nd Floor Nurse
Jan Heininger	Wolf
Michael Laren	Michael
Joe Gieb	Misquamacas
Lalo Schifrin	Composer

Technical Credits

William Girdler

Jon Cedar

Thomas Pope

William Girdler	Director,Producer,Screenwriter
Melvin G. Gordy	Executive Producer
Melvin Simon	Producer
Jon Cedar	Screenwriter
Thomas Pope	Screenwriter
Jesse Wayne	Stunts
Glenn Anderson	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

This 1978 adaptation of a popular Graham Masterson novel is one of the most genuinely bizarre films to emerge from the late-'70s horror boom. Sadly, it is also one of the most unintentionally humorous and dull films from that era. The Manitou's out-there plot line boasts plenty of set pieces yet the film never manages to gel into a memorable thrill ride. The main reason for this is the script, which wastes a lot of time on talky dialogue about metaphysics and the occult at the expense of the film's pacing. The film also suffers from William Girdler's weak direction, which lacks the style and inventiveness to create the surreal atmosphere that such an unusual story requires. As a result, The Manitou comes off as laughable when it should be creepy. Despite these major flaws, the film benefits from a professional cast that wisely plays the unusual material with straight faces and some impressive special effects (a scene where the spirit of a medicine man emerges from a table is particularly effective). The Manitou also features an unforgettably strange ending where Indian spirits duel with laser beams in a scene that can only be described as The Exorcist meets Star Wars. Unfortunately, inspired moments like these are the exception to the norm in The Manitou and it can only be recommended to fans of low-budget weirdness.