Manos The Hands of Fate: The Worst Movie Ever Made.

This is one of my favorite list on Wikipedia: The Worst Movies Ever, which details movies that "have achieved a significant level of infamy through critical and popular consensus as being among the worst films ever made." Oh, yeah!

Of particular significance is this film, called "Manos" The Hands of Fate (1966), made by an El Paso fertilizer salesman Hal Warren [wiki], who made the film on a bet.

Dalton Ross of Entertainment Weekly wrote an in-depth yet entertaining article on why Manos The Hands of Fate sucks the big one:

During the conversation, Warren boasted that making a movie wasn't so hard. Anybody could make a movie. Heck, even he could make one. Warren bet Silliphant that he could take a film all the way from conception to completion. Tellingly, the first outline for his master script was written right then and there on napkins. The story was standard B-grade horror — family (husband Michael, wife Margaret, and daughter Debbie) gets lost en route to a vacation and stumbles upon a horrifying fate. Less standard, however, was a half-man, half-goat character named Torgo, or the mysterious cult leader known simply as the Master who walked around sporting a robe with giant red hands on it. Perhaps the film's first sign of ineptitude was the title itself, Manos: The Hands of Fate, which translates a tad redundantly to Hands: The Hands of Fate.

Link


Agreed. It is criminal not to mention the MST3K episode where they make fun of this movie. This particular episode is my all time favorite of the whole MST3K series, and has become a mini cult phenom amongst hardcore fans of the series. Oh Torgo, how did I ever live without you? Secret about me: Back in the 90's I went to the 1st MST3K convention, where I participated in the costume contest. I was one of about 40 people who dressed as Manos. Ah, memories.....So sad MST3K is no longer on the air. Joel, Mike, Crow, Tom Servo...you guys got me through high school. Thanks!
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The funniest thing is that only one person got paid for this movie, and that was the little girl who got a new bike (not counting the dog who got paid in dog food).

There is however a modern myth circulating about this movie about actors comitting suicide after the release of the movie. While it is correct that the guy playing Torgo (John Reynolds) killed himself prior to the release he did have some other problems like depression and drug addiction, so it was hardly because of Manos.

Further more, there are, at least in my opinion many worse movies (especially if you weigh in how much money are spent on them). "Manos" is at least a good bang for its buck, which is more than you can say for (for instance) Santa with Muscles or Battlefield Earth.
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I don't believe for a second that the author DIDN'T find out about this movie from Mystery Science Theater 3000. And yet, no mention at all.

Great, just what the Net needs. More blogging about someone else's ideas, with no credit given.
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Haa haaa haaa,I just watched the MST3K version again the other day. I would say Egah! is pretty horrible as well.

I always thought that title was funny though since "Manos" in spanish translates to "hand". So the title actually reads "Hands The Hands of Fate".
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Actually MiSTie, I read it on a really old issue of Entertainment Weekly (which was referenced) while waiting for my car at the car shop.

MST3000 is a funny show and has a large cult following, but just not me. I can't stand all that talking over everyone else. It's like watching The View.
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