It’s certainly one of them. It’s also the one they normally talk about or are asked on. Manos (1966) is a rags to riches story and journalists LOVE bringing it up. It’s hard to avoid and our heroes have strong opinions on it. Fate is one of the seminal episodes of the program and for the largest number of folks probably the MST movie that comes to mind. Stairway to Heaven? Probably. For this reason, Joel, Trace, Kevin, Mary, and Frank act like it is hence the regret. Cave Dwellers (1984), Pod People (1983), Eegah (1962), Mitchell (1975), Space Mutiny (1988), The Pumaman (1980), Werewolf (1996) and The Final Sacrifice (1990) are definitely in the conversation but only one experiment that I remember had the Mads apologize for a movie and that was Manos.
They had to FIGHT for it. Frank dropped this bomb on them and they were stuck with it. Frequently the greatest results derive from struggle. Jaws (1975) was Jaws related to not having a working shark and crafting shots from its perspective rather than actually seeing it. The Terminator (1984) ran out of money and Arnold and Cameron snuck around collecting shots without a permit including the ending shot of the film. Manos (1966) challenged the writing room and forced them to dig deeper and endure the picture. With all three, the adversity stoked adaptation and imagination resulting in a culmination across the board.
Oh, I don’t know.
Wow, 55 - I hope those hands of fate use Palmolive.
Might it be time for an updated title?
“Manos”
The Arthritic Hands of Fate
“Hands? Where we’re going we don’t need hands.”
I’m thinking something contemporary. “Manos: The App of Fate (Subject to Terms & Conditions)”
Y’know, this movie is absolute junk. . .but I don’t hate the ending tune, though what light cocktail jazz is doing at the end of something as downbeat as The Master’s Hotel And Cult Fest Featuring Torgo is anyone’s guess
There’s actually a new play in London called The Shark Is Broken about the making of Jaws; it had a very successful initial run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before the pandemic and has transferred to the West End. Ian Shaw plays his father in it:
Okay. Out of everything in Manos, the ending theme is the best part.
As broken and terrible as Manos is, the “Forgetting You” song is surprisingly potent and haunting. They got SOMETHING right with that movie, thankfully.
Forgetting You sustains as a lasting legacy. Her stirring voice gives Manos (1966) heft. The ending titles wrap in mystery solely related to the song. I’d pose the jazz music throughout is what heightens the disconnect the movie projects. Warren’s dreck and the music’s soul coexist gifting us Manos.
. . .even if she just randomly namedrops “Ben Vereen” in the middle, according to Crow.
I’ve wondered about Manos’ music. Everything about “Forgetting You” – the lyrics, music, audio quality – seems way too good to have been created just for the movie.
There’s a certain poetry to the notion that a movie this bad would be responsible for a few real gems of music.
So Manos is a 11 years older than me, and MST3K is 11 years younger. What a world.