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The Manitou
A psychic's girlfriend finds out that a lump on her back is a growing reincarnation of a 400 year-old demonic Native American spirit.
Release : | 1978 |
Rating : | 5.3 |
Studio : | Melvin Simon Productions, Mid-America Pictures, Simon Productions, |
Crew : | Production Design, Set Decoration, |
Cast : | Tony Curtis Michael Ansara Susan Strasberg Stella Stevens Jon Cedar |
Genre : | Horror Science Fiction |
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Reviews
Simply Perfect
A Disappointing Continuation
Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,
A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.
A strange growth, which has appeared on the neck of a woman named Karen, confuses tumor experts- as it appears to be a developing fetus.Then, her boyfriend- a skeptical tarot card reading conman, with a scarily accurate record- witnesses her speaking in tongues, while in bed one night, and believes that some sort of black magic is afoot. Especially after one of his clients utters the same words- Pana Wichi Salitou- before throwing herself down a flight of stairs.After a little research, they discover an old native legend which talks about how Shamans can travel through time and be reborn, by releasing their Manitou (Immortal Spirit) and impregnating themselves within a man, woman, or animal, at any point in the future or past.They now believe that a 400-plus year old spirit of a Native American Medicine Man has impregnated himself into their friend...and it is about to reborn...out of her back...So the boyfriend travels to South Dakota in order to solicit the help of a modern day Shaman named John Singing Rock, with hopes he'll be able to send the ancient spirit back from whence it came, and save Karen's Life.He explains to them that he may not have what it takes, because every time a Manitou is reborn, it gains more strength. And if it's powerful enough to impregnate itself into someone, it's likely been reborn 4 or 5 times over...and, thus, quite powerful.However, it's only once he gets there that Singing Rock realize how powerful the Manitou inside Karen really is. And what ensues up until the end is downright bizarre, confusing, hilarious, and pretty implausible...but totally f*cking awesome, at the same time.Midgets coming out of women's backs (like mushrooms popping through their volvas); reptilian demons; frozen nurses; exploding typewriters; and a naked laser battle in space, are all, seemingly, elements of the pre-apocalypse...and lead up to a cameo by Satan himself (also known as the Old One).What an amazing film. Weird. Yet, Amazing. The ending is so wild, it's simply not possible to predict the direction it ends up taking. I love Shaman vs Shaman battles, and was about to get p*ssed off when I suspected everything was about to go the white male saviour route...but couldn't stop laughing at what was to actually follow.Weirdness aside, it's most redeeming quality is that it makes somewhat of an attempt to portray Indigenous Culture in a positive light (i'll let you be the judge, as to whether the ending f*cks all that up, or not haha)...so that's pretty cool too.Whether you like Shaman vs Shaman battles; enjoy a good body-horror; or just like to get your weird on...this is the film for you.Watch it on Columbus Day for added effect.7 out of 10.
I saw this for the first time in 2015 on TCM of all places, but I remember when it came out. What makes this so laughable are the effects which look like an old SCTV skit. The movie loses me totally with the guy in the alligator suit. This feels more like a TV movie than a theatrical movie. It's a 1970s "B" movie but with a considerable cast of Tony Curtis, Michael Ansara and Susan Strasberg of all people. It's probably typical for its time. I also would like to make a suggestion to Amazon that they change the minimum of a review from 10 lines to 5 lines. The reviews can still be good without having to make so many points about the movie.
The ManitouFor a White woman, the best part of being possessed by a Native American is that she can wear Mukluks guilt-free.However, the vessel in this horror movie is more concerned with her survival.When his ex-assistant, Karen (Susan Strasberg), comes to him with a protuberance, psychic charlatan Harry (Tony Curtis) finds his skepticism challenged.When an attempt to remove the growth from Karen's neck is made, Harry discovers that he is facing the fetus of a hundred-year old Native American Shaman hell-bent on being reborn.With help from a medicine man (Michael Ansara), Harry must prevent the Manitou from gaining strength and amalgamating with The Devil.Graphic for its time, and eerie at any age, The Manitou not only tackles Native Rights but also embraces their belief that everything has a spirit.In fact, according to Native legend, the only earthbound entity without a soul is the White man. (Yellow Light)vidiotreviews.blogspot.ca
When I watched this on television years ago it simply screamed made for television movie to me. The quality of the film, the incredibly cheesy story that tries in vain to be serious and the stable of actors one expects to see in a made for television movie. However, it was apparently a film that got a film release and that is kind of sad considering how weak the film is as a horror movie. You would expect more blood, more frightening scenes, this one just does not have it at all. It seems almost like a lifetime channel movie of today in its production values and plot. The plot is simple enough to explain, seems a demon like creature called the manitou is growing on Tony Curtis' wife and he must try to stop this evil entity before it is to late. I also recall it being some sort of Indian legend and there may have been an Indian in the movie to help out, but do not quote me on that one. In the end a very light and frothy horror movie that does not contain really all that much to justify that R rating.