I can't explain why I have such a strange fascination with
the 1978 film THE MANITOU. I can't claim it's a very good movie or that it has a
very impressive story or is packed with creepy atmosphere or is well cast. OK- that last complaint
isn't completely true. The only bit of casting that really seems off is TonyCurtis as phony psychic and all around good guy Harry Erskine. Erskine is
supposed to be in his early thirties and at the time Curtis was actually in his
late fifties so when the dialog between him and co-star Susan Strasberg strays
too close to romantic territory the story seems a little odd. Luckily the story
is so crazy there isn't much time for that kind of thing.
For years I have wanted to read the source novel of the same
title by Graham Masterson but only got around to it this October. I was pleased
with the book and found it (my first Masterson novel) to be a fun, freaky
horror tale. Adding to my enjoyment was the fact that the film stuck really
close to the novel. Indeed, I was surprised by how close to the book the film
had stayed. There are a few changes -location, specific events, etc.- but the
movie is about 80% straight from the page. This is a rarity and I must say that
in this case it was a refreshing thing to discover, as my familiarity with the
adaptation made the book an even more visual read. The movie takes entire
sections of the book and slaps them right up onto the screen- even when that
might not have been the best choice to have made.
The plot of the film is simple, up to a point - Karen (Susan Strasberg) is suffering from a
reoccurring nightmare and consults psychic Harry (Curtis). She believes her
trouble is related to a tumor growing on her neck and enters a private hospital
to have it removed. After a series of X-rays the doctors begin to think
the tumor is a living creature - possible a vestigial fetus growing inside
the swelling. Harry becomes concerned and researches Karen's dream which points
to a Native American legend about a medicine man. The operation to remove the
fetus/tumor fails when it seems that the growth has interlocked its nervous
system with Karen's and then strange things start happening around the
hospital. It appears that the tumorous growth is an Indian medicine man named Misquamacus
who is reincarnating himself! The time travelling magic user feels under attack
as a result of the X-rays used by the doctors to ascertain its nature and the
radiation is starting to stunt and deform the thing's development. Misquamacus is
returning to exact his revenge on white men who invaded North
America and exterminated its native peoples. Harry locates another
Native American shaman named Singing Rock (Michael Ansara) who is hired to help
fight the reincarnating medicine man, but the kind of spirits he can summon for
battle may be too weak to match his opponent's abilities.
Now- if that synopsis sounds crazed you know what you are in
for and I wash my hands of
responsibility if you still watch the film. Understand that I like the movie
but I don't expect you to be anything more than bemused. The ending is
completely insane and shows that the book's monster heavy ending needed to be
re-imagined for the screen - but not in this way. On the other hand, I can
easily recommend the Masterson novel as a good read and well worth your time if
you enjoy horror fiction and I think so highly of it that I look forward to
tracking down the sequel! I wonder if Misquamacus actually returns or its
another pissed off medicine man.
One day I need to write a bit about the film's director
William Girdler. He had in interesting career.
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