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“Manos” RescuedThis fellow has embarked on a quest to restore a very special movie, and is blogging about it.
26 Replies to ““Manos” Rescued”Commenting at Satellite News
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Holy cow! The difference between the scans of the work print and the version we see in MST3K is incredible. The workprint’s actually in pretty good condition.
However, the fact that the original print of “Manos” still exists but “Metropolis” and “Phantom of the Opera” have to be pieced together from surviving remnants just shows that the world isn’t fair.
I’m not so sure that I want to see Torgo in a higher definition. Sometimes, the less seen the better.
Creeping Terror:
Don’t forget the biggest insult of all: we can’t see even a restored print of “Napoleon” on this side of the Atlantic, because of the perversity of Francis Ford Coppola. Oh yeah, and the fact that “Napoleon” had to wait almost half a century before it got even to the condition it’s in now.
Question: are we gonna have to respect “Manos” a whole lot more since it’s being given the royal treatment?
Respect is a strong word. I like to use the phrase “admire the film maker’s intent”. They wanted to make a film and they did. Good or bad [or extremely bad in the case of manos]. Wish I could make a film, even as one just like manos.
@ Blast Hardcheese…
*snerk*. When I read your last sentance all I could think of was…
“Will you respect me in the morning?”
Will viewers respect “Manos”? Probably the same answer as to the question above… Doubtful.
A bad film, even well done, is still a bad film.
BUT….
That being said it might make some people appreciate certain parts of it more.
I’m a Classic Series “Doctor Who” fan so wobbly sets, padded scripts, and only passing acquaintance with the laws of physics are par for the course for me. I can recognize when a story goes off the rails yet still see elements of it that were promising — a performance perhaps, or a particular sequence, or one particular set, etc.
I think the same might be true of “Manos”. People are probably still going to find the film weird but we might just come to appreciate the use of color, or some of the sets or props when they can be viewed properly.
Or maybe we can just give a round of applause to someone who at least gave it a shot at their dream. As the saying goes: “Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” Perhaps better to have created a film, even a bad one, than never to have tried at all.
Geeze I’m in a philosophical mood…. weird……..
I’ve seen the claim bandied about on some MST boards that Hal Warren’s son actually has the camera original materials for “Manos”. Maybe this guy should try and get in touch with him?
Whatever happend to the film anti-preservation society? Some films should be allowed to die…
@6… I read the same elsewhere very recently- a member of one of the boards contacted warren’s son and found out the son had the print and outtakes. If the restoring guy could get those… it’d be that much more awful 8-)
@ Stressfactor:
“R-e-s-p-e-c-t/Find out it what it means to me…” (Now sing that in Torgo’s voice)
Yeah, OK, respect may be a little strong. I’m a big fan of silent films, and am all for film preservation (although Crow has a point about Sylvester Stallone and “Aspen Extreme”), but I do think there’s a mindset that sees preservation of any film from the silent era as an inherent good, regardless of the content. That may make sense if you’re trying to understand the period, and don’t want to get a distorted view based only on a few surviving classics. I actually geek out over this stuff, too–I love hearing about some obscure silent film that has been saved from rot, and will be made available on DVD. Hell, it’s part of the reason I love MST–I actually get to watch really obscure films. At the end of the day, though, we still have to admit that having an extra 20% of the original 16mm frame of “Manos” ain’t gonna turn Hal Warren into Stanley Kubrick. But maybe, as you say, it can help us get a little closer to appreciating his intent.
That being said, I’ll be first in line when the DVD goes on sale.
Yeah, right! Ha! So funny. I’ll beleive anybody would remaster Manos: The Hands of Fate when Criterion releases a Michael Bay film. …oh
I think this is great. Yes, Manos is not a good film, but it has enough interest in it to warrant a restoration of some type.
The stills on the website look fantastic, and I’m all for restoring it.
I’m not a philosopher; all I know is that if a high quality version of “Manos” comes out, I’ll buy it.
As to WHY I would do such a thing, I’ll leave that one to the psychiatrists….
I’m proud to say I followed this guy’s tumblr and he followed me back a few minutes later. Of course he’ll probably unfollow me again when he realizes I hardly ever update my tumblr but still….
My kingdom for an isolated soundtrack.
Alert me when pre-orders go on sale for the Criterion Collection 3-Disc Blu-Ray Collector’s Edition.
No, seriously.
And I still can’t get my most favorite movie of all time in a decent condition on DVD: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1972 British live action musical with Peter Sellers, Dudley Moore, and “who’s who” of British film). :reallypissed:
Okay, Blast Hardcheese, I’ve been singing the song (well, just the R-E-S-P-E-C-T part)for 45 minutes in Torgo’s voice and haven’t gotten to the second “e” yet. Thanks alot!
The Master approves.
You can follow this Manos project on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ManosinHD
I have to agree with #7. There is really no reason for this. Sorry, but I wouldn’t begin to harbor the notion of purchasing it. What exactly is the point? Just because these people have nothing better to do with their lives?
Hey, people pay to see the sideshow. It’s a sort of morbid curiosity. And it’s place in cinema history is secure. So there’s that.
This was greenlit today onto the main page of Fark: http://www.fark.com/comments/6775751/The-reason-theres-no-pristine-digital-restoration-of-Manos-The-Hands-of-Fate-Because-until-now-no-one-has-had-a-flawless-workprint-to-use
Strong enough for a “Manos” :male:
Made for a “Womanos” :female:
-Ted
As a video producer, I think it would be damned interesting to take the restored visuals and create a new soundtrack. The original was shot ‘wild track’ and I think I read somewhere that the looping of the dialogue was done with a total of four people, one of them being Hal himself. And they all sucked. The music sucked. No foley work to speak of.
Now think of having talented voice people providing the dialogue, perhaps Torgo with a southern accent, as he was supposed to be some kind of an ageless confederate soldier. A voice over with a little exposition for those driving sequences? And real music for the soundtrack instead of that awful saxophone. Hell, I think adding some kind of effects to the gently fatal slapping of the aforementioned Torgo would help – A kind of a ‘force electricity’ effect?
Instead of substituting radios for guns, we can use our digital power to correct this movie!
It made Slashdot’s front page too: http://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/11/12/01/0245203/fate-saves-workprint-of-manos-the-hands-of-fate#
It’ll be dark soon.
-Ted
Cherokee Jack:
Redubbing “Manos” might make for a more watchable film, but you’d remove forever the…um…unique soundtrack music and the unforgettable voice of Torgo (which I know isn’t John Reynolds’ voice, but which is now inseparable from the film experience). To paraphrase Richard Bentley’s assessment of Pope’s version of “The Iliad”: “It’s a pretty movie, Mr Jack, but you must not call it ‘Manos’.”
@7 Then there would be no bad films for mad scientists to torture helpless men and bots trapped in space with!
When people tell me something or other is “the worst film ever made” I just smile and say, you haven’t seen Manos yet. Hell yes this needs to be preserved!