The Manitou (1978) * (out of 4) Karen (Susan Strasberg) begins to have what appears to be a tumor grow on her back but it soon becomes clear that it's some sort of fetus. Her friend and psychic Harry Erskine (Tony Curtis) manages to find out that the fetus is actually an Indian medicine man growing so he calls in another medicine man (Michael Ansara) to try and destroy it.THE MANITOU was based on a very popular novel but whatever the book had going for it certainly didn't follow to the screen. Cult director William Girdler was killed before this movie was released so sadly this was the last film he worked on. Rumor has it that his screenplay took three days to complete and that's probably true because there's some pretty silly stuff going on here. For the most part the film appears to be THE EXORCIST with a bit of STAR WARS thrown in for good measure. Does that sound crazy? Well, THE MANITOU is a pretty crazy little movie.The biggest problem I had with the movie is that it simply ran on way too long, took itself way too serious and it just wasn't scary at all. The movie contains non-stop dialogue with Curtis talking to countless people about what's going on. I'm going to guess that this here was meant to make the viewer feel more tension whenever the final battle happened but the director never really builds any suspense or tension. Even worse is that this dialogue scene just move at a snail's pace and the film gets very tiresome. The entire plot is rather stupid and especially towards the end when all sorts of strange things begin to happen. The snow storm in the hospital was just the start of things but once space gets involved you can't help but throw your hands up and roll your eyes. The final battle with the medicine man will bring up memories of THE EXORCIST but this film never comes close to that level of scares.The film, like many of Girdler's pictures, offers up a great cast of characters. Curtis was clearly just picking up a paycheck as he pretty much sleepwalks through the role. Perhaps he too just realized how dumb the plot was and didn't take it too serious. Just take a look at a scene early in the movie where an old woman become possessed in his apartment. The "comic" nature to how Curtis acts makes him look pretty bad even if it was what the director was asking for. Strasberg is good but isn't really given much to do. I also thought Ansara was good in his moments. Stella Stevens and Jon Cedar are also on hand as is Burgess Meredith who also comes across rather comical when he didn't need to be.THE MANITOU is a deadly dull movie that can't even work on a "so bad it's good" level because of how slow it is. There's a lot of campy stuff going on here but sadly it just never adds up to anything entertaining. I will say the movie looks very professional, which is a credit to Girdler's talents but sadly the end result is just a complete mess of a film.

The girlfriend of a mystic (Tony Curtis) finds out that a lump on her back is a growing reincarnation of a 400 year-old demonic Native American spirit.I do have to say there is an unnecessary white man and Indian bit (where the Indian says he should not help the white man because of what his people did). But I will let it slide because I suppose when this movie came out there was still the pushback to get respect for Indians (which may or may not have worked).I thought for the most part the film had amazing effects, interesting characters and a really good premise. This was apparently based on an incident that happened in Japan in 1969 where a boy had a tumor in his chest that was later believed to be a fetus. While it certainly was not a fetus, I can see how that would inspire such an impressive story.

Based on the novel by Graham Masterton, "The Manitou" is another of those absolutely wacky movies that one simply has to see to believe. It's bizarre, it's fanciful, it's often very (intentionally?) funny, and it features an amazing ensemble of veteran talent that plays everything with incredible sincerity. It marked the filmmaking swan song for the late, great B movie director William Girdler, who'd given us such classics as "Grizzly" and "Day of the Animals", who died in a helicopter crash while scouting locations for a follow-up flick. Girdler really outdoes himself here what with the level of cheese and sleaze. An engaging Tony Curtis plays phony psychic Harry Erskine, whose good friend Karen Tandy (Susan Strasberg) is suffering through one hell of a problem: a hump growing (and growing) on her back is not a tumor as doctors initially believe but an honest to God fetus, the reincarnation of a 400 year old, all powerful Indian medicine man named Misquamacus. The doctors, faced with the knowledge that their attempts to operate on Karen have met with disaster, are forced to acknowledge that things out of their field of expertise are going on. So a determined medicine man named John Singing Rock (Michael Ansara) is called in. In addition to the aforementioned actors, Stella Stevens, Ann Sothern, and Burgess Meredith turn up, and while some film lovers may be dismayed to see so many fine actors slumming away, the truth is these performers play this material for all that it's worth. Also appearing are Paul Mantee, Jeanette Nolan, Girdler regular Charles Kissinger, and Felix Silla. Co-written by Girdler and co-star Jon Cedar (who plays one of the doctors) with Thomas Pope, this production treats us to scenes such as an old lady (Lurene Tuttle) levitating, the appearance of a lizard like demon, the floor of a hospital turning into a walk in freezer, and a priceless, amazing finale featuring a topless Strasberg and lots of irresistible "special" effects. This is certainly slick looking stuff, with good widescreen cinematography by Michel Hugo, and thunderous music by Lalo Schifrin. Basically, everything *and* the kitchen sink are thrown into this mix for the sake of an entertaining show, and fans of the actors and the genre are sure to be endlessly amused. Movies like this don't come along that often, so we have to appreciate them when they do turn up. Eight out of 10.

They don't come anymore peculiar than William Girdler's infamous (and final) large-scale supernatural horror "The Manitou", but I did come away expecting a little more from it then what eventuated. Its big name cast seems to come across as a distraction, as there are plenty of bit parts for actors like Jon Cedar, Stella Stevens, Ann Sothern, Paul Mantee and Burgess Meredith. Then you have Tony Curtis and Michael Ansara making their presences known. Two different styles, but they work together quite well. Curtis is a charismatic live-wire, while Ansara keeps it down-to-earth. Also caught in the middle of it all is the lovable Susan Strasberg.Karen Tandy has a lump on the back of her shoulder, which the doctors believe to be a tumour that has a striking resemblance to a fetus. It's growing at an abnormally fast rate and the doctors can't give her former lover and fraud tarot reader Harry Erskine an answer to what's happening. There he learns that she has been possessed by a 400-year old Native American medicine man, so he goes looking for help and finds it in modern-day medicine man John Singing Rock.The premise (adapted from Graham Masterton's novel) does kind of have "The Exorcist" feel to it, but definitely a lot more out-there and over-the-top. As science (modern technology) goes up against spirituality (Indian folklore), to see which medicine comes up on top. There's nothing particularly skin-crawling about it, as it seamlessly turns silly. Really silly. That it might have you laughing with its ridiculous developments and hokey effects (mainly in the latter end with the light-show). Despite the eccentric nature which unfolds and the surreal visual jolts (the birth scene!) that formulate, everyone manages to keep a straight-face. Hard, but it's true. Girdler does seem to struggle to balance out the tone, where it goes between seriously dark and colourfully camp (which also could be seen in Curtis' performance), but his handling is sure-footed and San Francisco made for a picturesque backdrop."The Manitou" is far from perfect, but quite a simple horror shocker curiosity."We have created a monster!"