The Manitou
| Industry | Film distribution |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
The Manitou is a 1978 American supernatural body horror movie produced and directed by William Girdler, featuring performances by Tony Curtis, Michael Ansara, and Susan Strasberg. The story centers on a woman from San Francisco who develops a rapidly enlarging tumor that is ultimately revealed to be of supernatural origin. Adapted from Graham Masterton’s 1976 novel, which draws inspiration from the Native American concept of the manitou—a spiritual life force—the film represents Girdler’s final project before his fatal helicopter accident.
Plot
Karen Tandy notices a swelling on her neck that continues to grow, prompting her to seek medical care in San Francisco. Dr. Jack Hughes identifies the mass as a fetus, leading to plans for surgical removal. Karen stays with Harry Erskine, a fortune teller who becomes intrigued when she repeatedly utters the cryptic phrase "pana witchy salatoo." After the surgery is aborted due to the surgeon’s injury, Harry suspects supernatural involvement and enlists the help of psychic Amelia Caruso and her team. During a seance, they discern that the spirit resembles a Native American entity.
They consult Dr. Snow, an anthropologist, who associates the phrase with a dire prophecy and directs them toward living Native American medicine men. Harry contacts John Singing Rock, who explains that the manitou refers to spirits inhabiting all things. Initially unwilling to intervene, John later demands $100,000 and tobacco as payment for his assistance.
At the hospital, they manage to confine the spirit near Karen’s bedside. The entity reveals itself as Misquamacus, an ancient shaman seeking reincarnation through Karen to exact vengeance on white settlers for historical injustices against Native Americans. Despite warnings, John confronts Misquamacus but finds it increasingly difficult to suppress its escalating power.
Misquamacus kills a nurse and escapes from Karen’s neck, reanimating the nurse’s corpse to attack others. It summons demonic creatures such as the Lizard of the Tree and Star Beast to wreak havoc within the hospital. Harry and John confront these supernatural threats amid phenomena like ice spreading across the hospital floor.
John sustains injuries during their battle; Harry devises a plan to harness the manitou within electrical devices to counterattack. When a powerful demon known as the Great Old One emerges through a portal opened by Misquamacus, Harry instructs activating all hospital machinery to bolster their defense. Inside a dimensionally warped room with Karen, John attempts but fails to channel the spirits of the machines; however, Harry continues trying. Karen awakens and channels the electrical manitou, defeating Misquamacus and closing the portal.
After resolving the ordeal, Harry expresses gratitude to John as they part ways, with John warning that although physically defeated, Misquamacus’s spirit may return.
Release
The movie premiered in theaters through AVCO Embassy Pictures on April 28, 1978, in New York City and later on May 17, 1978, in Los Angeles.
Home media
The film made its DVD debut via Momentum Pictures on October 24, 2005, followed by a reissue from Anchor Bay Entertainment in 2007. On April 16, 2019, Scream Factory released the movie’s first-ever Blu-ray edition. Since the original negative was lost, restoration was completed using alternate source materials.
Reception
According to the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, The Manitou has garnered a 40% approval rating from 10 critics, with an average score of 5.1 out of 10. Variety remarked that the film offers "some scares, camp and better than average credits." While Time Out commended the special effects, it expressed disappointment over the repetitive use of standard Golden Gate Bridge imagery. Donald Guarisco of AllMovie praised the performances, visual effects, and conclusion, despite noting shortcomings in the screenplay and direction. Author John Kenneth Muir characterized the movie as possessing "an infectious feeling of fun" even with its inherent absurdity. The original novel's writer, Masterton, conveyed that he "liked it a lot."