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‘Manos’ Piece in ‘Playboy’

We’re a few days late with this, (sorry, I was sick this weekend) but Jake Rossen has an eye-opening piece in Playboy (I read it for the articles, honey!) about the behind-the-scenes battles over the rights to “Manos.”

27 Replies to “‘Manos’ Piece in ‘Playboy’”

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  1. Ralph C says:

    Who’d a thunk all those decades ago that people would be fighting over this film…

       9 likes

  2. goalieboy82 says:

    interesting read.

       2 likes

  3. GizmonicTemp says:

    Pechos: The Breasts of Fate

       13 likes

  4. Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy says:

    Sampos : Hands on the Playmate

       5 likes

  5. littleaimishboy says:

    Menos: Not quite as good as Manos

       5 likes

  6. Kenneth Morgan says:

    I’m not sure whether, somewhere in the afterlife, Hal Warren is either shaking his head in sadness over all the hassles over his little moviemaking efforts, or if he’s laughing himself silly over how his movie is not only being fought for over the big profits to be made, but is actually archived by the MPAAS.

       3 likes

  7. Cameron Gouda says:

    Seriously, Playboy has some terrific articles. SERIOUSLY.

    This is one of them. And it explains what that horrendously unfunny bit featuring Torgo at the live Rifftrax MANOS show was all about.

    It’s a must-read piece. Don’t let the brand name scare you. The journalism site is PG-13 at most.

       7 likes

  8. Dickweed1 says:

    The lesson learned here is, Never trust anyone from New Zealand or Australia named RUPERT!!!!

       7 likes

  9. Goshzilla says:

    littleaimishboy:
    Menos: Not quite as good as Manos

    :laugh:

       1 likes

  10. GizmonicTemp says:

    littleaimishboy:
    Menos:Not quite as good as Manos

    Mas: Much Better Than Manos

       2 likes

  11. ck says:

    I imagine Playboy’s Women of Manos issue will be timed for Christmas.

    Turnons: Slumber parties in a nightie, seducing doofus husbands, leading encounter groups with the other girls.

    Turnoffs: Possessive Masters, creepy caretakers, Torgo’s pizza delivery complementary bread, and that bitch Shirley (who I can totally take wrestling).

       6 likes

  12. Terry the Sensitive Knight says:

    littleaimishboy:
    Menos:Not quite as good as Manos

    Mentos: The Freshmaker of Fate

       3 likes

  13. Terry the Sensitive Knight says:

    Reading the article, why does it not surprise me that Warren’s kid is also a money-grubbing sleazeball trying to cash in on the film now that other people have worked hard to restore it and actually care about it?

       6 likes

  14. goalieboy82 says:

    @3
    more like war of the colossal breast

       4 likes

  15. GornCaptain says:

    Terry the Sensitive Knight:
    Reading the article, why does it not surprise me that Warren’s kid is also a money-grubbing sleazeball trying to cash in on the film now that other people have worked hard to restore it and actually care about it?

    It is curious he didn’t assert his alleged copyright sooner. MST3K only dug the movie up twenty plus years ago.

    And I think Jackey and her dad deserve to get the Master’s cloak and portrait back.

       6 likes

  16. Kali says:

    The joke about “reading Playboy for the articles” is kinda old, guys. Actually, Playboy was very well known for its articles and, particularly, its eclectic choice of stories. For years, its criteria on accepting stories is whether Hef liked them. Anywhere else, it’s whether someone who doesn’t care one way or the other thinks its readers will like them.

    Here’s one factoid for you: George Langelaan’s “The Fly” (which led to the movie starring David Hedison) first appeared in Playboy because no one else would touch it.

       2 likes

  17. GizmonicTemp says:

    Kali:
    The joke about “reading Playboy for the articles” is kinda old, guys.Actually, Playboy was very well known for its articles and, particularly, its eclectic choice of stories.For years, its criteria on accepting stories is whether Hef liked them.Anywhere else, it’s whether someone who doesn’t care one way or the other thinks its readers will like them.

    Here’s one factoid for you: George Langelaan’s “The Fly” (which led to the movie starring David Hedison) first appeared in Playboy because no one else would touch it.

    I agree, but my wife is glaring at me from across the room, so the cliche shall live on!
    In all seriousness, that’s very interesting about “The Fly”. Nice find, Hef!



    Boobs.

       5 likes

  18. Danzilla "Cornjob" McLargehuge, Student of Kaijuology says:

    goalieboy82:
    @3
    more like war of the colossal breast

    Or Night of the Blood Breast.

    Sorry… :-((

       2 likes

  19. ahaerhar says:

    iirc Dune first appeared serialized in Playboy

    but yeah, this is pretty much the American dream, ruining everything because somebody else was making a buck

       1 likes

  20. EAG46 says:

    Wow. Amazing story, and sad too. At least it brought a father and daughter back together. And I agree: Hey Mr. Warren! Give Mr. Neyman back his painting and cloak! He painted it and his wife made it! You greedy little twerp.

       5 likes

  21. Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy says:

    While the copyright situation is being argued, one thing is clear to me.

    Frank Conniff deserves some kind of perpetual royalty for being the catalyst of this cult behemoth.

    This situation/conversation/phenomenon would not exist if Frank hadn’t picked the film.

    The mind boggles at what cinematic discoveries Frank DIDN’T reveal to the world and how history would have been changed had he done so.

    Perhaps Frank even indirectly saved the world by choosing to NOT put N – – – – – of G – – – – – out there to be riffed.

    Thanks for saving the world, Frank. We owe you a Coke.

       8 likes

  22. Dan in WI says:

    ck:
    Turnons: Slumber parties in a nightie, seducing doofus husbands, leading encounter groups with the other girls.

    You’re forgetting granny panties.

       1 likes

  23. Mr. Krasker says:

    Kali:

    Here’s one factoid for you: George Langelaan’s “The Fly” (which led to the movie starring David Hedison) first appeared in Playboy because no one else would touch it.

    Here’s a fact for you: “factoid” means “something fictitious or unsubstantiated that is presented as fact, devised especially to gain publicity and accepted because of constant repetition.”

       1 likes

  24. Into The Void says:

    Mr. Krasker: Here’s a fact for you: “factoid” means “something fictitious or unsubstantiated that is presented as fact, devised especially to gain publicity and accepted because of constant repetition.”

    Which is to say, every word stemming from mainstream, corporate media …which ultimately serves to create a “factoid” (un)reality.
    No actual reporting, ALL agenda-bound corp/state propaganda. Hell, even Bill Kristol has admitted in interviews that the “Liberal Media Mythology” was a strategic construct of cons to better steer the public mind rightward. Besides, corporations aren’t even democratic, let alone liberal …unless when observing how those agenda setting media liberally cheerlead and espouse fascist and war mongering policies (for the Few Big they represent) while attempting to make it appear as though those interests are likewise those of the populace. But I digress …

       6 likes

  25. Keith in WI says:

    One of the funniest things in the article is Warren’s kid comparing himself to J.R.R. Tolkien’s son and thus Hal to Tolkien himself. That makes him comparing Manos to the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. A bit of a stretch don’t you think??? Tolkien’s works have been accepted as a literary treasure for decades, and made Tolkien a rich man in his lifetime. Warren’s sole movie lost money and would have been relegated to the dustbin of history were it not for Frank Conniff’s discovery of it and the treatment it received on MST3k. Further, if it were not for the rediscovery of the working print and subsequent restoration of it, which has caused an upsurge in the popularity of the stinkburger, we would not have any fight over rights.

    Hal’s son had all kinds of time to try and promote the film and exercise the copyright, which may or may not exist, but he didn’t. It kind of stinks for him, but he has done little, if anything, to merit benefiting from the work of others. I am not sure how much money will actually be made off Manos, as it still has a very, very small following and the vast majority of people will still never know of its existence. We have to remember that we are very much in the minority as MST3k fans and many of us will not actually purchase a copy of the Blu Ray/DVD. It does make for interesting conversation, however.

       6 likes

  26. GornCaptain says:

    Wait until Quentin Tarantino remakes it. Manos is going to be huge!

    I’m still trying to determine at what point I fell into a parallel universe. One where I can buy a restored Manos on Blu Ray, and yet I can’t buy one of the original unaltered Star Wars trilogy. ;)

       8 likes

  27. The Bolem says:

    Ummmm…I just want to make a preemptive plea to all of us to not escalate things any further from post #24; I learned a lot from this thread, and don’t want to see it locked. Left or Right, the mainstream media does indeed suck and deserve constant riffing. Won’t you?

    Heck, I wasn’t even aware that the sequel with Torgo’s almost-Hellboy-esque gauntlet had died on location.

    You know what could fix all this? “MANOS” ReAction figures! Joe Warren gives the Neymans the robe and painting back and receives the lion’s share of profits for toys of all characters other than The Master and Debbie, and we all get Toys Of Fate scaled and styled to interact with ReAction Universal Monsters, slasher icons, and Goonies!

    Anything to avoid the video game being messed with. I just got a coworker who used to run my store’s gaming department into MST3K via MANOS, and its disappearance now would be too darkly ironic.

       1 likes

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