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CAST ANNOUNCED FOR MANOS RETURNS
The Master Approves of This Beautiful Group of Actors
Website: www.ManosReturns.com
Teaser Trailer: https://youtu.be/y9m9EirlEi4
“…fifty years waiting for a sequel to Manos: The Hands Of Fate has been unbearable.” – Mike Vanderbilt, A.V. Club
”The future of your favorite horror franchises just got weirder.” – William Bibbiani, Blumhouse.com
The producers are proud to announce the cast of Manos Returns, a sequel to the cult classic Manos – The Hands of Fate. The legacy cast features Jackey Neyman Jones (Debbie), Tom Neyman (The Master) and Diane Mahree Rystad (Maggie) reprising their roles from the original, plus Bryan Jennings, the son of Manos cast member William Bryan Jennings, taking over his father’s role as The Sheriff. They are joined by newcomers Danielle Daggerty (Clara), Christina Pezzo (Nicki), Nuria Aguilar (Pat), Christopher Barnes (Jay) and Steven Sheilds as Torgo.
Directed by award-winning Seattle filmmaker Tonjia Atomic (Plain Devil, Hobo with a Trashcan), Manos Returns takes place 50 years after the action of Manos – The Hands of Fate. Four friends get lost on a road trip and stumble on a hidden cult lead by the sinister Master and his servant Torgo. As they try to escape, they are caught up in the power struggle between Debbie (given to Manos as a child 50 years ago), her mother Maggie, and the other souls twisted by their time serving the dark god.
Like the original, Manos Returns has a full compliment of Brides for The Master: Rachel Jackson, Bryn Kristi, Tonjia Atomic, Nina Nightshade, Stephanie Lunceford and Emily Watson. Ghosts haunting Valley Lodge are led by cult movie favorite George Stover, with Marlene Cox, Myron Jenkins, Milton Jenkins, Ygal Kaufman, and Robert H. Olin rounding out the cast.
Principle photography for Manos Returns took place in Falls City, Oregon in July, after raising production funds via a successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this year. Kickstarter backers Darlene Darwin (Sheriff’s Deputy), and Derek Singer and Greg Tally (ghosts) appear in the film as part of their rewards.
One thing The Master would especially approve about the new production is the number of women involved: 3 of the 4 producers, all three screenwriters, and 13 of the 24 cast members are female.
“The new script centers quite a bit on the female characters,” said Atomic. “We didn’t plan it that way, but once we asked ourselves how we could give the women a little more agency than they had in the original it just evolved really naturally in that direction.”
Manos Returns is currently in post production. Screening dates have yet to be announced. Manos Returns is produced by Jackey Neyman Jones, Tonjia Atomic, Joe Sherlock and Rachel Jackson.
Short: (1960) Two city kids learn the what their country cousins do on their dairy farm. Movie: (1959) When their boat has mechanical trouble, a quartet of college kids seek help on an island, where a big game hunter lives.
First shown: 9/3/94 Opening: Tom is Crow’s therapist Intro: Dr. F. redecorates Deep 13 for his mother’s visit, but she’s more pleased to see Frank Host segment 1: Crow’s veg’able stand gets creamed Host segment 2: M&tB try some square dancing Host segment 3: Crow ruins Mystery Murder Dinner Theater End: The bots think Mike is hunting them, Mike reads some letters, Dr. F.’s mom and Frank go out on the town Stinger: Guy gets an arrow in the stomach (219 votes, average: 4.12 out of 5)
• The short gets us off to a great start. One of their funniest. But, for me, the movie has so many slow points that it’s hard to stay engaged, even though the riffing is pretty good. Robert Reed’s continual wryness begins to rankle after a while, too. The introduction of Pearl is auspicious, but we wouldn’t see her again for a long time.
• This episode appears in Rhino’s Vol. 1 collection.
• References.
• Several notables in this episode, include the first appearance of Mary Jo as Pearl and the redecoration of Deep 13.
• Gypsy says “bitch” supposedly accidentally. The bots want to say it too and Mike surprisingly is opposed to the idea.
• Crow apparently thought it was important to wear his nice dress slacks to therapy. I wonder what that means…
• In segment 1, Mike excuses himself to go “be” Kenny G — one of the first times Mike just sort of “becomes” somebody. This strange ability will help him in later episodes.
• The mayhem in segment 1 is an extension of the running gag begun in 604, which, as I explained, was lost on a lot of people when episode 604 was removed from the lineup for a while.
• I recall after this episode there was much chatter about the fact that they only made one Brady Bunch riff. Some wanted more, others were pleased with the riffers’ restraint.
• Later-to-be-disgraced, now-deceased TV chef Jeff Smith gets a reference and it won’t be the last.
• In segment 2, I like how they go from square dancing to slam dancing in two seconds. Note: Servo loses his head. Also note: The fiddle music is being supplied by the now-somewhat-famous Maria Bamford.
• Callbacks: “MANOS!” “He didn’t steal no bike neither” (Teenage Strangler)
• In the theater, as the bad guy goes on for a while, Mike gets sleepy and leans on Tom’s shoulder.
• Segment 3 is your basic one-joke segment. (see: “Waffles!”) I like the costumes, though.
• Then-current reference: Crow attempts to explain the surprise in the movie “The Crying Game” — then a popular topic of conversation.
• In one riff, they posit the idea of “Scooby Doo, the motion picture.” What a preposterous idea.
• Cast and crew roundup: Costumer Marge Corso also worked on “Earth Vs. The Spider,” “Teenage Caveman,” “Tormented” and “The She-Creature.” Assistant director Leonard Shapiro also worked on “Project Moon Base” and “The Amazing Transparent Man.” Props guy Richard Rubin also worked on “Attack of the Giant Leeches.” Sound mixer Philip Mitchell also worked on “Teenage Caveman” and “The Unearthly.” Score composer Mischa Terralso worked on “The Unearthly,” “King Dinosaur,” “The Violent Years” and “The Sinister Urge.” In front of the camera, June Kenney was also in “Earth vs. the Spider” and “Viking Women.” Walter Brooke was also in “Space Travelers” and “San Francisco International.” Gene Persson was also in “Earth Vs. the Spider.” Troy Patterson was also in “Earth Vs. the Spider.” Bobby Hall was also in “High School Big Shot.” Bill Coontz was a “High School Big Shot” and “The Girl in Lovers Lane.” Robert Reed also appeared in “SST Death Flight.”
• CreditsWatch: Host segments directed by Trace Beaulieu. Brad Keely drops off the lighting credit after this episode. Andrea DuCane is back doing hair and makeup for three episodes.
• Fave riff from the short: “All the commotion provokes a bull snake.” Honorable mention: “I remember ringing a bell…”
• Fave riff from the movie: “He shot the bear in mid-standing ovation.” Honorable mention: “No cookies! Not now, not ever, never!”
LAS VEGAS–Director Ted V. Mikels died at his home here on Oct. 16. He was 87.
MSTies will remember him as the producer/director of the movie in episode 1002- GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS but may not have been aware that he was cinematographer for the movie in episode 204- CATALINA CAPER.
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