Extremely limited Manos Posters available. Only here, Only now

In response to the many requests from fans for Manos memorabilia and autographed items, I'll begin posting offers as they become available.  These will include artwork, photos and a few other ideas we're working on.  


To start with, I obtained a few of these new spiffy movie posters from the Rifftrax Live Manos the Hands of Fate show on Aug 16th.  I also talked my dad, The Master into signing them and I will also sign them and personalize them for you. 16 posters in all have been signed and some already distributed. Only 5 of these are now available for sale and this is the only place they will be offered.  So...ready...set...Go.

                                                                 27 X 40 inches
                                                            $95.00 plus shipping
                                                           I will ship international
                                                                   

The continuing story of Hotel Torgo

I just have to share this awesome video by one of this blogs followers, MovieViewerMan.  Great job.  I'm honored and thank you.  Enjoy and share, share, share

The Official World Premire of Manos

Hello!  Back from Hollywood California.  Crazy, huh?  It doesn't make any more sense to me now than it did last week.  I'm invited to the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival in the town that is all about making movies to celebrate a West Texas film commonly referred to as "The Worst Movie ever Made".   And the reason I'm there is because people want me to tell them what it was like to be part of that film.  So...Crazy.  Huh?

On Tuesday, December 5th, the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival screened the official World premire of the restoration of  Manos, The Hands of Fate at the New Bev Cinema in Hollywood California.  My  appreciation goes out to the organizers and the theater for a great venue and gracious hosting.  Thanks also to Ben Solovey whose time and dedication to this restoration was evidenced so clearly on Tuesday night.  The color and sound was much better than the original and allowed us to see this classic film in all its glory.  The moths, the uneven make up, the masters jeans rolled up under his robe.  There's a lot more but you'll just have to discover that for yourselves when it becomes available.

I also enjoyed seeing familiar and friendly faces.  Several Facebook friends came and it was great to meet them face to face in real time.  Bryan Jennings who's father played the Sheriff in the original was in attendance.  He and I spent most of Tuesday watching independent films until the Manos screening and then were invited with Ben for a Q and A afterward.  We had a great time sitting in the back of the theater watching the audience watch Manos.  The audience was fabulous.  It was as though they had done Manos together before.  Choreographed beautifully with laughs, groans and a chorus of "Seriously?".  I'm telling you.  Manos has all the makings to be the next Rocky Horror Picture Show.  Just think about it and let me know whether you agree or not.

 Since we were the last film of the evening, we were able to extend our Q and A.  I believe it was around 1:00 am when we were kicked out of the theater (sorry guys) with "You can keep talking, just go outside please.  We have to get up and do this again tomorrow".   Great fun.  Great to go and great to be home.

Debbie does Los Angeles

Sorry all.  I've been out of touch for too long.  Te truth is, all the public (and private) harassment from Hal Warren's son has me frustrated and I'm trying to take a higher road by holding my tongue so that's all I'll say on that...for now.  On a more positive note.  I'm currently sitting in a Los Angeles hotel room preparing to go to the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival this afternoon at the New Bev Cinema in Hollywood.  The organizers of the event invited me as a special guest to the screening of Ben Solovey's completed restoration of Manos The Hands of Fate.  Ben's done a remarkable job and I can't wait for people to see it looking even better than it did in 1966 at the original premire.  Not sure what the plan is tonight for me but I'll be there at the 9:30 screening.  Hoping for the opportunity to do a Q and A.  Another thing I just learned is that the New Bev Theater is owned by Quentin Tarantino.  One Manos story states that he is a big Manos fan.  Oh. how I would love the chance to ask him about that.  Keeping this short today and will report back tomorrow about the event.  If you are in the LA area and can make it tonight be sure to say hi. http://hollywoodreelindependentfilmfestival.com/ 

Happy Birthday Master

Happy Birthday Master

November 23 1935.  Thomas Ivy Neyman was a premie, prematurely born and in those days, believe me, things didn’t work out as well as often as they do today.  No incubators.  You were snuggled up to mom and if you made it…well, you went home to start your new life.  Little Tommy didn’t remember his dad because Thomas Neyman Sr. died in a plane crash when Tommy was only 18 months old.  Thomas Sr. was an airline pilot for Pan Am and one of the first international airline pilots ever.  His plane crashed into a mountain in Mexico in 1937.  His mother never remarried.  She was an independent woman, especially in those days.  She was one of the first airline stewardesses for Pan Am and went on to a number of jobs including becoming the first female crane operator on the docks at Galveston, Texas.  Thomas Ivy Neyman grew up as an only child but often lived with cousins and his grandparents in Florida, Oklahoma and Brownsville, Texas. 

He grew up, went to TCU in Fort Worth, Texas.  Met and married my mother and they had me.  We moved to El Paso in 1963 where my dad became Executive Director of the South El Paso Boy’s Club working with the youth on the El Paso side of the Rio Grande river separating the US from Mexico.  My mother became a school teacher and we lived in a 100 year old adobe house.   Tom then became involved with the Festival Theater where he performed in and did set design for many quality plays.  That’s where he met Hal Warren, Producer and Director of Manos and John Reynolds, the legendary Torgo.  Little could any of them have imagined what their 1966 future would hold.  

So, Happy Birthday dad and hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving yesterday. 

More Manos revelations coming next week.  Stay tuned!

What a long, strange trip it's been. Manos style.

Yesterday on November 15th 2012, Manos the Hands of Fate turned 46 years old.  The World Premire of Manos played in El Paso Texas at the Capri Theater on the evening of November 15th, 1966.  So, I'm thinking.  If Manos is 46...well, that makes me old...er than that.  How did that happen?  and more importantly, how did this obscure little low budget film become the darling of so many?  As a Texan, if we were to refer to this film as  we would of the slightly odd Walmart greeter, or your kids schoolmate who always wears his shoes on the wrong feet, we would say, "Bless his little heart".
Seriously.  How did this happen?  I understand the part where a television program is built around the riffing of really bad movies.  I understand the part where Manos is then described as one of the worst of the worst.  So bad, in fact, it earns the title as "Worst Movie ever Made".  OK.  So someone gets that title and although there are many horrible films, Manos got the prize. What my dad, The Master, and I are having trouble coming to grips with, is why do people love it so much?  We are certainly not complaining.  Just wishing to understand.  We literally look at one another with mouths open and a slightly puzzled expression when we see how much energy is building around it.  The other thing that we find incredible is that you fans are not the "voices in your head", underground, creepy alley dwellers.  You all are really engaging, intelligent, interesting and a lot of fun.  I am enjoying this adventure so much and now that he's gotten past his disbelief, so is my dad.  I appreciate all the comments and connections and look forward to much more.  So here's my question to you.  What do you love about Manos?

Manos V/S The Curse of Bigfoot

Ha. Got you to look. There is no V/S. They are both horrible to watch and actually "The Curse of Bigfoot" is probably worse than Manos. Something they have in common beside making you want to gouge out your own eyes, is...Me. I find it odd that my film career consists of films such as these. I pray it's not an on going trend and that the films I'm currently involved in fare better. "The Curse of Bigfoot" was so strange in that it was originally filmed in 1958 and then shelved before completion. Then it was picked up in 1976 and other scenes were filmed. Then they called it good and released it.  Our little group of volunteers (yes, it's true.  I didn't get paid for that film either) showed up on a Sat. morning and spent most of that day just milling around while the director figured out what he wanted to do.  Pretty boring all in all but there is one little trivia you may be interested in.  The frizzy haired kid sitting to my right was one of the actors in the original "Bad News Bears".  He was a nice enough guy although a bit self important because of his self proclaimed celebrity status.  That same year, I became the youngest student director to direct a student play and he was one of my actors.  Edward Albee's "Zoo Story".  Only two characters in the whole play and attempting to direct him was like herding cats.

 In 1976 I was a High School Junior in Southern Ca. at Montclair High School. Our Drama teacher Mr. Tim Tackett was my favorite teacher. He had trained in martial arts with Bruce Lee and taught us meditation as a way to prepare for the stage. Somehow, through a friend of his, our drama class was asked to be extras for a classroom scene in "The Curse of Bigfoot". I recently discovered a photo of that scene in a contest "Which one is the little girl from Manos" http://forum.rifftrax.com/index.php?topic=24965.0  I already answered that question on the contest but if you don't read my comment there, you can make your own guess.