The Manitou (1978): Cast, Ratings & Plot
The Manitou is a 1978 sci-fi horror film directed by William Girdler, starring Susan Strasberg, Jon Cedar and Tony Curtis. It runs 1 hour 44 minutes. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Make-up at the Saturn Awards 1979. Critics gave it 47 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 44m (104 min)
- Director
- William Girdler
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Embassy Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Manitou About?
The premise of The Manitou without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A troubled psychic attempts to save his girlfriend from a sinister, malevolent force by summoning an ancient spirit. However, his actions inadvertently unleash a powerful and vengeful entity, threatening both their lives. As the spirit's influence grows, the psychic must confront a terrifying struggle against an escalating evil, blurring the boundaries of reality and sanity in a desperate fight for survival.
The Manitou Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- telekinesis
- psychic
- telepathy
- ritual
- mind control
- exorcism
- fortune teller
- seance
- fake psychic
- tumor
- reincarnation
- fetus
+38 more Show fewer
- possession
- outer space
- earthquake
- native american reservation
- evil spirit
- hospital
- supernatural power
- native american
- surgery
- tarot card
- shaman
- based on novel
- title spoken by character
- scalpel
- duel
- falling down stairs
- apartment
- old woman
- decapitation
- lightning
- surgeon
- san francisco california
- talking in one's sleep
- laser surgery
- cutting oneself
- good versus evil
- laser
- levitation
- tobacco
- blood
- ice
- medium
- seizure
- death
- blood splatter
- snow
- monster
- screaming
The Manitou Cast
Susan Strasberg leads the cast, with Jon Cedar and Tony Curtis. Directed by William Girdler; 10 actors are credited in all.
- Director William Girdler
Also Starring in The Manitou
· 6 moreMore from William Girdler
More films directed by William Girdler, best-rated first: Grizzly, Day of the Animals, Project: Kill and Sheba, Baby.
The Manitou Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Manitou 47 on Metacritic.
-
Metacritic 47 Metascore
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 55% User score
See on TMDB
The Manitou Plot Summary
What happens in The Manitou from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In her desperate quest for relief, Karen Tandy, portrayed by Susan Strasberg, finds herself confronted by an unusual malady—a persistent tumor growing on her neck. This harrowing journey leads her to a prestigious hospital in San Francisco, where she meets Dr. Jack Hughes, played by Jon Cedar. In a shocking revelation, Dr. Hughes uncovers that the tumor is not what it seems; rather, it is a developing fetus. As Karen consents to undergo surgery to remove this anomaly, she seeks comfort from old friends, including Harry Erskine, a dubious fortune teller brought to life by Tony Curtis.
Full summary
The whole story of The Manitou, scene by scene
The Manitou Awards & Nominations
The Manitou earned 1 award nomination, including Best Make-up at the Saturn Awards 1979.
1 nomination1 ceremony
-
Saturn Awards 1979 1 nomination- Nominated Best Make-up
The Manitou Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Manitou.
How Well Do You Know The Manitou?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What unusual affliction does Karen Tandy suffer from?
Cars in The Manitou
30 cars on screen, including the 1966 Buick Wildcat and the Classic Trolley California Street.
-
1966 Buick Wildcat Important role -
Classic Trolley California Street Minor role -
1976 Ford Granada Minor role -
1974 BMW 2002 Background role
The Manitou Also Known As
9 alternative titles, including “Manitù, lo spirito del male” and “Der Manitou”.
- Also known as
-
- Manitù, lo spirito del male
- Der Manitou
- Le Faiseur d'épouvantes
- Indián démon
- Retorno desde la quinta dimensión
- 恶神
- Маниту
- マニトウ
- Manitú
Seen The Manitou?
Movies Like The Manitou
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Dark Power, Malevolent and The Medium.
The Manitou FAQ: Cast, Awards & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Manitou, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Manitou?
The Manitou runs 1 hour 44 minutes (104 minutes).
When was The Manitou released?
The Manitou was released on April 28, 1978.
Who directed The Manitou?
The Manitou was directed by William Girdler.
More films by William Girdler Who is in the cast of The Manitou?
The Manitou stars Susan Strasberg, Jon Cedar and Tony Curtis, among 10 credited actors.
How is The Manitou rated?
The Manitou has 47 on Metacritic and 55% on TMDB.
Was The Manitou nominated for any awards?
The Manitou received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.
Does The Manitou have a post-credit scene?
No. The Manitou has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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