By Woofer McWooferson

The Phone Call

Recently I published an article on Manos Returns, the upcoming sequel to the 1966 horror cult classic Manos: The Hands of Fate. Much to our delight here at House of Tortured Souls, both Jackey Neyman Jones, who is helming the project in addition to reprising her role as Debbie, and Tonjia Atomic, the director, shared our article. When I saw Jackey had commented on it regarding an error, I reached out and welcomed her corrections. Jackey graciously agreed to do so, and we arranged a call the following morning.

Tonjia Atomic and Joe Sherlock
Image courtesy Jackey Neyman Jones/Manos Returns.

I was nervous. Speaking on the phone in recent years is far out of my comfort zone, but how could I pass on this opportunity? Answer: I couldn’t. At the agreed time, Jackey called and we spoke for quite a while. Jackey reflected on the original film, cleared up some misconceptions, and dropped some exclusive information on Manos Returns.

What We Were Supposed to See

Manos has become an American cultural icon in spite of – or, perhaps, because of – being dubbed the worst movie ever made, and it has been lovingly restored from an original 16mm print. Not only has this restoration been released on Blu-ray, it has also rekindled interest in Manos – interest that has never really died out since its debut on MST3K. The restored print casts literal light on many scenes, revealing subtleties that were necessarily lost almost as soon as the film was completed. Indeed, Jackey told me that she recently learned that even the print screened for the premiere was a copy of a copy. This explains the dark images and flat sound that we all assumed was how Manos was filmed. True, their light sources were limited and sound was dubbed later, but the difference between the restored version and the original are phenomenal. I was surprised to see that John Reynolds (Torgo) was actually a handsome young man, and Diane Adelson (Margaret) was a lovely young woman with striking red hair. You can see some side by side comparisons in my previous article.

The item that caught Jackey’s attention in my original piece was that I had attributed the makeup to her mother, who was listed on the IMDb page as Jacqueline. At first glance, she thought I had attributed the makeup to her and poked fun with some self-deprecating humor about her makeup skills at age six. When I asked about this, Jackey explained that Hal Warren (actor, writer, director, and producer) used alternate names for some cast members who also worked behind the scenes in order to inflate the credits and make it look like a larger production that it was. In fact, however, it was Jackey’s father who did the makeup and costume design, although he was credited for the wardrobe under the name Thomas Ivy (more credit inflation). She confirmed that her mother made the costumes and that there is no Jacqueline as both she and her mother are Jackeys.

The Sounds of Manos

Manos soundtrack cover
Image Ship to Shore PhonoCo.

One way the credits could’ve been inflated – and not artificially – was to give actual credit to the musical score instead of the generic “Original Music” listing. Penned by Robert Smith Jr. , composer, and lyricist Russ Huddleston, the soundtrack has never been officially released although a version of it was created from a 35mm soundtrack negative discovered in early 2015 and restored by Steve Addabbo at Shelter Island Sound in New York City. This Manos soundtrack is available online from Ship to Shore PhonoCo. The jazzy and sometimes discordant music paired with the bizarre final film product underscores the surrealism of the film and is often overlooked in discussions about the movie. When researching her book on Manos, Jackey found some of the musicians who are still alive, including female vocalist Nicki Mathis. Nicki has rerecorded two songs for the upcoming sequel, Manos Returns. Jackey’s bid to stay as close to the original feel as possible included getting many of the Manos cast to take part in Manos Returns. Tom Neyman is returning as The Master, Jackey reprises her role as Debbie, and Diane Mahree (Diane Adelson) is returning as Debbie’s mother Maggie. Bryan Jennings, who is playing the Sheriff, is the son of the original Manos Sheriff played by William Bryan Jennings.

New Breath

Manos legacy cast, L - R Tom Neyman, Diane Mahree (Diane Adelson), Bryan Jennings (son of William Bryan Jennings), and Jackey Neyman Jones.
Image credit Jackey Neyman Jones/Manos Returns.

Pairing Manos veterans with a group of fresh, young filmmakers – director Tonjia Atomic (Plain Devil, Hobo with a Trash Can (segment "The Hungry Ghost")), assistant director Rachel Jackson (Manos: The Hands of Felt, Stories for Bad Children series), and director of photography Joe Sherlock owner of Skullface Astronaut, (Blood Creek Woodsman, Twisted Fates), Jackey has created a team dedicated to doing justice to Manos: The Hands of Fate as well as Manos Returns. Jackey spoke glowingly of the people involved and how smoothly filming went. She expressed how everything fell into place through talented teamwork, hard work, and the will of Manos, including a group decision to overhaul the script midstream and create a new, darker, horror comedy written by Tonjia Atomic, Rachel Jackson, and Jackey Neyman Jones. Here, for the first time publicly, is the revised synopsis of Manos Returns:

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 get 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. A sequel to the B-movie classic, Manos - the Hands of Fate.

As those following Manos Returns can attest, this new synopsis sounds darker than the original. When I asked Jackey about this, she said it had some “very creepy” moments, something that made this little horror hound’s heart jump for joy. With the film in post-production, we will be watching very closely for more Manos Returns information to share with our readers. In the meantime, you can check out the Manos Returns site and say hello on their Facebook page. Here is the first exclusive teaser trailer below from the official Manos Returns YouTube channel.

Bonus Material

Jackey’s skills, many learned from her parents, led her to pursue a career in art and she’s been creating art professionally since 1982. After running her own hand painted clothing business until 1990, she spent the next 20 years working with clients to create comfortable home environments with carefully crafted custom wall treatments and colors. She began exploring her own art in 2009 and combined the ideas and techniques learned during her career with her interest in the environment to create her own unique form of artistic expression and offers some of her work online.

If you’re looking for Manos-related items, you can find those here as well. From Manos onesies to hand-crafted Master’s robes, Jackey offers unique Manos fare with the added Manos touch of being from a Manos cast member.

Jackey will be appearing at The Chicago Music Box Theater on November 11, 2016, at 6:30 pm, and there will be a screening of Manos: The Restoration as well. Stop in and tell Jackey that House of Tortured Souls sent you.

Final Thoughts

I’ve ordered Jackey’s book, Growing Up With Manos the Hands of Fate: How I Was the Child Star of the Worst Movie Ever Made and Lived to Tell About It, and look forward to learning even more about Manos and Jackey herself. She seems like a really cool and genuinely kind person, and I’m very glad that I decided on the phone call. Of Manos Returns she says, “The nay-sayers will be surprised” and reiterates its creepiness. I like that. I like that a lot.