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Growing Up with Manos: The Hands of Fate: How I was the Child Star of the Worst Movie Ever Made and Lived to Tell the Story
For Jackey Neyman Jones, who played Debbie in The Hands of Fate, the “worst movie ever made” is, at its heart, a home movie that just happens to be shared with the world. Equal parts memoir/family saga/film book, Growing Up with The Hands of Fate shares the behind-the-scenes story of the making of from creator Hal Warren’s alleged bet with TV producer Stirling Silliphant that “anyone could make a movie,” to the tragic suicide of John Reynolds (Torgo), right up through the newest Manos-related projects that are carrying the film into the digital age. Jackey’s stories dispel much of the Manos mythology while crystallizing a unique time and place in America, where a crew of actors with a bad script and a rented camera set out to make a bad movie—and succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. Jackey Neyman Jones is a professional artist living in the Great Northwest. Laura Mazzuca Toops is a writer/editor with more than 30 years’ experience in business and fiction writing. She is the author of three historical novels.
152 pages, Paperback
Published March 25, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 21, 2018
When the unusual -- and by most standards of film criticism, abysmal -- horror movie MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE premiered in El Paso, Texas, in 1966, most of the movie's cast and crew slipped out of the theater before the house lights could come up so they wouldn't face their fellow townspeople. Even so, this is the movie that refused to die completely, and after a "bin" VHS copy wound up in the hands of a screener for the movie-mocking series MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 (MST3K) in 1993, the film was sent up and became a "Mistie" classic. Since then MANOS has entered genuine cult status, including many comic sponsored readings, several musicals, and another "riffing" by MST3K's descendant, RiffTrax. Today, the MANOS cultist can even buy an adult coloring book based on the film, and a "Torgo" t-shirt in memory of the character who played the satyr-like servant to "The Master."
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Jackie Neyman Jones not only played the victim family's seven-year-old daughter in this horror movie, but in real life is the daughter of the actor who played "The Master" who presided over a polygamous, abusive cult. GROWING UP WITH MANOS is an indispensable book for devotees of bad filmmaking (one film school shows it as an object lesson in what NOT to do!). Neyman Jones' childhood memories and a good amount of research admirably fill in gaps about the making of this film, whose behind-the-scenes story had been relatively unknown. She limns the life experience of the insurance salesman who allegedly made the film on a bet, corrects errors made in a 2004 film documentary, and in so doing, allows MANOS to take its place among more celebrated bottom-of-the-barrel cinema like PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE and THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS. There are a couple of things that could have been done differently: the book never seems to decide whether the German-born set photographer's last name is "Ansel" or "Anselm" (it's the latter).
Neyman Jones' habit of sketching in biographical details concurrent with the story of the book and then later at book's end makes for too much repetition, especially concerning herself. Nonetheless this book deserves to be widely read among devotees of bad cinema, and for that readership, a lot of information is contained in its 134 pages. This is the only book I know of devoted to that singularly bad flick called MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE.
(Updated: September 20, 2018)
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Jackie Neyman Jones not only played the victim family's seven-year-old daughter in this horror movie, but in real life is the daughter of the actor who played "The Master" who presided over a polygamous, abusive cult. GROWING UP WITH MANOS is an indispensable book for devotees of bad filmmaking (one film school shows it as an object lesson in what NOT to do!). Neyman Jones' childhood memories and a good amount of research admirably fill in gaps about the making of this film, whose behind-the-scenes story had been relatively unknown. She limns the life experience of the insurance salesman who allegedly made the film on a bet, corrects errors made in a 2004 film documentary, and in so doing, allows MANOS to take its place among more celebrated bottom-of-the-barrel cinema like PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE and THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS. There are a couple of things that could have been done differently: the book never seems to decide whether the German-born set photographer's last name is "Ansel" or "Anselm" (it's the latter).
Neyman Jones' habit of sketching in biographical details concurrent with the story of the book and then later at book's end makes for too much repetition, especially concerning herself. Nonetheless this book deserves to be widely read among devotees of bad cinema, and for that readership, a lot of information is contained in its 134 pages. This is the only book I know of devoted to that singularly bad flick called MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE.
(Updated: September 20, 2018)
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April 10, 2022
Like pretty much everyone who's read this book, I was introduced to Manos: The Hands of Fate through Mystery Science Theater 3000. I don't think it's the worst movie ever made, and it's not my favorite episode of the show, but it's the one that everyone knows. Against all the odds, this strange, muddled mess of a film clawed its way out of obscurity and into a not insignificant sector of the public consciousness. Even so, I never imagined that I'd ever learn anything about its history. Like Monster A Go-Go, or Night of the Blood Beast, I figured Manos would remain just a weird little oddity that I'd be left forever wondering how it ever got made.
The fact that this book exists to answer those questions is both astounding and more than a little bit wonderful. It's like discovering a photo album from a long-lost relative, or letters from a friend you haven't seen since elementary school; getting to see that new side to someone you knew in passing so long ago is heartwarming. If you've ever enjoyed--or even endured--Manos: The Hands of Fate, and have even the slightest curiosity of just how such a film came to be, I can recommend Growing Up with Manos without a second thought.
The fact that this book exists to answer those questions is both astounding and more than a little bit wonderful. It's like discovering a photo album from a long-lost relative, or letters from a friend you haven't seen since elementary school; getting to see that new side to someone you knew in passing so long ago is heartwarming. If you've ever enjoyed--or even endured--Manos: The Hands of Fate, and have even the slightest curiosity of just how such a film came to be, I can recommend Growing Up with Manos without a second thought.
April 17, 2024
A really wonderful book. There’s so many great and funny insights about this famously bad movie. The description (and pictures!) of the premiere are the best part in that regard, and it all paints a portrait of the director as quite the fast talking swindler.
And the book is also surprisingly sweet and emotional at times. It’s interesting to see the movie from personal perspectives that make it more positive: it’s a fond childhood memory for Jackey, it gave her dad an artistic outlet, and even provides a permanent document of some of his lost art. The story of the Neyman family is so sad at points, and it’s nice that this film has provided them some good moments.
I would say even more, but the master wouldn’t approve.
And the book is also surprisingly sweet and emotional at times. It’s interesting to see the movie from personal perspectives that make it more positive: it’s a fond childhood memory for Jackey, it gave her dad an artistic outlet, and even provides a permanent document of some of his lost art. The story of the Neyman family is so sad at points, and it’s nice that this film has provided them some good moments.
I would say even more, but the master wouldn’t approve.
July 26, 2025
Like a lot of people, I first encountered Manos: The Hands of Fate as an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1993. Like most people, I couldn't understand what I was seeing: A film school instructional on what "padding" was? The flubbed scenes cut from a real movie? A film made on a bet? Dr. Forrester's most evil discovery? What in hell was this?
Jackey Neyman Jones tells the story of Manos with skill and humor and weaves it into a personal and family memoir. This is a largely autobiographical book and the author recalls her childhood in El Paso with her unconventional parents, especially her multi-talented father Tom Neyman. In Manos Jackey played Debbie, the daughter of the movie's hapless protagonists, while her father played the villainous Master; he was also the uncredited (and unpaid) art designer, prop maker, and script doctor as well. Jackey's mother, also named Jackey, made the costumes. The Neyman family's sweet Doberman pincher Shanka played the Hell Hound. Jackey Neyman Jones quite fairly calls Manos a "family movie".
For such an obscure movie, it is wonderful to get a first hand account of its production. Neyman Jones uncovers a lot of information about the movie's eccentric director Harold Warren, salesman and cinematic optimist, who kept reassuring everyone that any problems would be fixed in the editing. Neyman Jones also writes about her memories of the tragic John Reynolds, who played the now-iconic Torgo, but who took his own life not long after Manos wrapped up production. All this is backed up interviews with cast, crew, and/or their family members. She was able to trace the many of the cast and crew and vividly reconstruct the milieu where Manos was crafted and unleashed on the world. The book also addresses the author's life as a cult movie icon, Manos fandom, and how when the movie appeared on MST3K, it ironically helped her to renew her relationship with with her father.
Jackey Neyman Jones tells the story of Manos with skill and humor and weaves it into a personal and family memoir. This is a largely autobiographical book and the author recalls her childhood in El Paso with her unconventional parents, especially her multi-talented father Tom Neyman. In Manos Jackey played Debbie, the daughter of the movie's hapless protagonists, while her father played the villainous Master; he was also the uncredited (and unpaid) art designer, prop maker, and script doctor as well. Jackey's mother, also named Jackey, made the costumes. The Neyman family's sweet Doberman pincher Shanka played the Hell Hound. Jackey Neyman Jones quite fairly calls Manos a "family movie".
For such an obscure movie, it is wonderful to get a first hand account of its production. Neyman Jones uncovers a lot of information about the movie's eccentric director Harold Warren, salesman and cinematic optimist, who kept reassuring everyone that any problems would be fixed in the editing. Neyman Jones also writes about her memories of the tragic John Reynolds, who played the now-iconic Torgo, but who took his own life not long after Manos wrapped up production. All this is backed up interviews with cast, crew, and/or their family members. She was able to trace the many of the cast and crew and vividly reconstruct the milieu where Manos was crafted and unleashed on the world. The book also addresses the author's life as a cult movie icon, Manos fandom, and how when the movie appeared on MST3K, it ironically helped her to renew her relationship with with her father.
May 6, 2019
I'll admit I did go in to this book thinking I was going to love it straight off the bat.
Unfortunately.....no.
Yes, it was worth the time to read just for a few interesting glimpses in to the life of those behind Manos as well as the interesting first viewing and premier. But overall bout 2/3rd of this work isn't needed. It's dry and flat until you reach a handful of buried gems inside the heap. So while I did like Growing Up except for the first two chapters and section on the man who played Torgo, you might be better of skimming it rather than reading.
Unfortunately.....no.
Yes, it was worth the time to read just for a few interesting glimpses in to the life of those behind Manos as well as the interesting first viewing and premier. But overall bout 2/3rd of this work isn't needed. It's dry and flat until you reach a handful of buried gems inside the heap. So while I did like Growing Up except for the first two chapters and section on the man who played Torgo, you might be better of skimming it rather than reading.
January 27, 2017
This book is better than it ought to be. The story of the creation of "MANOS" The Hands of Fate is mostly what you'd expect, but it's the details that really make it compelling. Told in a somewhat conversational style, this isn't going to win any awards, but I highly recommend it for anyone curious about how terrible movies get made.
May 29, 2018
Amazing book! Jacket has some wonderful memories of working on the Manos hands of Fate movie. The first time I saw the MST3K version I was gobsmacked. after about 15 minutes though it became hypnotic and I couldn't stop watching. By the time we meet Torgo I was all in. I love that Jackey and her dad were able to take part in the resurrection of Manos in all of it's incarnations.
June 27, 2021
Good inside information on the making of the movie. Nice highlights of what happened to the people who made the movie afterwards. Jackey Newman Jones seems to be a lovely person who really understands and appreciates the fans who enjoy the Manos Mythos. There is no real natural flow to the writing as certain stories and sentences are repeated in other chapters.
I have a soft spot for the movie but not enough to claim this book deserves more praise.
I have a soft spot for the movie but not enough to claim this book deserves more praise.
April 6, 2025
There aren't that many movies that have a reasonable claim on "worst film ever" status, but the wooden, sleazy, dimly-lit detritus that is "MANOS": THE HANDS OF FATE is one of them. (For my money, it's worse than PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE or THE ROOM, but not quite as bad as MONSTER A GO-GO! or THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS, which are probably my two all-time turkey nominees.) This poorly-dubbed, poorly-directed, poorly-filmed mess nonetheless has a weird charm to it, thanks to the bizarre mish-mash of tones, and a couple of performances (Tom Neyman's unhinged Master, and especially John Reynolds as the uncomfortable, strangely-voiced, twitchy, yet oddly sympathetic Torgo) that have a kind of anti-charisma that makes them compelling in spite of the whole movie. That's part of why, after being resurrected into the public consciousness by Mystery Science Theatre 3000, MANOS became a genuine cult classic.
This memoir tells the story of the film from the perspective of Jackey Neyman (Jones), who played the hapless child character Debbie. It's full of detail and stories of the actors, the production, and of course, the erstwhile impresario behind it all: community theater enthusiast and silver-tongued salesman Hal P. Warren. You'll never see MANOS quite the same way again.
The later sections, with Jackey's life after the film and what happened following the MST3K episode, are thinner and less rewarding. But, if you're a fan of Joel & the Bots, Z-grade movies, or the midcentury community theater scene in El Paso, you shouldn't miss this quick, breezy read.
This memoir tells the story of the film from the perspective of Jackey Neyman (Jones), who played the hapless child character Debbie. It's full of detail and stories of the actors, the production, and of course, the erstwhile impresario behind it all: community theater enthusiast and silver-tongued salesman Hal P. Warren. You'll never see MANOS quite the same way again.
The later sections, with Jackey's life after the film and what happened following the MST3K episode, are thinner and less rewarding. But, if you're a fan of Joel & the Bots, Z-grade movies, or the midcentury community theater scene in El Paso, you shouldn't miss this quick, breezy read.
October 4, 2022
A must read for fans, especially those like me who were introduced to the “worst movie ever made” through Mystery Science Theater 3000. Manos is an odd one and there have been many times I have watched the film without Joel and the bots riffs.
Fun fact: had a connection to this book by way of Jackey’s mention of a certain Torgo impersonator.
At Comic Con 2008 while waiting in line to meet Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett (who were there promoting Rifftrax) there was a man in line who was dressed up as Torgo. He had the costume, props, and even the voice down to a T. My husband took a picture of him and I while he pretended to twirl my hair as if to inspect me for The Master (could not find the photo), and I took a different photo of him by himself (hopefully the link I put in works).
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid...
It’s sad though according to Jackey, the relationship between Phil (Torgo) and her and her father was not good.
An overall good read on the making of Manos!
Fun fact: had a connection to this book by way of Jackey’s mention of a certain Torgo impersonator.
At Comic Con 2008 while waiting in line to meet Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett (who were there promoting Rifftrax) there was a man in line who was dressed up as Torgo. He had the costume, props, and even the voice down to a T. My husband took a picture of him and I while he pretended to twirl my hair as if to inspect me for The Master (could not find the photo), and I took a different photo of him by himself (hopefully the link I put in works).
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid...
It’s sad though according to Jackey, the relationship between Phil (Torgo) and her and her father was not good.
An overall good read on the making of Manos!
January 26, 2021
Certain films occupy a realm that goes beyond simply being poorly made. They are majestic wrecks. that you watch with a head scratching, slow moving train crash fascination. Manos: The Hands of Fate is such a film. It resides in the pantheon of worksa Ed Wood’s Plan Nine, The Room and Monster A Go Go. In Growing up Manos one of the films Stars, Jackey Raye Neyman Jones, who play the role of daughter Debbie, tells the story of the making of the film.
Described by her as “home movie” she, her father Tom Neyman (plays The Master in the film), mother and the production’s cast and crew. fell beneath the spell of salesman Harold P Warren, the film’s auteur, as he struggles to bring his vision to life. Funny in turns, sad at others, Mrs Jones and Laura Mazzuca Toops allow us to glimpse behind the scenes, the stories of making the film’s and legacy of one of the worst films ever made.
A must have for fans of the film, the book still offers much to even the most casual reader. With forword by Mystery Science Theater’s Joel Hodgson, you’d do well to get your hands on Growing up Manos
Described by her as “home movie” she, her father Tom Neyman (plays The Master in the film), mother and the production’s cast and crew. fell beneath the spell of salesman Harold P Warren, the film’s auteur, as he struggles to bring his vision to life. Funny in turns, sad at others, Mrs Jones and Laura Mazzuca Toops allow us to glimpse behind the scenes, the stories of making the film’s and legacy of one of the worst films ever made.
A must have for fans of the film, the book still offers much to even the most casual reader. With forword by Mystery Science Theater’s Joel Hodgson, you’d do well to get your hands on Growing up Manos
April 11, 2021
I'm coming from a biased position when I write this review. After all, Jackey Neyman Jones was kind enough to write a forward for my own book, "Santa Claus Conquers Manos: The Hands Of Fate" At the same time, I feel it is a disservice not to mention how wonderful this autobiographical account of her life and her times with the Manos: The Hands of Fate protection is from page to page. It often feels like you are watching old movies and truly get a first-hand account of what went into making what some call the "Worst Film Ever Made." It is an enjoyable novel and anyone interested in the history behind Manos or interested in the journey it takes to create a film should take the time to pick up this book.
January 2, 2022
A little light reading...
I feel like kind of a jerk giving this book only four stars, but honestly it's really only for people who have an interest in the phenomenon that is "Manos: The Hands of Fate."
Which is a shame, really, because even if you don't know there's a lot to be learned here about a movie that has become legendary for its earnest ineptitude. Anyone who has tried to create anything from their heart that turned out terribly can empathize with the struggle of those that worked hardest to make it happen.
Too often we get caught up in stories of great people making great art in what seemed fated to be the greatest film ever made...until the next tide comes and it inevitably gets buried by the next best thing. This is the story of everyone who has ever dreamed and failed- which is most of us- and have given up or have kept on creating. Because it's what we do.
I feel like kind of a jerk giving this book only four stars, but honestly it's really only for people who have an interest in the phenomenon that is "Manos: The Hands of Fate."
Which is a shame, really, because even if you don't know there's a lot to be learned here about a movie that has become legendary for its earnest ineptitude. Anyone who has tried to create anything from their heart that turned out terribly can empathize with the struggle of those that worked hardest to make it happen.
Too often we get caught up in stories of great people making great art in what seemed fated to be the greatest film ever made...until the next tide comes and it inevitably gets buried by the next best thing. This is the story of everyone who has ever dreamed and failed- which is most of us- and have given up or have kept on creating. Because it's what we do.
May 6, 2017
An entertaining and highly personal look at an infamously bad movie. Jackey Neyman Jones was the young star of Manos: The Hands of Fate and remembers incidents remarkably well and shares interesting anecdotes about a fascinating part of cinema history. You also learn just how much her family was involved in the movie and how it was made and even get an insight into Joel Hodgson's mind as he laments the fact that the MST3K was, in his opinion, not up to snuff.
While neither Jackey or her co-writer are going to win awards for writing stylization, the book was easy to read and clear in its details. There were a few moments when they repeated information needlessly, as if they had forgotten they had just mentioned it. But overall, a fun read.
While neither Jackey or her co-writer are going to win awards for writing stylization, the book was easy to read and clear in its details. There were a few moments when they repeated information needlessly, as if they had forgotten they had just mentioned it. But overall, a fun read.
May 1, 2018
I love Manos, and I've seen this compelling failure of a movie dozens of times since the 2005 Entertainment Weekly article about it. This report, put together through research and the author's own memories as the 6 year old child star, tells fun anecdotes about making it. But some of the chapters repeat details, showing how little data actually survives, and many paragraphs just list a person's theater credits. More importantly, there is a fascinating story about the author's relationship to the troubled artist father she shared screen time with, and I wish the book had been more about that. Overall, a quick fun read and a nice addition to the library of any Manos fan.
August 16, 2018
An incisive and detailed account of the making of what is truly the worst American movie ever made, from the detailed and discerning eyes of it’s youngest human cast member. A great book for fans of the phenom and an object lesson for others, the best meat in it comes in its final chapters where it explores the relationship between the author and her father (“The Master” in the movie, but also it’s Art Director, Set Dresser, Key Strategist among other hats he wore). It’s a little clumsy, as befits its subject, could have used a little editing, as befits its subject, but is obviously a labour of love and a great read as a result.
August 25, 2018
I loved it! Just about every question I had about "Manos," from "What's with Torgo's knees?" to "Why all the moths?" to "WHY was this movie released before someone fixed it up?" is answered now. There is closure. Thank you to Jackey for tracking down the details, and sharing your bizarre (through no fault of your own) story. We'd never know about it if you hadn't followed your artist instincts: "If it's not fun, it's not worth doing."
June 4, 2017
As Joel Hodgson notes in his introduction to this book, Manos: The Hands of Fate was not the best riff MST3K ever did—not by a long shot. It has become the most notorious for a variety of unclear reasons, one of which is that it is bad in many of the right ways. Although, unlike, say Plan 9 From Outer Space, with its goofy throwback to '30s-era horror, Manos is also bad in ways that make it a "hard watch".
Jackey Neyman Jones has diligently researched the topic for her book, which is also based on many of her own personal recollections, as she played "Debbie", the young daughter of the poor saps who are drawn into The Master's web of...web of...well, whatever it was The Master was doing up there in San Antonio.
The paradox of the movie (and many like it) is that the very person who has the personality to cause a movie to suddenly spring up in the deserts of Texas is the very person who will aggressively work against the things that might make a decent film. (This is so frequently true in low-budget film-making as to be a cliche.) In this case, our culprit is Harold P. Warren, who wrote, directed, produced and starred in this film.
Some of the stories sounded familiar. If you've ever read the brilliant Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, you may recognize the bombastic tales of artistic excellence, overshared profits (that never were), and a charismatic ringleader a bit over-convinced of his own brilliance. And Warren was no Wood, that's for sure. Warren seems to have had a fair bit of talent at his beck-and-call (which he exploited ruthlessly), and a fair bit of talent in making others' talent look bad.
The making of Manos included many fixtures of young Jackey's life: Her father was The Master, and he expertly manipulated her into playing Debbie. Her mother made the (wonderful) black-and-red hands costume The Master wore. The wild sculptures on the set were the work of her father's, and he had some hand in the special FX as well.
But only part of this book is about the making of Manos. A fair portion is about Ms. Jones, her adoration of her father (who played The Master), and how after a period of estrangement, the sudden re-emergence of the film allowed her to re-connect with her father. You can really understand how the author became the virtual mascot of the MST3K crew, introducing "The Mads" and being at the premiere for the recent MST3K reboot, because people coming together over truly bad (but sincerely made) films is what that show was all about.
There's a lot of fun stuff about the post-MST3K "Manos" craze, which has been truly phenomenal, with stage productions, sequels, and even a video game based on it. Another (sad) cliche is that, when the whiff of fame and wealth came around, a lot of would-be Warrens came out of the woods to try to exploit it.
There's a chapter toward the end called something like "Little Debbie reveals all" and, thankfully, she does not. It's enough to have the arc of her life separating and reconnecting with her dad without the sorts of highly intimate details that fuel some more self-indulgent works. The effect is to be touching without being, you know, gross. (The sort of subtlety missing from, say, the film in question.)
Anyway, this definitely joins Nightmare and The Evil Dead Companion on my list of great low-budget movie-based reads. Much like the MST3K episode that features it, this book is a testament to how even a bad movie (one of the worst even) can result in good things.
Jackey Neyman Jones has diligently researched the topic for her book, which is also based on many of her own personal recollections, as she played "Debbie", the young daughter of the poor saps who are drawn into The Master's web of...web of...well, whatever it was The Master was doing up there in San Antonio.
The paradox of the movie (and many like it) is that the very person who has the personality to cause a movie to suddenly spring up in the deserts of Texas is the very person who will aggressively work against the things that might make a decent film. (This is so frequently true in low-budget film-making as to be a cliche.) In this case, our culprit is Harold P. Warren, who wrote, directed, produced and starred in this film.
Some of the stories sounded familiar. If you've ever read the brilliant Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, you may recognize the bombastic tales of artistic excellence, overshared profits (that never were), and a charismatic ringleader a bit over-convinced of his own brilliance. And Warren was no Wood, that's for sure. Warren seems to have had a fair bit of talent at his beck-and-call (which he exploited ruthlessly), and a fair bit of talent in making others' talent look bad.
The making of Manos included many fixtures of young Jackey's life: Her father was The Master, and he expertly manipulated her into playing Debbie. Her mother made the (wonderful) black-and-red hands costume The Master wore. The wild sculptures on the set were the work of her father's, and he had some hand in the special FX as well.
But only part of this book is about the making of Manos. A fair portion is about Ms. Jones, her adoration of her father (who played The Master), and how after a period of estrangement, the sudden re-emergence of the film allowed her to re-connect with her father. You can really understand how the author became the virtual mascot of the MST3K crew, introducing "The Mads" and being at the premiere for the recent MST3K reboot, because people coming together over truly bad (but sincerely made) films is what that show was all about.
There's a lot of fun stuff about the post-MST3K "Manos" craze, which has been truly phenomenal, with stage productions, sequels, and even a video game based on it. Another (sad) cliche is that, when the whiff of fame and wealth came around, a lot of would-be Warrens came out of the woods to try to exploit it.
There's a chapter toward the end called something like "Little Debbie reveals all" and, thankfully, she does not. It's enough to have the arc of her life separating and reconnecting with her dad without the sorts of highly intimate details that fuel some more self-indulgent works. The effect is to be touching without being, you know, gross. (The sort of subtlety missing from, say, the film in question.)
Anyway, this definitely joins Nightmare and The Evil Dead Companion on my list of great low-budget movie-based reads. Much like the MST3K episode that features it, this book is a testament to how even a bad movie (one of the worst even) can result in good things.
January 15, 2021
A fun look back at the infamous Manos: The Hands of Fate movie done right here in Texas and riffed by MST3K/Rifftrax.
From the point of view of the little girl from the film and how it affected her life then and now, it is quite a fun read an any fans of the movie or the MST3K versions should check this out.
From the point of view of the little girl from the film and how it affected her life then and now, it is quite a fun read an any fans of the movie or the MST3K versions should check this out.
July 11, 2017
A wonderful look back on Jackey Neyman Jones' experiences making Manos and how it's weird cult status brought her a kind of new audience. If you're a fan of the movie, how it wound up on MST3k, and just b-movies in general it's a fun and very heartfelt read.
August 14, 2019
Read the book as part of research I was doing for a school paper. It was incredibly useful and filled in so many gaps for me about the Manos story. The writing was easy to follow and the story kept me engaged.
January 17, 2021
A heartfelt and honest account of everything that went into making one of the worst films ever made. Filled with more sentiment and earnestness, and far less nerding out, than one might expect going into it.
February 21, 2018
A interesting read for those who've seen the movie. Given a look behind the scenes, it's even more amazing this movie was actually ever made.
February 6, 2021
Great book! I loved reading this endearing book about the history and legacy of Manos: The Hands of Fate.
August 12, 2021
Fun book about one of the worst films ever made. As someone who adores bad t.v. and films, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and this book.
January 8, 2024
The editing could have been a little tighter, but this was a fascinating and humanizing look at the humans who made the worst movie ever made.
September 20, 2025
Loved Jackey's behind the scenes stories about filming "Manos!" This one is a must read for fans of bad movies and MST3k.
September 30, 2016
Any big fan of MST3K is familiar with Manos, the Hands of Fate. To them, the movie is a spectacularly bad product which made for one of the best episodes of Mystery Science 3000 as Joel and the Bots riff hit about ten jokes a minute at some points. But the circumstances of Manos makes for an amusing story in and of itself.
When I started reading the book and Ms. Jones' description of life in El Paso it definitely struck a chord with me. I have lived in El Paso at three points in my life (although well-after the days of Manos) and was familiar with much of the culture described by her in the book. I even recognized the movie as having been shot in El Paso when I saw it on MST3K... which I watched for the first time during my second assignment to Fort Bliss. Manos reinforced my belief that nothing good ever comes out of El Paso.
Jackey Jones, who played the little girl Debbie in the film, hits a lot of high points in her book: the story behind Torgo's knees, the origin of the Temple of Mild Foreboding (Temple of Doom was already taken), the near strike put on by the Wives and The Big Premier. The involvement of her and her family on the film (her father played the Master and her mother made some of the costumes) put her in a great position to provide her own reminisces of the movie as well as giving her the means to find many of the folks involved with the film. The book is well-written, although to be honest I expected a more tongue-in-cheek presentation but God knows, the truth is funny enough.
When I started reading the book and Ms. Jones' description of life in El Paso it definitely struck a chord with me. I have lived in El Paso at three points in my life (although well-after the days of Manos) and was familiar with much of the culture described by her in the book. I even recognized the movie as having been shot in El Paso when I saw it on MST3K... which I watched for the first time during my second assignment to Fort Bliss. Manos reinforced my belief that nothing good ever comes out of El Paso.
Jackey Jones, who played the little girl Debbie in the film, hits a lot of high points in her book: the story behind Torgo's knees, the origin of the Temple of Mild Foreboding (Temple of Doom was already taken), the near strike put on by the Wives and The Big Premier. The involvement of her and her family on the film (her father played the Master and her mother made some of the costumes) put her in a great position to provide her own reminisces of the movie as well as giving her the means to find many of the folks involved with the film. The book is well-written, although to be honest I expected a more tongue-in-cheek presentation but God knows, the truth is funny enough.
September 30, 2016
Any big fan of MST3K is familiar with Manos, the Hands of Fate. To them, the movie is a spectacularly bad product which made for one of the best episodes of Mystery Science 3000 as Joel and the Bots riff hit about ten jokes a minute at some points. But the circumstances of Manos makes for an amusing story in and of itself.
When I started reading the book and Ms. Jones' description of life in El Paso it definitely struck a chord with me. I have lived in El Paso at three points in my life (although well-after the days of Manos) and was familiar with much of the culture described by her in the book. I even recognized the movie as having been shot in El Paso when I saw it on MST3K... which I watched for the first time during my second assignment to Fort Bliss. Manos reinforced my belief that nothing good ever comes out of El Paso.
Jackey Jones, who played the little girl Debbie in the film, hits a lot of high points in her book: the story behind Torgo's knees, the origin of the Temple of Mild Foreboding (Temple of Doom was already taken), the near strike put on by the Wives and The Big Premier. The involvement of her and her family on the film (her father played the Master and her mother made some of the costumes) put her in a great position to provide her own reminisces of the movie as well as giving her the means to find many of the folks involved with the film. The book is well-written, although to be honest I expected a more tongue-in-cheek presentation but God knows, the truth is funny enough.
When I started reading the book and Ms. Jones' description of life in El Paso it definitely struck a chord with me. I have lived in El Paso at three points in my life (although well-after the days of Manos) and was familiar with much of the culture described by her in the book. I even recognized the movie as having been shot in El Paso when I saw it on MST3K... which I watched for the first time during my second assignment to Fort Bliss. Manos reinforced my belief that nothing good ever comes out of El Paso.
Jackey Jones, who played the little girl Debbie in the film, hits a lot of high points in her book: the story behind Torgo's knees, the origin of the Temple of Mild Foreboding (Temple of Doom was already taken), the near strike put on by the Wives and The Big Premier. The involvement of her and her family on the film (her father played the Master and her mother made some of the costumes) put her in a great position to provide her own reminisces of the movie as well as giving her the means to find many of the folks involved with the film. The book is well-written, although to be honest I expected a more tongue-in-cheek presentation but God knows, the truth is funny enough.
August 6, 2016
Five stars, and not for style ... but for depth and breadth of information. Doubtful another book will be even as half as informative as this behind the scenes look at the infamous film known as MANOS: The Hands of Fate as told by Jackey Neyman Jones (a.k.a. "Debbie"). Her book is candid and honest regarding the creators and stars, including tales of her own family's involvement - particularly her father who provided props and art direction in addition to starring as "The Master." She also follows up on what happened to the enthusiastic gang of amateurs who put together this bad, bad, BAD masterpiece of cinema. Crap cinema fans, rejoice!
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