Manos: The Hands of Fate is a horror film written, directed and produced by Harold P. Warren, a fertilizer salesman from El Paso, Texas.
Under the working title The Lodge of Sins, the movie was filmed in mid 1966 with a 16 mm Bell & Howell camera which had to be wound by hand and filmed for only 32 seconds. This has been suggested as a possible explanation for the many editing problems present in the final cut. The Bell & Howell camera was incapable of double-system recording, and thus all sound effects and dialogue were dubbed later in post-production. Warren renamed the film during production from its working title to Manos: The Hands of Fate. The word "manos" in the title is Spanish for "hands", therefore the film's title literally translates to Hands: The Hands of Fate.
Post production efforts were reportedly minimal, despite promises by Warren that any problems in the film would be fixed in later editing. One of the more visible examples of this lack of attention is a brief moment at the beginning of the film in which the clapperboard is visible after a cut. It is believed that the entire opening sequence, which consisted of the main characters driving around looking for their hotel for several minutes with minimal dialogue or effect on the plot, was the result of such neglect. Warren had intended to include opening credits at this stage of the film, but forgot or was unable to add them. Reportedly, Warren's small crew became so bemused by his amateurishness and irascibility that they derisively called the movie "Mangos: The Cans of Fruit" behind his back.
The film premiered at the Capri Theater in Warren's hometown of El Paso, Texas on November 15, 1966. Warren arranged for a searchlight to be used at the cinema, and for the cast to be brought to the premiere by a limousine, in order to enhance the Hollywood feel of the event. Warren could afford only a single limousine, however, so the driver had to drop off one group, then drive around the block and pick up another. The premiere was attended by numerous local dignitaries, including the mayor and local sheriff. Shortly after the film began, the audience began laughing at its poor quality and redundant dialogue. Humiliated, Warren and the rest of his cast made a hasty exit. The film ended with a mixture of laughter and applause.
