William Girdler’s THE MANITOU (1978)

RETROFANTASMA FILM SERIES
Select Wednesdays at 7pm in Cinema One | $10 per person.

Wednesday, February 18, 2026
William Girdler’s THE MANITOU
(PG, 1978, 104 min)
"Evil does not die… It waits to be reborn!" It starts with a tumor—but this one is alive. A centuries-old Native American spirit begins growing on a woman’s neck, and soon New York City becomes a supernatural playground gone gloriously haywire. Dark rituals, outrageous magic, and practical effects so grotesque they’ll make your jaw hit the floor turn ordinary streets into a chaotic battleground. Chairs fly, bodies twist, and reality bends in ways that are equal parts shocking and hilarious. Ancient evil refuses to be polite, spreading terror and absurdity in equal measure. Equal parts body horror, occult spectacle, and gleeful madness, The Manitou is a camp classic of 1970s horror—twisted, utterly insane, and unforgettable. Based on Graham Masterton’s 1976 best-selling novel, this film brings his shocking supernatural vision to the big screen.
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