Graham Masterton, known for his sharp storytelling, penned the screenplay for The Manitou (1978), a film that exemplifies the blend of horror and supernatural themes prevalent in the late 1970s. His work captures the essence of exploitation cinema, drawing audiences into a world where ancient forces clash with modernity. Masterton's ability to weave suspense and intrigue into his narratives has made The Manitou a notable entry in the cult film canon, showcasing his unique voice in genre storytelling.
The Manitou
A woman named Karen (Strasberg), who is suffering from a growing tumor on her neck, enters a hospital in San Francisco. After a series of X-rays, the doctors begin to think it is a living creature: a fetus being born inside the tumor. Eerie and grisly occurrences begin; the tumorous growth perceives itself – himself – to be under attack as a result of the X-rays used to ascertain its nature, which are starting to stunt and deform its development. The growth is the old Native American shaman, Misquamacus; he is reincarnating himself through the young woman to exact his revenge on the white men who invaded North America and exterminated its native peoples. Karen's boyfriend, psychic fortune teller Harry Erskine (Curtis) contacts a second Native American shaman, John Singing Rock (Ansara), to help fight the reincarnating medicine man, but the kind of spirits he can summon and control appear to be too weak to match his opponent's abilities.
