The Manipulator (1971)

Really Surprised!

i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Well it strikes me that if you hold your index finger strategically placed on the fast forward button, you'll suffer no loss of coherence or continuity while watching this thing. Now I would have done that, except then I'd lose some integrity in writing a review, so I forced myself to suffer through it. Which is not to say that there wasn't a single redeeming factor here, that being Mickey Rooney's insanely delivered performance as a mad film director and erstwhile performer in his own twisted production. He barks orders to imaginary crew and cameraman while the imaginary applause of worshipful fans appeal to his artistic sensibilities. Luana Anders is at the same time his leading actress in bondage and almost willing co-conspirator in the madness. What you wind up with is a pretentious art house film, the product of a writer and director with no vision other than to get something down on celluloid and call it art.Throughout this twisted nightmare, there were moments when Rooney actually looked like he might have been having fun in between his misgivings about taking on the assignment. Those inspired renditions of Chatanooga Choo-Choo were pure Cyrano de Rooneyac. What I'd really like to know is if Rooney ever discussed this film role as a guest on Carson's 'Tonight Show'. Can you picture that - with Rickles sitting on one side, and Dean Martin on the other. Now that's something I would really want to see.

Everyone who has commented on this film to date has been right. It is a terrible, nearly unwatchable movie, directed by someone who has seen too many avant-garde short films by Stan Brakhage and Maya Derren and who mistakenly believed that a 90-minute commercial movie could be made using their techniques.But it is also a filmed actors exercise, an extended acting class in which someone said to Mickey Rooney, "Let's test your chops, and explore the limits of your acting range." Viewing the movie that way, it is a triumph for Rooney. His acting talent is incredible, and in two- or three-minute bites his performance can be mesmerizing. He takes a mess of a script, an insane and unsympathetic character, and crazy lines, and comes off not just as believable but as affecting. You really don't want to see this movie, but if someone showed you a few short clips from it you would gain a new appreciation for Rooney's abilities.Luana Anders holds her own as Rooney's captive, but it is Rooney's show.

Cinematic travesty is right! This film is rancid and putrid and boring and so God awful! Mickey Rooney plays some mental case that thinks he is making movies back in 1947 in an old props room where he instructs his "actress" Luana Anders in Cyrano De Bergerac. All 90 minutes basically takes place in this "loft" that really looks like nothing more than the backstage of a small theater. Watching this film was excrutiating torture as we get to see Mickey Rooney give the worst performance of his career, as well as Luana Anders! Rooney is barking out orders to stagehands that aren't there one moment, then he is dancing around and singing "Pardon Me Boys, Is That the Chattanooga Choochoo." He is painful to watch as in one scene he wears make-up and looks like a cheap hooker on the Vegas Strip(based on his looks...one real CHEAP hooker to boot!). Most of the time he looks like some maniacal gnome. Some of the scenes even have speeded scenes so we can see him dance about in fast motion no less. Anders is just as bad(at least looks good) as we never really can tell what her motivation is or what she really feels. This is just one real reel bad film. Director Yabo Yablinsky deserves most of the blame as he forfeits plot structure, characterization, pacing, motivation, and all those things that are a part of a good film for nonsense, halluciatory dream sequences that mean absolutely nothing, and odd, repetitive camera angles. Whew! What a stinker! Yabo is one yahoo!!!

I would simply state that this movie was less than horrible, but I feel that would be too nice. Basically, I would rather consume rancid lobster than endure this cinematic travesty again. I respect Mickey Rooney as a great American actor and I have enjoyed many of his films but he should definitely abstain himself from any experimentations with abstract art and hallucinogens. I wouldn't recommend this film to the devil himself.