Manos: The Hands of Fate is a 1966 American independent horror film written, directed, and produced by Harold P. Warren, who also starred in the film. The film's plot revolves primarily around a vacationing family who lose their way on a road trip. After a long drive in the Texas desert, the family finds themselves trapped at a lodge maintained by a polygynous pagan cult led by a man known only as The Master, and they attempt to escape as the cult's members decide what to do with them. Manos remained obscure until 1993, when the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K), a show based on the premise of comedically mocking B movies, featured the film in an episode, helping it develop a cult reputation as one of the worst films ever made. The film was followed by a prequel in 2014, Manos: The Rise of Torgo, and a sequel in 2018, Manos Returns.