The original Manos works because it was played straight. You got a movie that is objectively bad, but treats itself so seriously. That difference made it funny.
That balance is hard to get. Winking at the camera kills the horror. Being too serious kills the vibe.
I wanted to give homage to the movie, but also keep some mysteries in. Here is one: "camp" is Margaret’s repression.
She is trying to understand what is happening to her life. But she can't accept the fact that something horrid is happening. So she sees it as absurd, or "camp". It’s easier for her. It’s easier than doing anything about it.
Making a "bad movie game" gives us options to show it.
Look at the "intrusive hand" in the screenshot. In some bad movies, a hand coming from off-screen is supposed to be suspenseful. To whom does the hand belong? But of course, the Character in the movie sees outside the frame. They should see the person to which the hand is attached. So why would they act like they don't?
In Cult: Manos, it is a narrative branch. Whose hand is it? Torgo inappropriately touching Margaret? Mike offering help? Depending on how the story goes... maybe it's both.
We are still calibrating the screaming.
