Welcome to the Mandela Catalogue Community!
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The Mandela Catalogue is an analog horror web series created by American YouTuber Alex Kister in 2021. It is set in the fictional Mandela County, Wisconsin, which is invaded by "alternates", otherworldly beings that use various forms of psychological torture on their victims with the ultimate goal of assuming their identity as "doppelgängers". The series became popular online through analysis of its story and reaction videos from internet users.
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Primarily set during the early 1990s and late 2000s, The Mandela Catalogue takes place within the fictional Mandela County, located in Wisconsin, which is terrorized by the presence of shape-shifting creatures named "alternates". Alternates, led by a depiction of the archangel Gabriel, are nearly-immortal beings that aim to eradicate humanity by psychologically torturing them to the point of suicide (identified in-universe as M.A.D. or Metaphysical Awareness Disorder) and by manipulating audiovisual media, such as televisions, personal computers, and even vehicle GPS systems.[1][2]
The series contains many biblical allusions, including Noah's Ark, Adam and Eve, Mary and Joseph, and the birth of Jesus. It is heavily implied that the alternates are in actuality biblical demons, and that Gabriel is actually Satan in disguise.[2][3][4]
The Mandela Catalogue is composed of 8 shorts and 4 volumes across two "Acts", the first short of which was released on June 9, 2021. It is a subgenre of horror dubbed analog horror.[5][6][3] Its installments are usually presented as found footage material, or from the point of view of in-universe characters and/or their electronic devices. Nearly all of the Act I installments are rendered in a VHS aesthetic, whereas most Act II installments are made in the style of old digital videos, reflecting the shift in the time period depicted.
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The Mandela Catalogue was created by then seventeen-year-old student Alex Kister from Richfield, Wisconsin as a series of short videos they began in 2021, while in summer college. It was Kister's first filmmaking project.[1][7] Kister originally created "overthrone" [sic] as a one-off video based on a high school writing project and planned to make a series where he edited children's cartoons to be creepy.[7][8][9] However, due to the popularity of the video, Kister decided to continue making videos following the universe of overthrone in the modern day.[7][8][9] The series' name came from the Mandela Effect.[10]
Kister had little to no budget and used basic editing: scenes are shot in his home and characters are portrayed by his friends through still images and voiceover. Kister's mother once played an alternate. In an interview with GQ, Kister said he wanted to develop his horror from "jump-scares that [...] cause a physiological reaction rather than a psychological reaction."[1]
Kister has said the series originally began as a creative outlet for the existential crisis they were dealing with, especially when it came to the subject of religion and Christianity.[7][9][11] The series was also inspired by the isolation and loss of security Kister experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]
In October 2022, Kister worked with Makeship to release merchandise for the series.[12] In March 2024, Retro Release Video announced plans to release the first volume on VHS, though this was soon cancelled due to a controversy surrounding Kister.
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That's all. Have a great time here!
