(possible spoilers)
I'm fascinated with b-movies, especially when film makers faced with low budgets, time restrictions and other pressures manage to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. 'Targets' is a great example of this. Peter Bogdanovich was an actor and writer but (like many people) got his big movie break from b-grade legend Roger Corman. Corman hired Bogdanovich to work on his biker cult classic 'The Wild Angels' as his assistant, but he was allowed to help with the writing and editing and impressed Corman enough to offer him a movie of his own. The conditions were he had to use Boris Karloff for only two days (initially) and also incorporate footage from Corman's 'The Terror'! Out of this and with very little money Bogdanovich inventively came up with one of the most interesting thrillers of the late 60s (with some uncredited script advice from his pal Sam Fuller). Karloff basically plays himself, Byron Orlok, an aging horror actor who feels he is no longer relevant in a world faced with modern horrors such as urban violence. Bogdanovich also plays a character much like himself, Sammy Michaels, an up and coming young director, who is supposed to direct Orlok's next picture. He assures Orlok that the project will be something special, but Karloff is tired and wants out of the movie business. This plot is inter-cut with a look at a seemingly clean cut All American Boy Bobby Thompson (Tim O'Kelly), who leads a banal suburban life. One morning he unexpectedly murders his wife and mother, then starts randomly shooting strangers on the highway. The Bobby Thompson character was inspired by the real life mass murderer Charles Whitman, and O'Kelly is very believable in the role. Bogdanovich is an obvious talent, and this is very impressive for a debut feature. He deftly switched between the Orlok and Thompson stories, and gets superb performances out of both the veteran Karloff and newcomer O'Kelly. 'Targets' is suspenseful and provocative, and shows what can be achieved with very little time and money if someone has ideas and willpower. This movie launched Bogdanovich's Hollywood career, starting him on the road to his 70s success. Unfortunately it still remains relatively obscure. I highly recommend 'Targets' to anyone interested in b-grade movies of the 60s or 70s.
I'm fascinated with b-movies, especially when film makers faced with low budgets, time restrictions and other pressures manage to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. 'Targets' is a great example of this. Peter Bogdanovich was an actor and writer but (like many people) got his big movie break from b-grade legend Roger Corman. Corman hired Bogdanovich to work on his biker cult classic 'The Wild Angels' as his assistant, but he was allowed to help with the writing and editing and impressed Corman enough to offer him a movie of his own. The conditions were he had to use Boris Karloff for only two days (initially) and also incorporate footage from Corman's 'The Terror'! Out of this and with very little money Bogdanovich inventively came up with one of the most interesting thrillers of the late 60s (with some uncredited script advice from his pal Sam Fuller). Karloff basically plays himself, Byron Orlok, an aging horror actor who feels he is no longer relevant in a world faced with modern horrors such as urban violence. Bogdanovich also plays a character much like himself, Sammy Michaels, an up and coming young director, who is supposed to direct Orlok's next picture. He assures Orlok that the project will be something special, but Karloff is tired and wants out of the movie business. This plot is inter-cut with a look at a seemingly clean cut All American Boy Bobby Thompson (Tim O'Kelly), who leads a banal suburban life. One morning he unexpectedly murders his wife and mother, then starts randomly shooting strangers on the highway. The Bobby Thompson character was inspired by the real life mass murderer Charles Whitman, and O'Kelly is very believable in the role. Bogdanovich is an obvious talent, and this is very impressive for a debut feature. He deftly switched between the Orlok and Thompson stories, and gets superb performances out of both the veteran Karloff and newcomer O'Kelly. 'Targets' is suspenseful and provocative, and shows what can be achieved with very little time and money if someone has ideas and willpower. This movie launched Bogdanovich's Hollywood career, starting him on the road to his 70s success. Unfortunately it still remains relatively obscure. I highly recommend 'Targets' to anyone interested in b-grade movies of the 60s or 70s.