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Boris Karloff, Tim O'Kelly, Nancy Hsueh, James Brown, Sandy Baron ... see more see more... , Arthur Peterson , Tanya Morgan , Mary Jackson , Monte Landis , Stafford Morgan , Mark Dennis , Paul Condylis , Peter Bogdanovich , Dan Ades , Geraldine Baron , Robert Cleaves , James Morris , Randy Quaid , Kirk Scott , Jay Daniel , Susan Douglas Rubes , Mike Farrell , Gary Kent , Frank Marshall , Diana Ashley , James Bowie , Elaine Partnow , James Brown (II)

Together with Orson Welles' Citizen Kane and John Singleton's Boyz 'n the Hood, director Peter Bogdanovich's Targets is among the most impressive first features ever made. When Bogdanovich's cinematic... read more read more... mentor Roger Corman suggested that Bogdanovich might want to make his directorial debut, he offered to "donate" 20 minutes worth of footage of the Corman-directed The Terror and the services of Boris Karloff, who owed Corman two days' worth of work (at a cost of $22,000). Karloff became so caught up in the 29-year-old Bogdanovich's enthusiasm that he agreed to work an additional two days at a bare-minimum salary. The script, by Bogdanovich and his then-wife, Polly Platt, was inspired by the 1966 shooting spree of Texas Tower sniper Charles Whitman. Karloff, as Byron Orlock, more or less plays himself: an aging horror star, consigned to low-budget drive-in fare. Unlike the workaholic Karloff, Orlock wants to retire from films, noting that his movies seem inconsequential in light of the real-life horrors occurring every day. As Bogdanovich, playing young-and-hungry director Sammy Michaels, desperately tries to convince Orlock to star in just one more picture, the film's attentions shift to Vietnam veteran Bobby Thompson (Tim O'Kelly). An otherwise amiable, normal-looking lad, Bobby seems to harbor an inordinate fascination with guns, particularly high-powered rifles. One bright and sunny morning, Bobby suddenly and unexpectedly shoots and kills his wife, his mother, and an unlucky delivery boy. He leaves behind a note confessing to these crimes, noting that, while he fully expects to be captured, many more will die before the day is over. From this point onward, the film switches from Bobby's day-long bloodbath (from the vantage point of an oil storage tank, calmly picking off passing freeway motorists) to Orlock's grumbling preparations to make a personal appearance at a local drive-in movie. Inevitably, Bobby also shows up at the drive-in, hiding himself behind the huge screen and shooting down the patrons as they sit complacently in their cars, watching the latest Byron Orlock film (actually The Terror, in which Karloff also starred). Once the reality of the situation sets in, panic ensues, leading to the ultimate confrontation between the escaping Bobby and the bewildered Orlock. ("Is this what I was afraid of?" Orlock ruefully exclaims as Bobby cowers at his feet.) The tension never lets up throughout Targets' jam-packed 90 minutes. The film was virtually thrown away by its distributor, Paramount Pictures, which was uncertain about packaging a film about a sniper in the wake of the King and Kennedy assassinations. Only when it was reissued to college campuses and film societies did Targets begin building up its much-deserved reputation. Though Targets was not, technically, Boris Karloff's last film, it serves as a worthy valedictory for this cinematic giant. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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77% liked it

3,044 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

24 critics

R, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich

Release Date: August 15, 1968

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DVD Release Date: August 12, 2003

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Stats: 186 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (186)

  • StarCrossedVoyager
    April 2, 2011
    StarCrossedVoyager
    A intelligent, slow burner that has a brilliant ending. You can follow it from the start and keep guessing as to what will happen as the characters stories intertwine with each other. Brilliant performances and a great watch.
  • SirPant
    September 30, 2009
    SirPant
    Considering Bogdanovich was given various different pieces from various different puzzles, it?s amazing a film was made at all. Targets is a great film though, Boris Karloff in a very contemporary horror film that revels the fact that the Bogey man isn?t real, it?s the guy standi... read moreng next to you wearing a big white smile and a sniper rifle over his shoulder that you should be scarred of!
  • pier007
    September 15, 2009
    pier007
    One of the most impressive and yet overlooked debuts. From Roger Corman's pupil Peter Bogdanovich, pulling off the job with the same guerrilla filmmaking techniques of his master, a very tight budget and shooting schedule.
    Crafty and unique way of storytelling and montage (Sam Fu... read moreller did some uncredited dictations)
    An intense motion picture that analyses our perception on violence, real and fictitious; and juxtaposes the lives of two men as an example of both. their own particular downfall, and how they converge in a thrilling third act.
    Full of Bogdanovich's cinephilia all over, and two outstanding performances by the leads, the little known Tim O'Kelly and the immortal horror star Boris Karloff.
  • vierasesine
    August 1, 2009
    vierasesine
    Has some great scenes but, all in all, isn't all that captivating.
  • rubystevens
    October 11, 2008
    rubystevens
    this stunning low budget thriller features the last great role of boris karloff's career, sending himself up by playing an aging horror star who is talked into one last personal appearance before retirement. movie horror meets real-life horror when a sniper shows up. loosely ba... read moresed on the whitman texas tower case; peter bogdanovich's first film, shot in less than 3 weeks, produced by roger corman and released in 1968 shortly after the mlk and rfk assassinations
  • mjgildea
    March 21, 2008
    mjgildea
    Targets is pretty damn good when you consider it had the budget of a pair of sneakers and cup of coffee. Some of the scenes were well done and the family scenes with the Thompsons and their eventual squeaky clean tragedy was great and disturbing all at the same time. There was al... read moreso a great nostalgic phoniness (and again, this may be the low budget talking here) to this movie that left me on edge. Unfortunately the story never gets there (or really goes anywhere for that matter), Boris Karloff's performance is hammy as sin and I'm aware that this was Bogdanovich's first film but the execution was really weak at points. The climax, as entertaining and silly as it was, is a prime example. (Getting your ass kicked by a feeble Boris Karloff---okay.) Targets is good, but if you expect to be entertained instead of amazed you shouldn't be disappointed.
  • kenstachnik
    September 25, 2007
    kenstachnik
    An amazing little seen film. Well worth your time.

    Karloff's last great performance. Watch for future super producer Frank Marshall as the ticket taker at the drive in.
  • webalina
    May 19, 2007
    webalina
    Not exactly entertaining but well-done. Loosely based on Charles Whitman, the young man who climbed the tower on the University of Texas campus and starting shooting people at random, but not all that loosely. It's actually pretty close to the truth. Boris Karloff's last role as ... read morean aging movie monster is kinda autobiographical as well. Nice to seem him in a role as a person, not a monster or a madman.
  • jimbotender
    September 5, 2008
    jimbotender
    Superbly filmed and enticing in its narrative description,there are plenty of homages for every film-buff to enjoy,plus a frustrating comment towards gun-use and the obsessiveness of addiction.Either it's the glamorous industry or shooting for fun...
  • threefolddado
    June 26, 2008
    threefolddado
    Peter Bogdanovich creates a true masterpiece here.

View All Targets Reviews

Critic Reviews

October 19, 2008
TIME Magazine

The endlessly repetitive fusillades suggest that Writer-Director Peter Bogdanovich, in his first film, was really intent on creating the most prolific murderer in Hollywood's long history of violence.... Full Review

Variety Staff
September 25, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

Aware of the virtue of implied violence, Bogdanovich conveys moments of shock, terror, suspense and fear. Full Review

Howard Thompson
May 9, 2005
Howard Thompson, New York Times

Targets scores an unnerving bullseye. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Targets isn't a very good film, but it is an interesting one. Full Review

Dave Kehr
January 1, 2000
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

An interesting response to the demands of low-budget genre filmmaking. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
December 15, 2006
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Impressive directorial debut. Full Review

Geoff Andrew
June 24, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

A fascinatingly complex commentary on American mythology, exploring the relationship between the inner world of the imagination and the outer world of violence and paranoia, both of which were relevan... Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
April 8, 2006
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

Brilliant film. Full Review

Stephen Tropiano
November 1, 2003
Stephen Tropiano, PopMatters

It's difficult not to wonder how many Bobby Thompsons are out there right now, driving around with an arsenal in their trunks, ready to fire their first shots. Full Review

Bill Chambers
August 13, 2003
Bill Chambers, Film Freak Central

A beautiful, disturbing, masterful fiction-filmmaking debut for Bogdanovich Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Targets Trivia

  • Which actor starred in all of these movies: The Mummmy, The Body Snatcher, The old dark house and Targets? among other films  Answer »
  • When CIA analyst Jack Ryan interferes with an IRA assination, a renegade faction targets him and his family for revenge.  Answer »
  • What film from 1968 was the first film directed by Peter Bogdanovich, the last to feature Boris Karloff, was co-written by Orson Welles, and included footage of a young Jack Nicholson?  Answer »
  • What choices does Beck offer his targets in The Rundown?  Answer »
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