Targets
Reviews
adorablepanic
Roger Corman offered to produce (without credit) whatever film first time director Peter Bogdanovich wanted to make under two conditions: He had to cast Boris Karloff, who owed Corman two days work; and to keep the cost down, he had to pad the running time with footage from an earlier Karloff film. The result was TARGETS (1968), which proved to be too topical for many theaters to touch when it initially appeared. That's a shame, because it provided Karloff with an A-level role as the sun set on his life and career. Bogdanovich tells parallel stories which converge at the finale: One involves a young man who turns to bloodshed when he feels that he has nothing ahead of him; the other revolves around an aged film star who believes that everything is behind him. Timely when released because of the social climate; timely now because of the politically charged debate over gun control; and ultimately - thanks to the presence of the great Karloff - timeless.
Wuchak
**_As relevant today as it was when it was made_** An aged horror icon (Boris Karloff) wants to retire because he’s weary of the biz and thinks modern life has become more horrifying than his old-fashioned movies. But a director/writer (Peter Bogdanovich) encourages him to read an atypical script or, at least, attend a promotional appearance at a drive-in, which is showing his latest movie, “The Terror.” Unfortunately, a young ordinary man (Tim O'Kelly) has snapped and is on a killing spree with the drive-in being his final shooting range. “Targets” (1968) is a minor cult masterpiece, a self-conscious postmodernist piece inspired by the “Texas Tower Sniper” from August 1, 1966, who killed 14 people and wounded 31 others at the University of Texas at Austin. Bobby (O'Kelly) is patterned after the lunatic murderer with the setting simply switched to the San Fernando Valley in SoCal. I took the flick as a bleak commentary on the way it simply is in America rather than a criticism of the 2nd Amendment. After all, outlawing alcohol during Prohibition didn’t stop people from selling & purchasing booze and neither have drug laws in the modern day stopped people from selling & buying illegal drugs. Evil doesn’t exist in a gun, knife, club or rock, but in the hearts of people bent on taking innocent lives for their own evil purposes. Plus, as clichéd as it may sound, the quickest way to stop an evil person with a gun is by a good person with a gun (certainly not an elderly man with a cane). A good recent example is the case in Charleston, West Virginia, on May 25, 2022, where a brave woman shot an active shooter dead before he was able to murder anyone gathered at an apartment complex. Dissolving the 2nd Amendment would only prevent law-abiding citizens from buying/owning firearms; it wouldn’t prevent wackos intent on bloodshed from purchasing firearms on the black market. To support this, Bobby panics at the climax precisely because some male viewers at the drive-in have grabbed their legal guns to take care of the sniper. Keep in mind that producer Roger Corman sold the movie to Paramount rather than release it through AIP. After the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy the studio released only six prints and prefaced the flick with a statement advocating gun control. Director Bogdanovich had zero to do with this. “Targets” works as an interesting psychological study: What is it that causes Bobby to ‘snap’ and ruin his life by going on a crazed killing spree? His respectable-yet-intimidating father has properly trained him on firearm safety, but he has also inadvertently made his son a frustrated weakling — a bomb just waiting to go off. The disease of legalism is all over his parent’s household, where the young couple resides. Look at the clues. This was one of Karloff’s last movies. He passed away 5.5 months after its release at the age of 81. Thankfully, he plays an interesting protagonist, a hero even, rather than some cheesy boogeyman for the millionth time. Plus I enjoyed the levity provided by his character and Bogdanovich’s, which counterbalances the stark, depressing vacancy of the rest of the story. Really, the flick is about the thin line between reality and art, the relationship between real-life and films. For instance, the killer loading his rifle is paralleled with the projectionist loading his projector at the drive-in. Also, the slayer confuses the old man intently moving toward him with the actor’s character on the big screen. It’s equally about the decline of morals and banalization of life in the modern day, particularly America and Western Culture, where we’ve lost our spiritual compass and sense of purpose. Lastly, the easy access to firearms can culminate in deadly expression of pent-up frustration and anger, which is just below the surface in some otherwise perfectly normal people. Again, the most effective way to stop ’em with the least amount of bloodshed is a good person with a gun, who’s on the scene. ’Nuff said. The film runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles, including Van Nuys, Hollywood, West Hollywood and Reseda. GRADE: B
griggs79
Hmmm… I’ve never quite got Bogdanovich. I’m still not convinced. _Targets_ is a good idea—old-school horror legend (Karloff, doing his best with what he’s given) crosses paths with a modern-day, real-world killer—but it never quite lands. Karloff’s great, obviously, and there’s something poignant about him playing a man who knows he’s past it. But the rest? Bit of a slog, honestly. The sniper stuff should be tense, but it’s weirdly flat. And the script is dreadful—people talking like they’ve just learned how conversations work. It feels like Bogdanovich had something to say about violence and movies but got distracted by showing off how clever he is. It's not a total write-off, but I wouldn’t rush to watch it again.
Movie Recommendation
71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance1995-03-1071 scenes revolving around multiple Viennese residents who are by chance involved with a senseless gun slaughter on Christmas Eve.More...
Curse of the Crimson Altar1968-12-01When his brother disappears, Robert Manning pays a visit to the remote country house he was last heard from. While his host is outwardly welcoming, and his niece more demonstrably so, Manning detects a feeling of menace in the air with the legend of Lavinia Morley, Black Witch of Greymarsh, hanging over everything.More...
Heaven's Gate1980-11-19Harvard graduate James Averill serves as the sheriff of prosperous Jackson County, Wyo., standing at the center of a conflict between impoverished immigrants and affluent cattle farmers. Politically connected ranchers enlist mercenary Nathan Champion—who is also vying for the affections of local madam Ella Watson—to combat the immigrant uprising. As tensions escalate, both Averill and Champion start to question their decisions.More...
Bloody Mama1970-03-24Sexually abused as a young girl, Kate "Ma" Barker grows into a violent and powerful woman by the 1930s. She lovingly dominates her grown sons and grooms them into a pack of tough crooks. The boys include the cruel Herman, who still shares a bed with Ma; Fred, an ex-con who fell in love with a fellow prisoner; and Lloyd, who gets high on whatever's handy. Together they form a deadly, bizarre family of Depression-era bandits.More...
Taboo1999-12-18Set during Japan's Shogun era, this film looks at life in a samurai compound where young warriors are trained in swordfighting. A number of interpersonal conflicts are brewing in the training room, all centering around a handsome young samurai named Sozaburo Kano. The school's stern master can choose to intervene, or to let Kano decide his own path.More...
Goodbye Charlie1964-11-18When a cavorting Hollywood writer is killed by the angry husband of a woman he was having an affair with, he comes back as a spirit in the form of a beautiful woman and moves in with his/her best friend as a base operation for enacting sweet revenge.More...
Macabre1958-10-01After his wife and her blind sister have died under his care, a doctor's small daughter is kidnapped and reported as buried alive, and he is given just five hours to find and rescue her.More...
Carnival of Souls1962-11-02Mary Henry ends up the sole survivor of a fatal car accident through mysterious circumstances. Trying to put the incident behind her, she moves to Utah and takes a job as a church organist. But her fresh start is interrupted by visions of a fiendish man. As the visions begin to occur more frequently, Mary finds herself drawn to the deserted carnival on the outskirts of town. The strangely alluring carnival may hold the secret to her tragic past.More...
The Quiet Earth1985-09-08After a top-secret experiment misfires, a scientist may be the only man left alive in the world.More...
The Haunting1963-08-21Dr. John Markway invites three distinct individuals to the eerie and isolated Hill House to be subjects for a sleep disorder study. The unfortunate guests discover that Markway is far more interested in the sinister mansion itself — and they soon see the true nature of its horror.More...
El Dorado1966-12-17Cole Thornton, a gunfighter for hire, joins forces with an old friend, Sheriff J.P. Harrah. Together with a fighter and a gambler, they help a rancher and his family fight a rival rancher that is trying to steal their water.More...
Sandy Wexler2017-04-14When a hapless but dedicated talent manager signs his first client who actually has talent, his career finally starts to take off.More...
Hundreds of Beavers2024-01-26In the 19th century, a drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.More...
The Maltese Falcon1941-10-18A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a beautiful liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette.More...
To Kill a Mockingbird1962-12-20Scout Finch, 6, and her older brother Jem live in sleepy Maycomb, Alabama, spending much of their time with their friend Dill and spying on their reclusive and mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. When Atticus, their widowed father and a respected lawyer, defends a black man named Tom Robinson against fabricated rape charges, the trial and tangent events expose the children to evils of racism and stereotyping.More...
A History of Violence2005-09-23An average family is thrust into the spotlight after the father commits a seemingly self-defense murder at his diner.More...
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy2004-06-28It's the 1970s and San Diego anchorman Ron Burgundy is the top dog in local TV, but that's all about to change when ambitious reporter Veronica Corningstone arrives as a new employee at his station.More...
The Sound of Music1965-03-02In the years before the Second World War, a tomboyish postulant at an Austrian abbey is hired as a governess in the home of a widowed naval captain with seven children, and brings a new love of life and music into the home.More...
Stand by Me1986-08-08After learning that a boy their age has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four Oregon boys decide to go see the body. On the way, Gordie, Vern, Chris and Teddy encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, as they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys' adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.More...
Ant-Man2015-07-14Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.More...
Similar Movies
The Rage: Carrie 2
1999-03-12Following the suicide of her only friend, outcast teen Rachel Lang's life begins a downward spiral that will not only affect her but take everyone around her down in horrifying fashion.Sleeping with the Ene...
1991-01-13A young woman fakes her own death in an attempt to escape her nightmarish marriage, but discovers it is impossible to elude her controlling husband.The Cook, the Thief, ...
1989-10-13The wife of an abusive criminal finds solace in the arms of a kind regular guest in her husband's restaurant.Vantage Point
2008-02-01During an historic counter-terrorism summit in Spain, the President of the United States is struck down by an assassin's bullet. Eight strangers have a perfect view of the kill, but what did they really see? As the minutes leading up to the fatal shot are replayed through the eyes of each eyewitness, the reality of the assassination takes shape.The Harder They Come
1972-09-01Ivanhoe Martin arrives in Kingston, Jamaica, looking for work and, after some initial struggles, lands a recording contract as a reggae singer. He records his first song, "The Harder They Come," but after a bitter dispute with a manipulative producer named Hilton, soon finds himself resorting to petty crime in order to pay the bills. He deals marijuana, kills some abusive cops and earns local folk hero status. Meanwhile, his record is topping the charts.Smokin' Aces
2006-12-09When a Las Vegas performer-turned-snitch named Buddy Israel decides to turn state's evidence and testify against the mob, it seems that a whole lot of people would like to make sure he's no longer breathing.Harsh Times
2005-09-11Jim Davis is an ex-Army Ranger who finds himself slipping back into his old life of petty crime after a job offer from the LAPD evaporates. His best friend is pressured by his girlfriend Sylvia to find a job, but Jim is more interested in hanging out and making cash from small heists, while trying to get a law enforcement job so he can marry his Mexican girlfriend.Dragged Across Concre...
2019-02-21Two policemen, one an old-timer, the other his volatile younger partner, find themselves suspended when a video of their strong-arm tactics becomes the media's cause du jour. Low on cash and with no other options, these two embittered soldiers descend into the criminal underworld to gain their just due, but instead find far more than they wanted awaiting them in the shadows.Writer's Block
1991-10-09A female writer of popular thrillers decides that it is time to kill off one of her characters, a serial killer who has appeared in many of her recent books. Soon afterward, she finds herself pursued by a copy-cat serial killer.Red Dragon
2002-10-02Former FBI Agent Will Graham, who was once almost killed by the savage Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter, now has no choice but to face him again, as it seems Lecter is the only one who can help Graham track down a new serial killer.Dead Ringers
1988-09-23Elliot, a successful gynecologist, works at the same practice as his identical twin, Beverly. Elliot is attracted to many of his patients and has affairs with them. When he inevitably loses interest, he will give the woman over to Beverly, the meeker of the two, without the woman knowing the difference. Beverly falls hard for one of the patients, Claire, but when she inadvertently deceives him, he slips into a state of madness.The Hitcher
1986-01-17On a stormy night, young Jim, who transports a luxury car from Chicago to California to deliver it to its owner, feeling tired and sleepy, picks up a mysterious hitchhiker, who has appeared out of nowhere, thinking that a good conversation will help him not to fall asleep. He will have enough time to deeply regret such an unmeditated decision.Sniper
1993-01-29Tough guy Thomas Beckett is an US soldier working in the Panamanian jungle. His job is to seek out rebels and remove them using his sniper skills. Beckett is notorious for losing his partners on such missions. This time he's accompanied by crack marksman Richard Miller.Ricochet
1991-10-04An attorney is terrorized by the criminal he put away years ago when he was a cop.The Adventures of For...
1990-07-11To the Los Angeles elite, Ford Fairlane is known as "Mr. Rock 'n' Roll Detective." This loudmouthed ladies' man serves an exclusive rock star clientele, who depend on his keen eye and smug discretion. So when a heavy-metal musician dies mid-concert, Fairlane is on the case before the lights come up. But things turn shocking when radio personality Johnny Crunch hires Fairlane to find a missing groupie mere hours before he is electrocuted live on air.Darkman
1990-08-24Dr. Peyton Westlake is on the verge of realizing a major breakthrough in synthetic skin when his laboratory is destroyed by gangsters. Having been burned beyond recognition and forever altered by an experimental medical procedure, Westlake becomes known as Darkman, assuming alternate identities in his quest for revenge and a new life with a former love.King of New York
1990-07-18A former drug lord returns from prison determined to wipe out all his competition and distribute the profits of his operations to New York's poor and lower classes in this stylish and ultra violent modern twist on Robin Hood.The Dentist
1996-06-07Dr. Feinstone has everything, a beautiful wife and a successful career in dentistry; but when he discovers his wife's affair, he realizes that behind every clean, white surface lies the stench of decay.Hard to Kill
1990-02-09Mason Storm, a 'go it alone' cop, is gunned down at home. The intruders kill his wife, and think they've killed both Mason and his son too. Mason is secretly taken to a hospital where he spends several years in a coma. His son meanwhile is growing up thinking his father is dead. When Mason wakes up, everyone is in danger - himself, his son, his best friend, his nurse - but most of all those who arranged for his deathBlood Work
2002-08-09Still recovering from a heart transplant, a retired FBI profiler returns to service when his own blood analysis offers clues to the identity of a serial killer.