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Targets was a film tapping into the societal shift and troubled times of America during the 60s, both abroad and at home on its own streets. You had the Vietnam War raging overseas, while America had been rocked throughout the decade by numerous high-profile assassinations, race riots and race-related hate crimes. People all over America were feeling powerless and disenfranchised with their government and their country. The film also took specific inspiration from several real-life tragedies, most notably the story of Charles Whitman who killed his wife and mother before going on a shooting spree from the bell tower of the University of Texas; eventually resulting in a death toll of 17 people. While another of the film's sequences mirrors the Highway 101 Sniper Attack, where Michael Andrew Clark started firing at passing cars, killing 3 people. And sadly the film feels just as relevant as ever, and indeed prescient in the wake of such American tragedies as the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary and Virgina Tech, and the Boston Marathon bombing to name just a few. And now of course there is the immensely disturbing and dark parallel between Target's conclusion and what happened at the cinema in Aurora during the showing of The Dark Knight Rises.
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Year of release
1968
Directed by
Peter Bogdanovich
Written by
Peter Bogdanovich
Starring
Boris Karloff
Tim O'Kelly
Arthur Peterson
Nancy Hsueh
Peter Bogdanovich
Targets
1968
Directed by
Peter Bogdanovich
Written by
Peter Bogdanovich
Starring
Boris Karloff
Tim O'Kelly
Arthur Peterson
Nancy Hsueh
Peter Bogdanovich
Targets
Plot - Byron Orlok (Karloff) is an elderly and legendary horror movie star who feels his career coming to an end and decides to retire. He feels that his once scary films can no longer compete with the real-life horrors to be found on the streets. Bobby Thompson (O'Kelly) meanwhile is a young Vietnam veteran with a seemingly normal life who one day snaps, killing his mother and his wife before embarking on a killing spree. The two men seem to have nothing in common until their lives intersect at a drive-in movie theatre showing one of Orlok's old pictures. Orlok is there to make a personal appearance, while Thompson has chosen this as the location for his last stand.
Quite a unique and intriguing film this one, detailing the shifting face of horror both in the movies and in society at large. For a large amount of the time this film actually plays like two completely separate entities, which are only brought crashing together in the closing moments. Legendary horror actor Boris Karloff plays Byron Orlok, a thinly veiled version of himself. He is a rather morose individual who believes his time has come and gone. His films which once struck terror into the hearts of audiences are now considered high camp. He cannot compete with the real horrors that have seeped into our everyday lives. As an example of this is Bobby Thompson, played to understated chilling effect by Tim O'Kelly. It is clear right from the start that he is a troubled young man. His life seems fairly normal and pleasant but you can just sense a hollowness and an emptiness about it. He is disturbed by the thoughts which are rattling around his mind but is unable to communicate this to those who love him. The film teases his descent into homicidal madness a few times before eventually he snaps and goes on a killing spree.
And those moments where Bobby loses it and begins killing really are exceptionally disturbing scenes, largely as it doesn't feel like we are really watching a film in these instances. The music drops out, meaning they play in complete silence except for the repeated sound of gunshots. Combined with some stark imagery from Bogdanovich and cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs they don't feel all that excessive, with O'Kelly's emotionless reactions there's something disturbingly run of the mill about them. It all seems just so easy and casual an exercise for Bobby, no more taxing than any simple household chore. It's very disturbing whenever the film places us in the character's shoes, giving us his point of view, having us look through the same crosshairs as the character, viewing his innocent and oblivious potential victims. With some impressive direction, cinematography and sound design they are startlingly effective sequences.
Indeed the film is impressively directed throughout by the debuting Peter Bogdanovich, delivering a series of striking scenes and compositions. This is never more true than when it comes to Target's conclusion. Set at a drive-in theatre which is reopening with an Orlok picture, and featuring a personal appearance by him, it sees Bobby climb high up behind the screen to pick off members of the audience. Bobby uses a hole in the large screen to aim his rifle barrel through and fire his shots at the unsuspecting audience. It's a very symbolic image; the fiction has been punctured and the horrors have seeped out into real life. The monsters are no longer to be found up on the big screen, but out on the same streets that we walk every day.
Quite a unique and intriguing film this one, detailing the shifting face of horror both in the movies and in society at large. For a large amount of the time this film actually plays like two completely separate entities, which are only brought crashing together in the closing moments. Legendary horror actor Boris Karloff plays Byron Orlok, a thinly veiled version of himself. He is a rather morose individual who believes his time has come and gone. His films which once struck terror into the hearts of audiences are now considered high camp. He cannot compete with the real horrors that have seeped into our everyday lives. As an example of this is Bobby Thompson, played to understated chilling effect by Tim O'Kelly. It is clear right from the start that he is a troubled young man. His life seems fairly normal and pleasant but you can just sense a hollowness and an emptiness about it. He is disturbed by the thoughts which are rattling around his mind but is unable to communicate this to those who love him. The film teases his descent into homicidal madness a few times before eventually he snaps and goes on a killing spree.
And those moments where Bobby loses it and begins killing really are exceptionally disturbing scenes, largely as it doesn't feel like we are really watching a film in these instances. The music drops out, meaning they play in complete silence except for the repeated sound of gunshots. Combined with some stark imagery from Bogdanovich and cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs they don't feel all that excessive, with O'Kelly's emotionless reactions there's something disturbingly run of the mill about them. It all seems just so easy and casual an exercise for Bobby, no more taxing than any simple household chore. It's very disturbing whenever the film places us in the character's shoes, giving us his point of view, having us look through the same crosshairs as the character, viewing his innocent and oblivious potential victims. With some impressive direction, cinematography and sound design they are startlingly effective sequences.
Indeed the film is impressively directed throughout by the debuting Peter Bogdanovich, delivering a series of striking scenes and compositions. This is never more true than when it comes to Target's conclusion. Set at a drive-in theatre which is reopening with an Orlok picture, and featuring a personal appearance by him, it sees Bobby climb high up behind the screen to pick off members of the audience. Bobby uses a hole in the large screen to aim his rifle barrel through and fire his shots at the unsuspecting audience. It's a very symbolic image; the fiction has been punctured and the horrors have seeped out into real life. The monsters are no longer to be found up on the big screen, but out on the same streets that we walk every day.
Film Trivia Snippets Targets had a rather unique origin. It came about as a result of Boris Karloff owing Roger Corman two days of filming. So Corman told Bogdanovich that he could make any film he wanted, but with two conditions. He had to hire Karloff for two of the days, and he had to use stock footage from The Terror; a film Corman and Karloff had made together 5 years previously. Karloff was so impressed with Bogdanovich's efforts that he actually worked a total of five days and refused any pay for his participation. /// At the time of the film being made Karloff was in very poor health; he was suffering from emphysema and rheumatoid arthritis, had only half of one lung remaining and spent the time between takes in a wheelchair with an oxygen mask. He had braces on both legs, and had difficulty standing or walking without the aid of his cane.
There's no doubt that the film does have its flaws. Working from an absolutely minuscule budget, some of the acting is a tad amateurish and the film as a whole can feel rather slow burning. While many of the characters are never really developed beyond very basic one-dimensional portraits. Oh and also the fate of Bobby's father is left rather unresolved and unreferenced. Are we to assume that Bobby was unable to stand up to his father and challenge him, so waited until he was out of the way and Bobby wouldn't have to deal with him. I suppose there was that scene where the two men are out doing some target practice and Bobby actually traps his father in the sights of his gun but doesn't pull the trigger. Perhaps that shows us his inability to confront his father. Sorry just having a conversation with myself. 
Back to the review.
Targets was one of Boris Karloff's last ever films prior to his passing; indeed it was Karloff's final appearance in a major Hollywood production. And the film acts as a truly suitable tribute to the man, and a fitting farewell. Karloff gives a terrific performance as Orlok, delivering a real sense of weary tiredness and despair at his situation while at the same time still proving to be dryly humorous. It's really quite a sensitive and indeed a moving performance. And the man who was best known for portraying Frankenstein's Monster proves that even at the stage of his career, and in failing health, he still had a real presence to him. The closing scene where Orlok marches purposely towards the shooter, disregarding his own safety and with a grim determination on his face is quite a moment. At this point Bobby has so completely lost touch with reality that he is unable to differentiate between the Orlok on screen, and the Orlok in real life who is coming right at him; with Bobby shooting at both of them. With a conclusion that denounces Bobby as the coward that he is as Orlok asks Is that what I was afraid of?
Conclusion - Targets may be a touch dated now; a little bit slow and rough around the edges, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is a very captivating and effective film, one that is well handled throughout by Bogdanovich and features a poignant, effective showing from acting legend, Boris Karloff. This could be a film that grows on me over time.
Back to the review. Targets was one of Boris Karloff's last ever films prior to his passing; indeed it was Karloff's final appearance in a major Hollywood production. And the film acts as a truly suitable tribute to the man, and a fitting farewell. Karloff gives a terrific performance as Orlok, delivering a real sense of weary tiredness and despair at his situation while at the same time still proving to be dryly humorous. It's really quite a sensitive and indeed a moving performance. And the man who was best known for portraying Frankenstein's Monster proves that even at the stage of his career, and in failing health, he still had a real presence to him. The closing scene where Orlok marches purposely towards the shooter, disregarding his own safety and with a grim determination on his face is quite a moment. At this point Bobby has so completely lost touch with reality that he is unable to differentiate between the Orlok on screen, and the Orlok in real life who is coming right at him; with Bobby shooting at both of them. With a conclusion that denounces Bobby as the coward that he is as Orlok asks Is that what I was afraid of?
Conclusion - Targets may be a touch dated now; a little bit slow and rough around the edges, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is a very captivating and effective film, one that is well handled throughout by Bogdanovich and features a poignant, effective showing from acting legend, Boris Karloff. This could be a film that grows on me over time.