Targets (1968)

Targets
Directed by Peter Bogdonovich
Written by Peter Bogdonovich; story by Bogdonovich and Polly Platt
1968/USA
IMDb link
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
One of 1000 Best Horror Movies on They Shoot Zombies Don’t They?
Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant

[box] Byron Orlok: Oh, Sammy, what’s the use? Mr. Boogey Man, King of Blood they used to call me. Marx Brothers make you laugh, Garbo makes you weep, Orlok makes you scream.[/box]

Not too shabby for a feature film debut, Mr. Bogdonovich.

There are two stories running concurrently.  In one, a writer played by Bogdonovich tries to convince elderly horror star Brian Orlok (Boris Karloff) to star in a straight role in his new movie.  Both are clearly playing themselves.  Simultaneously, a young clean-cut Vietnam War Vet plans and carries out mass murder.

Everybody meets up at a drive-in where Orlok is making a publicity appearance for his latest movie.

Bogdonovich was a huge film geek and just can’t help himself from going meta at this young age.  The really compelling story is the sniper’s and the other story gets in its way here.  That’s a shame because the other story features one of Karloff’s many memorable performances.  That too, might have made a great movie in the hands of a more mature director. This quibble aside, the film is well worth seeing.

Producer Roger Corman gave Bogdonovich a free hand with the film so long as he used clips from The Terror  (1963) and hired Karloff for the two days still owed on his contract with Corman.  The infirm actor ended up working five days and doing a splendid job.