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Targets

Play trailer Poster for Targets R 1968 1h 32m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 36 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
After unhinged Vietnam vet Bobby Thompson (Tim O'Kelly) kills his wife and mother, he goes on a brutal shooting spree. Starting at an oil refinery, he evades the police and continues his murderous outing at a drive-in movie theater, where Byron Orlock (Boris Karloff), a retiring horror film icon, is making a promotional appearance. Before long, Orlock, a symbol of fantastical old-fashioned scares, faces off against Thompson, a remorseless psychopath rooted in a harsh modern reality.
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Targets

Targets

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Critics Consensus

A startling directorial debut by Peter Bogdanovich mixes an homage to Boris Karloff horror films with a timely sniper story to create a thriller with modern baggage and old school shock and awe.

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Critics Reviews

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Penelope Gilliatt The New Yorker 01/23/2024
I know the film was made in hard circumstances, on a small budget, and it is only fair to say that the visual elements -- as opposed to the performances -- are skillfully commanded. But it seems to me a fantastically foolish picture. Go to Full Review Anton Bitel Little White Lies 09/15/2023
Bogdanovich’s sophisticated, meta cinematic feature debut brings into confrontation Karloff’s era of castle gothic... and a more contemporary, ripped-from-the-headlines realism that is finding its way into the genre, and into films like this one. Go to Full Review Eric Henderson Slant Magazine 05/18/2023
Far from a period piece, Targets’s contrasting tales capture a still-relevant portrait of America’s uniquely schizophrenic relationship with gun violence. Go to Full Review Sarah Boslaugh TheArtsStl Feb 15
7/10
Targets was a box office bomb upon first release, but critics liked it and it has since become recognized as a quality film that has something to say about American conformity, violence, and the film business. Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 09/22/2024
It wasn’t Karloff’s last film, but it’s the farewell performance he should be remembered by: he’s gentle, funny, sad, and dignified throughout... Go to Full Review Taylor Baker Drink in the Movies 11/19/2023
78/100
Targets still feels experimental and fresh today, the strictures in place on Bogdanovich with the lean budget and limited shooting days with Boris Karloff resulted in a film that if it were released today would feel exciting and new Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Scott M Dec 31 Half of a good movie. The exploitation was extremely well done. The whole Charles Whitman aspect of the film was executed perfectly by the director. But I absolutely hated the Boris Karloff scenes. He's not a bad actor. I just thought it was a silly irony that attempts to be poetic and fails. See more Kyle M Jun 30 Before his second feat brilliance “The Last Picture Show”, Peter Bogdanovich debuted with a similar examining mindset that taught him to greatly improve when it didn’t function transitionally between the unconvincing parallels that are dated in one hand and boldly timing in the other with slight captivation, accumulating in haunting imprint after half polishing both plots. (B) See more thiago s @Thiagostone May 6 Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, a história é fraca, os personagens sao fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes para fazer o filme ser bom. See more Sam N Mar 25 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. See more pete 01/28/2025 This movie is awful in every possible way. The concept is sick, the sets are ugly, Boris is good but all the other performances are awful, especially Peter Bogwhatever who directed this mess. See more CodyZamboni Z @CodyZamboni 10/18/2024 Intense, meta, disturbing, As Hollywood old fashioned movie horror comes face to face with today's real life everyday horror, Final triumphant swan song of Boris Karloff, and an impressive debut for Peter Bogdanovich. See more Read all reviews
Targets

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Cast & Crew

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Peter Bogdanovich

Director

Boris Karloff

Byron Orlok

Tim O'Kelly

Bobby Thompson

Nancy Hsueh

Jenny

James Brown

Robert Thompson, Sr.

Sandy Baron

Kip Larkin

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Targets

Targets (1968) Targets (1968) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After unhinged Vietnam vet Bobby Thompson (Tim O'Kelly) kills his wife and mother, he goes on a brutal shooting spree. Starting at an oil refinery, he evades the police and continues his murderous outing at a drive-in movie theater, where Byron Orlock (Boris Karloff), a retiring horror film icon, is making a promotional appearance. Before long, Orlock, a symbol of fantastical old-fashioned scares, faces off against Thompson, a remorseless psychopath rooted in a harsh modern reality.
Director
Peter Bogdanovich
Producer
Peter Bogdanovich
Screenwriter
Polly Platt, Peter Bogdanovich, Peter Bogdanovich, Samuel Fuller
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Saticoy Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 15, 1968, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 19, 2017
Runtime
1h 32m
Sound Mix
Mono
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