Targets

Targets is a 1968 film about an elderly horror-film star who, while making a personal appearance at a drive-in theater, confronts a psychotic Vietnam veteran who's turned into a mass-murdering sniper.

Directed and written by Peter Bogdanovich.

"I just killed my wife and my mother. I know they'll get me. But before that, many more will die..." (taglines)

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.
• You know what they call my films today? Camp! High camp!
• [watching the audience seeing his movie] Strange not getting any reaction, isn't it?
• [Bobby Thompson cowers before him] Is that what I was afraid of?
• Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I'd like to leave you with a little story to think about as you drive home... through the darkness... Once upon a time, many many years ago, a rich merchant in Baghdad sent his servant to the marketplace to buy provisions. And after a while the servant came back, white-faced and trembling, and said, Master, when I was in the marketplace, I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and I turned to look, and I saw that it was Death that had jostled me. And she looked at me and made a threatening gesture. Oh, Master, please lend me your horse, that I may ride away from this city and escape my fate. I will ride to Samarra and Death will not find me there. So the merchant loaned him the horse and the servant mounted it, dug his spurs into its flank, and as fast as the horse could gallop he rode towards Samarra. Then the merchant went to the marketplace and he saw Death standing in the crowd and he said to her, Why did you make a threatening gesture to my servant when you saw him this morning? And Death said, I made no threatening gesture. That was, that was only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him here in Baghdad, for I have an appointment with him tonight in Samarra.

Bobby Thompson

• [typed out in letter] TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: It is now 11.40 am. My wife is still asleep but when she wakes up, I am going to kill her. Then I am going to kill my mother. I know they will get me, but there will be more killing before I die.
• [to the police] Hardly ever missed, did I?

Sammy Michaels

• All the good movies have been made.

Dialogue

Jenny: You really are in a foul mood.

Byron Orlok: Not at all. I'm just tired of your baleful looks.

---

Ray, Salesman: What're you hunting this time?

Bobby Thompson: Gonna shoot some pigs.

---

Kip Larkin, Dejay: OK, groovy, groovy. Now, um, somebody announces me on the PA, uh, laddies and janes, papas and mamas, here's your boss dis daddy, the winner spinner with the sounds around, Kip the Hip Larkin, le-e-t's hearken Larkin...

Sammy Michaels: All right then, after you finish plugging your show you introduce Mr. Orlok and we can get on with it.

Kip Larkin, Dejay: No plugs, not Kip the Hip, I am just gonna tell 'em what a big thrill this is for me, and that's no put-on. When I was a kid, Mr. O., I musta dug your flicks four zillion times. You blew my mind.

Byron Orlok: Obviously.

Taglines

• "I just killed my wife and my mother. I know they'll get me. But before that, many more will die..."
• TARGETS are people...and you could be one of them!

Cast

• Tim O'Kelly - Bobby Thompson
• Boris Karloff - Byron Orlok
• Arthur Peterson - Ed Loughlin
• Monte Landis - Marshall Smith
• Nancy Hsueh - Jenny
• Peter Bogdanovich - Sammy Michaels

External links

• Targets quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• Targets at Rotten Tomatoes