tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2042846540404918552.post2816404176012853729..comments2023-10-28T07:20:36.263-04:00Comments on Billy Loves Stu: The Last Drive In Picture Show: TargetsPax Romanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00951019083510283683noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2042846540404918552.post-66408098270482427382010-10-18T18:06:43.137-04:002010-10-18T18:06:43.137-04:00PAX!
I'm aware that I'm about two years l...PAX!<br /><br />I'm aware that I'm about two years late to the party here, but when you commented on MY review of the film and said that you had reviewed it as well, I had to rush right over and see what you had to say. Good stuff! I wondered why this hadn't found a wider audience, but you actually had the motivation to find out why.<br /><br />--J/MetroAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2042846540404918552.post-12074052037629496762008-10-26T20:22:00.000-04:002008-10-26T20:22:00.000-04:00Amen, my brother!How said that Bela's swan song, w...Amen, my brother!<BR/><BR/>How said that Bela's swan song, was Plan 9 ... sort of.Pax Romanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00951019083510283683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2042846540404918552.post-5142976096573584962008-10-26T19:03:00.000-04:002008-10-26T19:03:00.000-04:00Oh certainly, Karloff could've never travelled to ...Oh certainly, Karloff could've never travelled to Mexico confined to a wheelchair and taking oxygen between every take; you're absolutely right. I didn't mean to suggest that; only that the 4 films were Mexican -- and in fact weren't released until a year or two after Karloff's death. I've only seen one of the 4 "Mexican" horrors (The Fear Chamber) and it certainly was abyssmal; although I have heard quite a few people suggest that, if you have to see one, the Snake People film is probably the best of the lot. I've no doubt that Bogdanovich probably did say TARGETS was Karloff's final film in the commentary track -- it is emotionally, anyway. When the facts and legend don't agree, in this case it's much more satisfying to print the legend. TARGETS certainly is Karloff's last REAL film worth watching. Besides the 4 Mexican films which one cannot say Boris was that involved in, there was the voice-only work on Rankin-Bass' claymation extravaganza MAD MONSTER PARTY as well as THE CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR which some sources site as being released after TARGETS. For someone in such ill health and in the last year of his life, Karloff's determination to keep working was phenomenal! You've gotta hand it to old Boris -- the man just would not lie down! He was going to go out with greasepaint still on, bless him!Cerptshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07788317865445255338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2042846540404918552.post-25864536061242591882008-10-26T13:09:00.000-04:002008-10-26T13:09:00.000-04:00Arby,Duly noted.Arby,<BR/><BR/>Duly noted.Pax Romanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00951019083510283683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2042846540404918552.post-57166591821819426022008-10-26T11:33:00.000-04:002008-10-26T11:33:00.000-04:00Actually, Karloff didn't travel to Mexico to make ...Actually, Karloff didn't travel to Mexico to make his final movies. His scenes were shot in Los Angeles by Jack Hill (of <B>Spider Baby</B> fame) and inserted into the Mexican productions. They're usually regarded with disdain by Karloff's fans but I've always been partial to <B>The Snake People</B>.Arbogasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12670776992289080245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2042846540404918552.post-92120927315364385392008-10-25T22:07:00.000-04:002008-10-25T22:07:00.000-04:00I could have sworn that Peter B said this was Karl...I could have sworn that Peter B said this was Karloff's final film in the commentary...I will change what I wrote with a tip of my hat, to you my friend.<BR/><BR/>Yes! The mirror scene made me laugh out loud; and the story of death coming for the merchant is chilling, and sort of shocked me in it's power.<BR/><BR/>Speaking of Mr. Price: how about the part when Sammy teases Orlok and tells him that if he does not do his film, he's going to get Vincent Price.<BR/><BR/>All in all a perfect film.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2042846540404918552.post-19387467326163308112008-10-25T20:30:00.000-04:002008-10-25T20:30:00.000-04:00TARGETS has always been one of my favourite Karlof...TARGETS has always been one of my favourite Karloff films; it should have been his final film but in fact wasn't. He did about 5 more (most in Mexico) because he refused to stop working. What a fine old trooper he was! But even his daughter Sara Karloff likes to think of it as her father's last hurrah since this film has him going out on top! <BR/><BR/>The film was really a labour of love on Bogdanovich's part; giving Karloff such a fine part was like a Valentine to the grand old man of horror. It's similar to what Tim Burton would do with Vincent Price in EDWARD SCISSORHANDS; only Boris got to star in the entire film whereas Vincent was already too infirm to appear in more than the opening scenes. <BR/><BR/>The juxtaposition between the wonderful terror films we all love (represented by Karloff) and the modern day horrors of real life (represented by Tim O'Kelly) are married beautifully by Bogdanovich. And I like to think that having Karloff beat down O'Kelly at the end of the film represents the triumph of the old enjoyable horror film over the ugliness of the evening news. Only a true fan like Bogdanovich with a love for Karloff's films could make such a movie. <BR/><BR/>For anyone who loves Karloff, TARGETS is jampacked with loving tributes to the man -- as well as offering Karloff his last great performance. I particularly love the scene where Karloff wakes up hungover after a night of boozing, walks in front of the mirror and scares himself (an ad lib by Karloff says Bogdanovich) or the scene where Bogdanovich is watching Howard Hawks' THE CRIMINAL CODE with Karloff on TV -- Karloff keeps speaking to him but Bogdanovich, absorbing in the film keeps shushing him! Then of course there's the expert telling by Karloff of the spooky tale about Death chasing the man in the Arab market; a tale repeated verbatim from Boris Karloff's TALES OF THE FRIGHTENED record; a copy of which I have in my vault.<BR/><BR/>As you can tell by the length of this comment, I'm a huge fan of the film and I'm so glad you got the chance to see TARGETS. If I had only known, I could have leant you my DVD of it years ago!!!Cerptshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07788317865445255338noreply@blogger.com