“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.” - Anton Bitel, Little White Lies
“A fascinatingly complex commentary on American mythology, exploring the relationship between the inner world of the imagination and the outer world of violence and paranoia, both of which were relevant to contemporary American traumas.” - Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Saturday, August 24, 6:00 p.m. | Seemingly the most disparate pairing of Entrances and Exits, Peter Bogdanovich’s first and last films have a clear connection: the director’s devotion and love affair to cinema. In the unnerving and shockingly timeless TARGETS, deranged insurance agent Bobby Thompson embarks on a killing spree, with his final deadly destination a drive-in movie presentation featuring an appearance by the aging horror movie star Byron Orlok (Boris Karloff). As his image is projected 50 feet tall on the screen behind him, Orlock successfully disarms Thompson, thus saving lives and the day. In the charming documentary THE GREAT BUSTER: A CELEBRATION, Bogdanovich pays tribute to his hero, the iconic silent film star Buster Keaton. Between his debut and his finale, the director often explored and venerated cinema and the art of performance, including with films THE LAST PICTURE SHOW and THE CAT’S MEOW and the book This is Orson Welles (co-written with Welles, who is also featured in this series). For Bogdanovich, the screen was always bigger than life, and the stars were always the heroes.
Related Event: THE GREAT BUSTER: A CELEBRATION Saturday, August 24, 8:15 p.m.
Entrances and Exits: With Entrances and Exits, we showcase the first and last films from 10 beloved filmmakers. For this series, we abide by three rules: films included must not be posthumous releases, they must be feature films, and they must be solo directorial efforts. Some of these pairings seem to speak to one another, presenting a cinematic through-line that represents a consistent voice from cinematic cradle to grave. Others represent dramatic departures, reflecting a filmmaker’s leap from emerging artist to heavyweight player. What new elements do we see when we connect these entrances and exits, and how do the bodies of work between them transform when we consider the bookends of a career? Though these filmmakers are no longer with us, they sure did leave an impression. View Entrances and Exits Series. Tickets sold individually for each film.
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu