Peter Bogdanovich's first credited directorial effort is Boris Karloff's last great film. A split story of an aging movie star (Karloff) wanting to retire and an unhinged sniper (Tim O'Kelly) going on a shooting rampage. The two stories intersect brilliantly in the film's climax. Watching this you would think the director was an old pro, not a novice. Bogdanovich, who also acts in the movie and does a surprisingly good job, makes the most of the limited budget he was given. He also makes clever use of footage from Karloff's movies The Criminal Code and The Terror. Karloff is fantastic in a role that would be a perfect coda for his career. Yeah he made some more forgettable low-budget horror movies after this but this is such a perfect final film for him that I prefer to think of it as such. O'Kelly is also good in his only notable film role. It's a remarkable movie that's multilayered and perhaps as timely today as it was then. If you enjoy Karloff then, of course, it's a must-see.
